accused on several Articles by the Bishops and afterwards Condemned by them as an Heretick to be burnt when he came to the fire he said Father of Heaven I commend my Spirit into thy holy Hands and then turned him to the People and said these Words I beseech you Christian Brethren and Sisters that you be not offended in the Word of God for the affliction and Torments which you see already prepared for me but I Exhort you that you Love the Word of God and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted Salvation and Everlasting Comfort Moreover I pray you shew my Brethren and Sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor lâ—â—ve off the Word of God which I taught unto them after the Grace given to me for any Persecutions or Troubles in this World which lasts not and shew unto them that my Doctrine was no Old Wives Fable after the Constitution made by men and if I had taught mens Doctrine I had gotten great thanks of men but for the Word and true Gospels sake I suffer this day by men not sorowfully but with a glad Heart and Mind for this cause I was sent that I should Suffer this Fire for Christs Sake this grim Fire I fear not and so I pray you to do if that any Persecution come unto you for the Word's sake and fear not them that Kill the Body and afterwards have no power to Kill the Soul Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee Father of Heaven to forgive them that have through Ignorance or an evil Mind forged Lyes against me I forgive them with all my heart and I beseech Christ to forgive them who have Condemned me to death this day ignorantly So being first Hanged he was then burnt many People bewailing his death VVabter Mille amongst the rest of the Martyrs of Scotland his Constancy is not to be past over with silence out of whose Ashes Sprung thousands of his Religion in Scotland many Articles were drawn up against him for which he had sentance pronounced against him that he should be delivered to the Temporal Judge and punisht as an Heretick which was to be burnt Now when all things were ready for his death and he conveyed with Armed men to the Fire Andrew Olifant Judge that past sentence upon him bad him Go to the Stake he said Nay except thou pull me up with thy hand for I am forbidden by the Law of God to lay hands of my self then Olifant put him up with his hand thereupon he went gladly saying I will go to the Altar of God and desired that he might have time to speak to the People which his Executioner denyed saying That he had spoken over-much and that the Bishops were oâ—fended that the matter was so long continued but some young men that stood by desired him to speak what he please so after he had prayed he rose up and standing upon the Coles said on this wise Dear Friends the Cause why I suffer this day is not for any Crime laid to my Charge but only for the defence of the Faith of Christ Jesus for which as the faithful Martyrs have heretofore gladly offered themselves being assured after the Death of their Bodies of Eternal Felicity so this day I praise God that he hath called me of his Mercy among the rest of his Servants to seal his Truth with my Life which as I received it of him so willingly I offer it to his Glory Therefore as you will escape the eternal death be no more seduced by the Lyes of Priests Monks and Bishops and the rest of the Sect of Antichrist but depend only upon Jesus Christ and his Mercy that you may be delivered from Condemnation All that while there was great Mourning and Lamentation of the multitude for they perceiving his Patience Stoutness Boldness and Constancy were not only moved and stirred up but their hearts also were so inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland for Religion after his prayer he was hoised up on the Stake and being in the Fire he said Lord have Mercy on me pray People while there is time and so be constantly departed The Persecutions in the Reign of Edward the sixth Henry the Eighth being dead Edward the sixth succeeded him at the Age of nine years he was a Youth of a meek nature and disposition much inclined to Clemency and Mercy yea so much that when one Joan Butcher being condemned to be burnt for Heresie all the Council could not move him to set his hand saying to Cranmer what will you send her quick to the Devil in her Error Doctor Cranmer perswaded him with much ado at last to put his hand to whom he said He would lay all the charge thereof upon Cranmer as before the Lord. But though this King was of so mild a Nature and a Person inclining to love Religion from a Child being very Zealous for a further Reformation in the Church abolishing the Mass c. and a Protector being appointed during his Nonage which was his uncle the Duke of Somerset a man also very Zealous for Reformation and an Encourager of such as profest the Gospel but in the midst of these meek and gentle times on the other hand the Pâ—pish party having a great power in the Kingdom used all the Means and Endeavours to stir up Persecution and to hinder that good they found the King and his Uncle inclinable to yet the most of this Kings Reign which was but short the Sword was taken out of their hands so that they had not power to shed much Blood all his Reign yet some there were that suffered for Religion viz. Joan of Kent an English woman and one George a Dutchman and one Thomâ—s Dobb who was apprehended for speaking against the Idolatry of the Mass and committed to Prison where he died The cause of the Imprisonment of Thomas Dobb was as followeth The said Thomas Dobb being a Man fervent and zealous for Religion and as it is recorded of him a man so Innocent that he was like a Dove without any Gall or Bitterness and more apt to receive Injury then do wrong to any one It happened that as he was passing by Pauls in London seeing the Priest at Mass being at the Elevation as he passed by the young man filled with godly Zeal pitying the Ignorance and Idolatry of the People in honouring that so devoutly which the Priest lifted up was not able to forbear but opened his Mouth and turning to the People exhorted them testifying against their Idolatry for which cause he was presently apprehended by the Mayor and being accused by the Bishop of Canterbury was Committed to the Counter in Bredstreet where falling sick he soon after died In this Kings time there was also one John Hume a servant to one Lewnax accused by his Master of denying the Sacrament of the Altar to be the real
11. Joseph's Brethren were punished by Famine and Distress Josephs Brethren who persecuted their righteous Brother Joseph in that they hated him and sold him for twenty pieces of Silver to the Ishmaelites as is confest and acknowledged by themselves to be justly come upon them for that thing We are very guilty say they one to another concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us and Ruben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the Child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required Gen. 37.4.28 King Pharaoh and the Aegyptians the great Persecutors of the Children of Israel Pharaoh and the Aegyptians who kept them long in Captivity in Aegypt the House of Boundage who by all the Wisdom they had studdied how to Vex and Torment them by Task-Masters to Afflict them by Burthens and make them serve with Rigour and thereby made their Lives most bitter unto them with heard Bondage in Mortar and Brick to be made without Straw and yet exacting upon them the full tail of Bricks as when they had Straw and beating of them if they did not fulfil the number of their wonted daily Task and lastly by commanding all their Male-Children to be slain and killed and would not let them go to do Sacrifice unto the Lord their God but for all this they did not go unpunished but the Lord most justly and most severelly punisned them for all their Cruelty and Wicked Persecution For First their Water was all turned into Blood insomuch that their Fish died and they themselves could not drink of it Secondly They were plagued with Frogs in their Houses and in their Chambers in their Beds in their Ovens and in their kneeding-troughs and upon himself and his People Thirdly Their Dust was turned into Lice and they were upon Man and Beast and in their Houses and they covered the Ground Fourthly They were plagued with swarms of Flies in like manner Fifthly With the Murrain among their Beasts Sixthly With Blaines and Boyles upon man and Beast Seventhly With grievous Hail mingled with Fire killing men and Beast that it fell upon and every Herb of the Field throughout the Land and every Tree Eighthly With grievous Locusts which went over all the Land covering the Face of the whole Earth so that the Land was Darkened and they did eat every Herb of the Land and all the Fruit of the Trees which the Hail had left Ninthly With thick Darkness over all the Land even darkness that may be felt for three dayes together so that they saw not one the other neither rose any from his place for three dayes but the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings all the while Tenthly The Lord did out off all the First-born in the Land from the First-born of Pharaoh that sits upon the Throne to the First-born of the Maid-Servant that was behind the Mill and all the First-born of Beasts Then Lastly the Lord drowned them all in the midst of the Red-Sea even Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians with all their Chariots and Horse-men and all his Host so as there remained not one of them Thus was the Judgment of God executed upon cruel Persecuting Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians The Wicked King Ahab who sold himself to work Wickedness a great Persecutor and Hater of good Micah a true Prophet of the Lord King Ahab who for speaking the truth in the Name of the Lord when commanded by the King so to do though it were against the King himself was for that by him commanded to be put in Prison and fed with Bread and Water of Affliction and suffered him to be smitten on the Face by Zedekiah in his presence without reproof was at last met with by the hand of Justice and true Judgment according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the said Prophet for he was slain in Battel by a Dart snot out of a Bow at venter which smote him the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness whilst he was in his Chariot and was fain to be carried out of the Battel and at Evening about Sun-set he died 2 Chron. 18.7 26 33 34. Jezabel that cursed Woman and great Persecutor of the Saints who slew and cut off many of the Prophets of the Lord Jezabel Queen who caused Naboth to be accused falsly of Blasphemy that so he might be Stoned to Death as he was so that King Ahab her Husband who thristed for poor Naboths Vineyard might take possession thereof as he did She threatned the man of God and Prophet of the Lord Elijah in Swearing by her Gods She would cause him to be slain by to morrow this time and make his life as the life of one of the Prophets of Baal which he had slain was most justly rewarded at the Hand of the Lord according as the Prophet of the Lord Elijah had aforetold who said the Dogs should eat Jezabel by the Wall of Jezreel which was the very Wall of Naboth's Vineyard which she caused to be taken most wickedly from him as aforesaid for when she reckoned with her self to set out her self in the most sumptions manner she could to the liking of the King by triming and decking her self by painting her Face and tiring her Head to look out of the Window upon the King then did King Jehu command her to be thrown down out of the Window and so they threw her down out of the Window and shed her blood and trampled her under their Feet and when he would have buried this cursed Woman as he called her because she was a Kings Daughter they found that the Dogs had lickt up her Blood and had eaten her Flesh so that there remained only her Skull her Feet and the Palmes of her Hands Then said the King when he heard of it This makes good the Word of the Lord which he spake by his Servant Elijahâ— the Tishbite saying In the Portion of Jezreel shall Dogs eat the Flesh of Jezabel and the Carkass of Jezabel shall be as Dung upon the Face of the Fields in the Portion of Jezreel so that they shall not say this is Jezabel 1 King 18.4 13. 1 Kings 21.8 16 21 23. 2 Kings 9.33 36 37. King Joash when he began to Reign Ruled well King Joash and so continued while he had good Councellors about him but when he began to hearken unto evil Councellors viz. The Princes of Judah his chief good Councellor Jehoida the Priest being dead and took their evil Council they drew away his Heart and inclined it to Idolatry and to Persecution so that when Zachariah the Son of Jehoida came to him from the Lord being filled with the Spirit to bear Testimony against him and their Idolatry and against his and their Transgressions and to reprove him and them for it they conspired
against him and Stoned him with Stones at the Commandment of the King in the Court of the House of the Lord and slew him but the Lord soon according unto this good mans Prayer at his Death lookt upon this evil and required it at his and their hands by executing Judgment upon the King and his evil Councellors for at the end of that Year the Lord sent the Host of Assyria against him even but a small Company and destroyed all the Princes of the People the Kings evil Councellors first from among the People and sent the spoil of them to the King of Damascus and delivered a very great Army into their hands Because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers and so they executed Judgment against Joash the King and when they had departed from him having left him in great Diâ—tress by reason of great Diseases his own Servant conspired against him for the blood of the Sons of Jehoida and slew him on his Bed that he died 2 Chron. 24. Proud Haman Persecutor Haman the Persecutor who persecuted Mordecai because he would not bow unto him and do him reverence according to the Kings Command who therefore sought to destroy all the Jews that were in the Kingdom promising to pay into the Kings Treasure ten thousand Talents of Silver if he would grant his Writing for their Destruction unto which the King consented to and in the mean time Haman builds a Gallows fifty Cubits high to hang Mordecai upon for not moving nor rising up nor doing reverence unto him but the Righteous God the Judge of Heaven and Earth who seeth all things soon overtook this Persecutor in his furious Pride and Blood-thirstiness and put a stop to his intended Persecution by turning the Kings Heart against him by the intercession of Esther the Queen whereby he came to be hanged himself upon the same Gallows he had set up for Mordecai the Jew Esther 3. Nebuchadnezar humbled Nebuchadnezzar that Proud Persecuting King of Babylon and Caldea how did the Lord humble him for his pride and cruelty exercised towards the three Children in casting then into the Fiery-Furnace which he caused to be heat seven times hotter then ordinary for them because they would not Worship the Golden Image which he had set up by renting his Kingdom from him and driving him from Men and making his dwelling with the Beasts of the Field and to eat grass as an Ox till seven times past over him and that his hands grew like Eagles Feathers and his nails like Birds Clawes that he and all might know that the Lord only changes times and seasons and Rules the Kingdoms of men and giveth to whomsoever he will and that his Wayes Works and Judgments are Truth as he afterwards confessed and that those that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 3.14 to the 18th verse The Executioners executâ—ed Those chosen men that were the most mighty men of all that King Nebuchadnezar had in his whole Army that were the appointed Executioners of the Kings cruelty in fulfilling his Commands in binding the three Children and casting them into the burning Fiery Furnace soon tasted the just Judgment of God for their frowardness to obey such commands of cruelty for the flames of the Fire slew those men that took the three Children up while the Saints of the most high themselves though bound in their Coats Hosen Hats and other Garments being cast into the midst of the burning Fiery Furnace where they fell down bound into the midst of it yet upon their Bodies the Fire had no power nor was one hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smell of Fire past on them Dan. 3.20 Those Presidents and Princes of Media and Persia that were the Persecutors of Daniel in King Darius his time that sought the occasions to find something against Daniel The Presidents and Princes of Mâ—dia and Persâ—a that they might accuse him to the King concerning the Kingdom but could find no occasion nor fault forasmuch as he was Faithful neither was there any error or fault found in him save only in that matter concerning the Law of his God against whom that they might have something against him in that matter also they are constrained to procure a Degree that whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for three dayes save only the King he should be cast into the Den of Lions which he the said Daniel even as they thought would not obey but immediately as soon as he be understood it was signed he went into his House his Windows being opened in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God as he did before time for which those men aforesaid accused him before the King by whose means according to the said Decree he was cast into the Lions Den but God sent his Angels and shut the Lions Mouthes that they could not hurt him for no manner of hurt was found upon him because he was Innocent and believed in God but his Persecutors soon felt the just and righteous hand of God upon them for their so wicked persecuting the Innocent for Conscience sake for the King commanded those men to be brought that had accused Daniel and they cast them their Wives and their Children into the Lions Den and the Lions had the Mastery of them and break all their bones in pieces ere they came to the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. King Antiochus King Antiocuâ— surnamed Epiphanes a great Persecutor of the Jews who committed great Evils at Jerusalem and took all the Vessels of Gold and Silver that were therein and sent to destroy the Inhabitants of Judea without a cause and as himself confessed who in a Proud and insolent manner protested he would make Jerusalem a common burying place and the Streets thereof run with the blood of Gods People was by Gods just Judgment plagued with a grievous sickness having a remediless pain in his Bowels and an intolerable Torment in his inward parts his Body bred abundance of Worms which continually crawled out of the same yea he so rotted above ground that by reason of an intolerable stink no man could endure to come neer him neither could he himself endure the same but in a flood of extream Misery ended his dayes which as he confessed came upon him for the evil aforesaid see the Life of Judas Maccabees in Clarkes Martrol page 13. as also the first Book of Maccabees Chap. 1 10. and Chap. 6 8 c. Sennacrib King of Assyria murthered by his own Sons Sennacrib King of Assyria the great Oppressor and Persecutor of Israel and Judah and horrible blasphemer and reproacher of the Living God the God of Israel and Judah though they were left of him for a time for their forsaking him and falling to Idolatry and a great Defyer of him by the Mouth of wicked
the History of the two thousand five hundred fifty two years and a half and the Children of Israel mourned for Moses as they had done for Aaron thirty dayes in the Land of Moab The Lord was with Ioshua And now Joshua succeeding Moses the Lord Promised Joshua to be with him and to Assist him and the Lord was with him until he had Conquered all the Enemies of the Israelites and now when God was about to give the Israelites rest round about them so that they might dwell there securely it was requisite also that a place should be appointed which himself should chuse to place his Name there wherefore coming together at Shilo they there fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the whole Land was subdued unto them Now Shilo both by the signification of the Name and also by the situation of the place seemeth to be the same with Salem both which words signifieth Peace or Rest Joshua built the City of Timnah-Sera in Mount Ephraim year of the world 2561 in which he dwelt many years after God had given rest to Israel and having lived a hundred and ten Years he there died and was buried After the decease of Joshua and the Elders who out lived him year of the world 2591 the Wonders which God had wrote for the Children of Israel Joshua being dead the Israelites began to backslide from the time of their first bringing out of Egypt began to be forgotten by the Young men every man now doing what seemed good in his own Eyes all those disorders were committed which are reported in the five last Chapters of the Book of Judges to wit the Idolatry of Micah and the Children of Dan and the War of the Benjaminites and the cause thereof and there succeeded a Generation of men which forgot God And Idolarty crept in and mingled themselves with the Canaanites by marriage and worshipped their Idols and God hereby was provoked to Wrath and gave them up to Cushan King of Mesapotania They were brought into Bondage which first calamity of theirs held them eighty years until Othoniel Son-in-law to Joshua being stirred up by God as a Judge and Avenger of his People defeated Cushan Delivered by Othoniel and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage and the Land had rest forty years after the rest which Joshua procured them After the decease of Othoniel year of the world 2661 the Israelites falling again to sin against God Brought into Bondage again were again given over into the hands of Eglon King of Moab who joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew the Israelites and took Jerico and this second Oppression of theirs continued for the space of eighteen years Instrumentally delivered by Ehud Then the Lord raised up Ehud to be an Avenger of his People who slew Eglon and ten thousand of the Valiant men of Moah and then the Land of Israel had rest forty years But when Ehud was dead they returned to their old Sin They return again to sin and are brought into Bondage wherefore they were brought again into Thraldom for twenty years until Jabins Army was routed and Sisera Captain of his Army was killed by Jael the Wife of Heber in her own Tent with a Nail struck into the Temples of his Head whereupon Debora Are delivered again a Prophetess who at that time judged Israel made a Song thereof for a memorial of that Victory and the Land rested forty years The Israelites sinning again and doing evil in the sight of the Lord year of the world 2752 the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years They sin again the Israelites falling into this fourth Thraldom cryed unto the Lord for help A Prophet sent of God to reprove them and the Lord sent a Prophet unto them who reproved them and shewed them what great things the Lord had done for them and encouraged them that they should not fear the Gods of the Amorites and the Lord raised up Gideon Gideon raised up to deliver them again being stirred up by an Angel sent from God to deliver them and first by Command from God he overturned the Altar of Baal and burnt his Grove and now the Midianites and Amorites pitching their Camp against him the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and out of thirty two thousand men he chose only three hundred according to Gods Commandment to fight against them By a small number which he chose and why That so the Victory of Salvation might appear to be of the Arm of the Lord that Israel might not Vaunt themselves against him After he had obtained the Victory when the Israelites offered to settle the Kingdom on his Posterity he refused it saying The Lord shall rule over you but receiving their Golden Earings he made thereof an Ephad whereof they afterward took an occasion to fall into Idolatry but the Midianites being vanquished the Land had rest forty years They fall into Idolatry again So soon as Gideon was dead the Israelites falling back to Idolatry worshipped Baal-Berith for their God and Abimelech the Son of Gideon begotten upon a Concubine purpossing to get unto himself the Kingdom which his Father had refused slew seventy of his Brethren all upon one Stone when Abimelech had goten the Kingdom and had reigned three years Gaal a man of Sichem conspired against him which being discovered to Abimelech the City of Sichem was utterly Destroyed and the Inhabitants put to the Sword and from thence Abimelech going to besiege Thebez was knocked on the head with a piece of a Milstone cast upon him by a Woman and then killed out-right by his own Armour-Bearer Now the Israelites forsaking again the true God and falling to Worship the Gods of several Nations year 2799 were given up into the hands of the Philistines Were delivered into Bondage Sampson the Nazarite was born at Zora who avenged the Israelites twenty years in the time of the Philistines who slew a thousand of of them at one time with the Jawbone of an Ass in which place called Lehi from that Jawbone God at the prayer of Sampson clave an hollow place that was in the Jaw and there came water there-out Sampson avenged their cause and when he had drunk he was revived wherefore he called the name thereof Enâ—hackore that is The Fountain of him which called upon God Sampson betrayed by Dalila with what followed Sampson being betrayed by Dalila and spoiled of the Hair of his Nazariteship is delivered to the Philistines who plucking out his Eyes carried him away Prisoner to Gaza and put him there in Prison fast bound in Chains where his strength renewing again he pulled down the Temple of the great Dagon killing the Princes of the Philistines with a very great multitude of People which were therein more men being killed at the fall thereof with himself for Company then he had slain in all his life
before and he was buried with his Fathers after he had been the avenger of the Israelites twenty years The Israelites being grievously oppressed by the Philistines year of the world 2908 Sampson being dead Samuel was raised up of the Lord to be a Prophet unto them who by his faithfulness was found a true Prophet Samuel the Prophet is raised up and by his word he was known to be faithful in Vision he exhorted them to turn unto the Lord with all their hearts and to put away their strange Gods and to prepare their hearts unto the Lord and to serve him only and then he would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines Then the Children of Israel did put away their Gods His care to turn the People from Idolatty and served the Lord only and the Philistines came no more to envade the borders of the Israelites because they saw the Hand of the Lord was against them all the dayes of Samuel till Saul came to be King under whom they returned again and grievously oppressed Israel Samuel taking his Sons to help to Judge the People they walked not in the way of their Father and Samnel being now grown old took to him his two Sons to be his Assistants to Judge the People and his Sons walked not in his wayes but turned aside after lucre and took Bribes and perverted Judgment wherefore the Israelites were offended and desired Samuel that they might have a King to Rule them as other Nations had this displeased Samuel and he prayed unto the Lord At which the people being offended desire they might have a King and the Lord said Hearken unto the People for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them Whereupon God gave them a King in his Wrath to wit Saul and now began the Israelites trouble again for the Amorites besiege them Saul being given for a King he reigned but a short time and Saul reigned but a short time until he was put from the Kingdom by the Philistines and the Israelites were again grievously enthroaled by them Jesse the Ephrathite in his old age had his youngest Son David born at Bethlehem year 2919 which was afterwards therefore called the City of David thirty years before he succeeded Saul in the Kingdom God having now rejected Saul year 2941 and debarred his Race and Family from succeeding in the Kingdom sent Samuel after his long mourning for Saul to Bethlehem there to anoint David to be King forty years before the Rebellion of Absolom who being a lovely keeper of a lovely Flock was called from keeping his Fathers Sheep and prefered before his Elder Brethren and being anointed in their presence he incurred their envy no lest then Joseph did of his Brethren David is anointed King and at last was set over the Tribe of Juda at the same age that Joseph was made Ruler over all Egypt mean while from the very day of his anointing the Spirit of God came upon him to wit the Spirit of Courage and Wisdom in both which respects even whilst Saul lived he was made Captain over Israel and withal grew a great Warrior to Fight the Lords Battel and besides was a Prophet and made the sweet Singer of Israel as one who by his divine Psalms should teach and instruct the People of God Davids Combate with the Philiâ—â—ine The Armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to Battel Caliah of Gath the Philistine their great Champion defied the Armies of Israel wherefore David being stirred in his Zeal said who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defie the Armies of the living God but Eliab Davids eldest Bother hearing him was offended and askt him with whom he had left the Sheep in the Wilderness and told him he knew his Pride and naughtiness of his heart and saith he thou art come down that thou mayst see the Battel David said what I have now down is there not a Cause Saul being acquainted with Davids words sent for him and David told Saul he would fight the Philistine Saul replyed Thou art not able to fight him he is a man of War and thou art but a Youth David tells him whilst he was keeping his Fathers Sheep he had killed a Lyon and a Bear and that this uncircumcised Philistine who had defied the Armies of the living God should be as one of them then Saul bid him go and said the Lord be with thee and armed him with his Armour which David put off again and took only his Staff and five smooth Stones out of the Brook and put them in his Shepherds bag and with his Sling in his hand he drew neer to the Philistine The Philistine defied his coming so meanly armed David said Thou comest with Sword Spear and Shield I come in the Name of the Lord of Host and all thy Assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with Sword and Spear for the Battel is the Lords And David slew the Philistine with a Stone and a Sling and Saul taking notice of David's Valour enquired whose Son the Stripling David was and David brought the Philistines Head to Saul which he had cut off with the Philistines own Sword having first slain him with a Stone he Sling at him and David told Saul whose Son he was and after this David went out whithersoever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely The cause of Sauls anger against David And David returning from the Slaughter of the Philistine because it was said Saul hath Slain his thousands and David his ten thousands Saul was very wroth with David from that day forwards and an evil Spirit entered Saul and the Lord departed from him and he was affraid of David David well beloved of the People because he saw the Lord was with him and David behaved himself wisely and all Israel and Juda loved him but especially Jonathan the Son of Saul who made a Covenant with David because he loved him as his own Soul and David fearing he might at last fall into Sauls hands fled for Saul became Davids Enemy continually And now David being fled and the Armies of the Philistines invading the Land Saul fell into a fear sought counsel from the Lord Sauls Evil course in going to the Witch of Endor and what the effects thereof proved to him but receiving no answer from him neither by Dream nor by Urim nor by Prophets he went to Endor by night to consult with a Witch where by Vision he saw Samuel who told Saul God shall deliver Israel together with thy self into the hands of the Philistines for the Lord hath rent the Kingdom out of thine hand and given it to thy Neighbour even to David because thou obeyed not the Voice of the Lord nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalcek The Host of Israel being routed the Sons of Saul were all slain and Saul killed himself when David heard it
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
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
declare what the Tree is for a good Man or Woman out of the good Treasure of their hearts bringeth forth good Fruits Wherefore dear Sister let our Faith be made manifest to the World by our deeds and in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation as St. Paul saith Let your Light shine as in a dark place O dear hearts now is the Gospel of God overwhelmed with many black and troublesome Clouds of Persecution for the which cause very few go about to have their Eyes made clear by the true light of the Gospel for fear of loosing their Treasures of this World which are but vain and shall Perish Let us not therefore be like unto them which light their Candle and put it under a Bushel but let us set our Candle upon a Candlestick that it may give light unto all them that are in the House that is to say let all the People of the Houshold of God see our good works in suffering all things patiently that shall be laid upon us for the Gospel sake if it be Death it self for Christ died for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and as he hath given his Life for us so ought we to give our Lives for the Defence of the Gospel to the comfort of our Brethren How is it then that some will say that their Faith is good and yet they do all the deeds of Anti-christ the Devil St. Paul saith To believe with the heart justifieth and to confess with the Mouth maketh a man safe Here may all see that no man or woman can have a true Faith unless they have deeds also and he that doubteth is like the Waves of the Sea Tossed about of the Wind and can look for no good thing at the Lords hands Now is the acceptable time that Christ spoke of yea even now is the Ax put to the Root of the Tree that so every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit must be hewn down and cast into the Fire Now is the Lord come with his Fan in his hand to try the Wheat from the Chaff the Wheat he will gather into his Barn and the Chaff he will burn Now is the time come that we must go meet the Bridegroom with Oyle in our Lamps we are also bidden to the Feast let us make no excuses our Master hath delivered Talents unto us Now is the Lord come to see if there be any Fruit upon his Trees if he find none he will serve us as he did the wild Fig-Tree that is Never Fruit shall grow on him more If we go to meet the Bridegroom without Oyle in our Lamps and should go to buy the doubt is we should be served as the Foolish Virgins were to whom God said Depart I know you not If we use not our Talents well they shall be taken from us and given to others and all such unprofitable Servants shall be cast into Hell where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth May not all People now perceive that this is the time that our Master Christ speaketh of that the Father should be against the Son and the Son against the Father and one Brother against an other that the Brother shall deliver the Brother to death yea and that the Wicked shall say all manner of Wicked sayings against us for his Name sake the which I have found by experience I praise God that gave me strength to bear it I have no mistrust but that the World shall see and know my Blood shall not be dear in my own sight whensoever it please God to give my Adversaries leave to shed it I do earnestly believe that God which hath begun this good work in me will perform it to the end for when I have been in Prison sometimes wearing Blots and Shackles lying on the bear ground and sometimes sitting in the Stocks and bound with Cords that my Body was swelled and I like to be overcome with pain sometimes lying in the Woods and Fields wandring to and fro brought before Justices Sheriffs Lords Doctors and Bishops called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traytor Thief Deceiver and such like Yea even they that did eat of my Bread that should have been most my Friends by Nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise God that hath seperated me from my Mothers Womb all this that hath happened unto me hath been easie for I praise God they are not able to prove one tittle of their sayings to be true but that way which they call Heresie I serve my Lord God and at all times before whomsoever I have been brought God hath given me Mouth and Wisdom against which my Adversaries have not been able to resist wherefore dear Sister be of good comfort with all your Brethren and Sisters and take no thought what you shall say for it shall be given you the same hour according to the promises as I have alwayes found and as you and all others of Gods Elect shall well find when the time is full come and whereas I and many others have hoped that this Persecution would have been at an end ere this time now I perceive God will have a further Tryal to Root out all Dissemblers that no man should rejoyce in himself but he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in God wherefore if Prophecy should fail and Tongues should cease yet Love must indure for fear hath painfulness but a perfect Love casteth out all fear which Love I have no mistrust but God hath poured it upon you so abundantly that nothing in the World shall be able to seperate you from God neither High nor Low Rich nor Poor Life nor Death shall be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into New Jerusalem there to live forever After his Examination Sentence was past upon him and upon the 22th day of the Moneth called June he and nine more were burnt at Lewis as mention is made before The next Moneth following Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper were burnt at Norwich S. Miller Elizabeth Cooper Martyrs This Simon Miller dwelt in Lyn he was a zealous man for the Lord and his Truth in those dayes detesting and abhoring the forced Religion of the Papists going from Lyn to Norwich and standing in the press of People as they were coming from their Popish service he spake some words to them at which some marvelled to hear and see his boldness but shortly after he was brought before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich when he was before him having his Confession of his Faith written and put in his Shoe part of which appearing was taken out which the Chancellor perusing askt him If he would stand to that Faith to which he said he should whereupon he was committed to Ward and shortly after was by the Bishop of Norwich and his Chancellor condemned and burnt with the â—â—â—esaid Elizabeth Cooper When Elizabeth first felt the Fire the shrunk and cryed out Simon Miller put his
you so far off Answ I am near enough and a little too near and further said I have done with you Chancellor What shall I tell my Lord of you Answ If you have nothing to tell him your Arrant will be the sooner done Chancellor Will you turn from this wicked Error you have been an evil example by your wicked reading you have perswaded simple women to this Error and you shall have mercy Answ I ask mercy of God whom I have offended and not of you Chancellor When were you at your Parish Church you have been Excommunicated this two years and therefore you are condemned and so past Sentence upon him and he was shortly after burnt at Norwich The next that suffered was one Joyce Lewis Wife to Thomas Lewis of Manchester this Joyce Lewis was a woman finely brought up in the pleasures of the World Joyce Lewis Martyr she was turned from the Popish Religion by seeing the great Sufferings and Death of Lawrance Saunders at Coventry and being afterwards inflamed with the love of God she purposed to abstain from those things that displeased him but her Husband being furious against her compelled her to go to Mass but being there in Testimony against their Idolatry when they sprinkled the holy Water she turned her back toward it for which she was shortly after accused before the Bishop the told the Bishop by refusing their holy Water she neither offended God nor his Laws the Bishop thereat was offended and bound her Husband in a hundred pound Bond for her appearance a Moneth after the Moneth being ended her unnatural Husband carried her himself to the Bishop who asked her Why she would not go to Mass and receive the Sacraments She answered because she found them not in the VVord needfull for mens Salvation wherefore she was condemned after her condemnation she continued a year in Prison where her behaviour both in word and deed was such that her death was greatly lamented when the Sheriff brought her news of the hour of her death she said to him your Message is welcome to me when the Fire was set to her she never struggled nor strived but ended her life patiently Four persons burnt at Islington About the seventeenth day of September were burnt at Islington Ralph Allerton James Austoo Margery Austoo his Wife and Richard Roth. Ralph Alerton after his apprehending was kept a whole year in Prison before he was condemned he was first accused before the Lord Darsey of Chichester for not conforming to the Idolatry and Superstition of the times and for praying and exhorting the People of the Parish where he lived not being a Priest before he was apprehended he kept himself in Woods and Barnes and other solitary places and at last being apprehended was sent up to the Councel and from them to Bonner Bishop of London in his Examination he told the Bishop there were three Religions in England then said Bonner Which be these Allerton replyed The first is that which you hold the second is clean contrary to the same and the third is a Neuter Then said Bonner Of which of these three art thou of Allerton said I am of that which is contrary to that which you teach to be believed on the pain of death after some other discourse between them the Bishop in a rage called him Knave and Whorson Prick-louse and demanded what he had to say why he should not pronounce the Sentence of condemnation against him to which he answered You ought not to condemn me for I am a Christian but do as you have determined for I see right and truth are suppressed and cannot appear upon the Earth these words ended the Bishop pronounced the Sentence of death against him and delivered him to the temperal Officers who on the day aforesaid caused him and the other three to be burnt There is not much Recorded what past in the Tryal of the other three only James Austoo when he was brought upon Examination before the Bishop in his Chappel at Fulham the Bishop said to him Dost thou know where thou art and before whom to which he replyed I know where I am for I am in an Idol-temple whereupon the Bishop past Sentence against him and his Wife who suffered deeply a Prisoner in the Bishops House being kept in his Dog-kennel under a pair of Stairs One Article against Richard Roth one of the four that was burned was that he was a Comforter to Hereticks and to that end had VVrit a Letter to certain Persons that were burnt at Colchester The Substance of which Letter written by him and directed to his Brethren and Sisters in Christ condemned at Colehester and ready to be burned for the Testimony of the Truth is as followeth Oh dear Brethren and Sisters how much have you to rejoyce in God that he hath given you such Faith to overcome this blood thirsty Tyrant thus far and no doubt he that hath begun that good work in you will fulfill it unto the end Oh dear hearts in Christ what a Crown of Glory shall ye receive with Christ in the Kingdom of God Oh that it had been the good will of God that I had been ready to have gone with you for I lye in my Lords little ease in the day and in the night I lye in the Cole-house from Ralph Allerton or any other and we look every day when we shall be condemned for he said that I should be burnt within ten dayes before Easter but I lye still at the Pools-brink and every man goeth in before me but we abide patiently the Lords leisure with many Bonds in Fetters and Stocks by the which we have received great joy in God And now fare you well dear Brethren and Sisters in this World Oh Brother Munt with your Wife and my dear Sister Rose how blessed are you in the Lord that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake with all the rest of my dear Brethren and Sisters known and unknown Oh be joyfull even unto death fear it not saith Christ For I have overcome death saith he Oh dear hearts seeing that Jesus Christ will be our help Oh tarry you the Lords leisure be strong let your hearts be of good comfort and wait you still for the Lord he is at hand yea the Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent round about them that fear him and delivereth them which way he seeth best for our lives are in the Lords hand and they can do nothing unto us before God suffer them therefore give all thanks to God Oh dear hearts you shall be clothed with long white Garments upon Mount Zion with the multitude of Saints and with Christ Jesus our Saviour which will never forsake us Oh blessed Virgins you have plaid the wise Virgins part in that you have taken Oyle in your Lamps that you may go in with the Bridegroom when he cometh into the everlasting joy with him but as for the Foolish they shall be
waste and is broken to pieces that was the Gates of the People therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O Tyrus and will cause many Nations to come up against thee as the Sea causeth his Waves to come up and they shall destroy the Walls of Tyrus and break down her Towers I will also scrape her Dust from her and make her like the top of a Rock it shall be a place for the spreading of Nets in the midst of the Sea for I have spoken it saith the Lord God and it shall become a spoil to the Nations and her Daughters which are in the Field shall be slain by the Sword and they shall know that I am the Lord for thus saith the Lord God Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon a King of Kings from the North with Horses and with Chariots and with Horsmen and Companies and much People In a Word the Lord threatens her to be Destroyed with a sore Destruction by War from a potent and mighty Army who shall besiege her and raise Forts and Mounts against her and lift up Axes and Bucklers and Engines of War against her and break down her Walls and her Towers and tread down her Streets and slay her People by the Sword and raze her Garrisons to the ground and make spoile of her Riches and a prey of her Merchandize and destroy her pleasant Houses and lay her Stones Timber and Dust in the midst of the Waters and cause the noise of her Songs and her Harps to cease and be utterly Destroyed never to be built more for I the Lord have spoken it saith the Lord God insomuch that the Isles shall shake at the sound of her fall when the wounded cry when the Slaughter is made in the midst of her and the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones and lay away their Robes and put off their Imbroidered-Garments and cloth themselves with Trembling and sit upon the ground Trembling at every Moment and be astonished at her and they shall take up a Lamentation for her and say unto her How art thou destroyed that wast inhabited of Sea-fearing men the renowned City which was strong in the Sea and the Isles shall tremble at her fall and the Isles of the Sea be troubled at her departure when she shall be made a desolate City and be brought down into the Pit and be a terror unto them when she shall be no more though she be sought for yet shall she never be found again saith the Lord Ezek. 2 6 27 28 Chapters Eypypt and Pharaoh the King thereof because they have been a Staff of Reed to the House of Israel when they took hold of thee by the hand thou didst break and rent all their Shoulder and when they leaned upon thee thou brakest and madest all their loyns to be at a stand Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Aegypt the great Dragon that lyeth in the midst of his Rivers which hath said my Rivers are my own and I have made it for my self but I will put hookes to thy Jaws and I will cause the Fish of thy Rivers to stick unto thy Scales and I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness thee and all the Fish of thy Rivers thou shall fall upon the open Feilds thou shall not be brought together nor gathered I have given thee for meat to the Beasts of the Field and to the Fowles of the Heaven and all the Inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord and because thou hast been a Staff of Reed to the house of Israel c. therefore thus faith the Lord God behold I will bring a Sword upon thee and cut off Man and Beast out of thee and the Land of Egypt shall be desolate and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 29.2 c. Mount Seir because thou hast had a perpetual hatred and hast shed the Blood of the Children of Israel by the force of the Sword in the time of their Calamity in the time that their Iniquity had an end therefore thus saith the Lord God behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate I will lay thy Cities waste thou shalt be desolate and thou shalt know that I am the Lord as I live saith the Lord God I will prepare thee unto Blood and Blood shall persue thee thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth and I will fill his Mountains with his slain Men in thy Hills and in thy Valleys and in all thy Rivers shall they fall that are slain with the Sword and I will make thee a perpetual desolation and thy Cities shall not return and ye shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 35.3 4. c. CHAP. II. Several Remarkable Judgments of God which have befallen several Persecutors for Conscience sake from Christs time until the end of the Ten first Persecutions under the persecuting Roman Emperors King Herod HErod the great so called the great Persecutor of Christ who that he might kill Christ in the Cradle sent and slew all the Children in Bethlem from two years old and under who afterwards as History relates being given up of God to wickedness slew his own Wife and Children and neerest Kindfolks and familiar Friends but it was not long but the remarkablâ— Judgment of God met with him for he was smitten of God with a grievous sickness viz. a Fire was kindled in his inward parts a rotting in his Bowels a grievous flux in his Fundament a moist running humor in his Feet and the like about his Bladder and his privy Members ingendring aboundance of Worms which continually swarmed out he had also throughout all the parts of his Body such a violent Cramp as humane strength was not able to endure who seeking to end his dayes by laying violent hands upon himself was prevented by his Friends and so at length in extreame misery he ended his wretched life see Clarkes Gen. Martyrol page 26. Herod the Tetrarch That wicked Herod the less Murtherer of John the Baptist and condemner of Jesus Christ himself who putting away his own wife took her Brother Philips wife was himself and this incestuous Herodias condemned to perpetual Banishment to Vienna in France by Caesar Caligula then Emperor where they both died miserably see Acts and Mon. page 50. Judas Jscoriot Judas Iscariot that grand Traytor and false Disciple of Christ who after he had most wickedly betrayed his Lord and Master and sold him for thirty pieces of Silver to the Jews to be Crucified he afterwards when he saw that Christ was condemned brought again the thirty pecies of Silver to the Priests and Elders and cast them into the Temple and crying out thorow horror of Conscience said
reft returning Moses with his Servant Joshua abode there still and waited there six dayes and upon the seventh day God speak unto him Moses received the Law upon the Mount and there he continued forty dayes and forty nights eating no meat all that while nor drinking water where he received Gods Command and the Law written in Tables of Stone with Gods own Finger God biding him withal to get him down for that the People had already made themselves a Molten-Calf to worship it Whilst he was in the Mount the People were run into Idolarty Moses seeing this brake the Tables at the Foot of the Mount and having burnt and defaced the Idol many of the people were put to death by the hands of the Levites The next day Moses returned again into the Mount and there again intreated the Lord for the People and having drawn the People out of a deep Sence of the Wrath of God to repent them of their sin by his prayer he obtained that God himself should be their Leader in their way He prayeth for the People God Commanded Moses to frame New Tables of Stone and the next day to bring them with him into the Mount Moses staying again forty dayes and forty nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink prayed there for the People God was then pleased to renew his Covenant with the People and gave his Laws a new and bids Moses commit them to writing Moses after forty dayes returns from the Mount with the Tables in his Hand and covering his Face with a Vail because it shone he published the Laws of God to the People enjoyning the observation of them and commanded a Freewill-offering to be made Nadab and Abibue struck dead and why toward the building of the Tabernacle according to Gods Order Nadab and Abibue the two Eldest Sons of Aaron which going with their Father up into the Mount Sinai had there seen the Glory of God going into the Sanctuary with strange or common Fire were struck dead in the place by Fire sent from Heaven The Priests for bidden Wine and for them the Priests were forbid to make Lamentation moreover for some particular mens neglect of duty all the Priests were charged to forbear Wine and strong Drink before they were to go into the Tabernacle Moses finding the Goverment of the Israelites to be weighty complained to the Lord of the burden thereof saying I am not able to bear all this People alone because it is too heavy for me and to ease him the Lord said Gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People To ease Moses in the Government seventy Elders were chosen and Officers over them and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee and Moses gathered the seventy Elders and the Lord gave of the same Spirit that was on Moses unto them and it rested upon them and they Prophesied and Eldad and Medad remained in the Camp and Prophesied and when it was told Moses that they prophesied Moses being pleased therewith said Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Israelites lusting after Flesh and loathing the Food that God gave them Israel murmer again the Lord was Wrath with them the Lord was Wrath with them and brought Quales from the Sea and let them fall by the Camp and the People gathered them but whilst the Flesh was yet between their Teeth ere it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote the people with a very great Plague and thus God punished them again for their murmering And now twelve Spies were sent one for every Tribe to discover and spy out the Land of Canaan Spies sent out â—o veiw the Land of Canaan After forty dayes spent in searching out the Land the Spies returned to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Pearan bringing with them one Branch of a Vine with a Cluster of Grapes upon it gathered in the Valley of Eshcol ten of the twelve Spies by speaking ill of the Country and the barrenness thereof and withal magnifying the Cities for their strength and the Giantly stature of the men therein Some of the Spies bring an ill report of the Land so that the People were disheartned disheartned the People from marching any further toward it whilest Caleb did all he could to perswade the people to go on and now the People began to murmer again against Moses and Aaron and would needs go back again into Aegypt and were ready to Stone Caleb and Joshua for saying the Land was an exceeding good Land and that it flowed with Milk and Hony and because of the Peoples complaining the Lord threatens them with suddain Destruction but through Moses's intercession and Prayer the Lord spared them yet so For the Peoples complaining the Lord was again Angry that withal he denounced to them that all of them which were then twenty years old and upwards should dye in the Wilderness and never see the Land which was promised unto them and that they should wander in that Wilderness forty years but my Servant Caleb because he hath another Spirit and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land and his Seed shall Possess it Upon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness Moses prayed unto the Lord and thereupon it is supposed he writ the ninetieth Psalm Mans Age again shortned in which he sheweth that the ordinary Age of Men was reduced to seventy or eighty years at the utmost so that now the age of man was again contracted and cut shorter And now again the People for lack of Water murmer against Moses and Aaron year 2552 whom when God Commanded to call Water out of the hard Rock The People murmer again only by speaking to it Moses being moved in his mind said Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you Water out of the Rock and with the Rod he smote the Rock twice and the Water came forth aboundantly Moses and Aaron for their unbelieve here shewed in executing the Command of God were debarred from entering into the Land of Canaan and the Waters were called Meribah or Waters of Strife Aaron diâ—â— And now in the fortieth year after the coming of the Children of Isarel out of Egypt Aaron died and shortly after God signified to Moses that he should die and Moses desired the Lord to set a man over the People which might go in and out before them and that might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd Ioshua succeed ed Moses and the Lord chose Joshua a man in whom was the Spirit of God and Moses layed his hands on him and gave him a charge as the Lord had commanded him and here ends the matter of the five Books of Moses containing
David Lamenteth the death-of Saul and Jonathan he much lamented the Death of Saul and Jonathan saying Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce left the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and further he said I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy Love to me was wonderful passing the love of Women David having now built him an House of Cedar and living in a full and perfect peace imparted unto Nathan the Prophet year of the world 2960 Davids purpose to build a House for God but put by it and why the purpose he had of building an House for God but was answered from God that this was a work which should be done not by him because he was a man of Blood but by his Son Solomon a man of Peace which should be born unto him Now David subdued the Philistines the Edomites the Amalekites the Moabites the Ammonites and the Syrians and the Bounds of Israel were stretched out to the outmost part of all that Land which had been formerly promised to the Seed of Abraham but never before possessed so fully by any of them as by David and Solomon his Son year of the world 2969 David's great sin At the end of this year whilest David took his ease at Jerusalem he there defiled by Adultery Bathsheba the Wife of Uriah the Hittite who was then in the Army and in consequence thereof procured the Husband to be slain by the hands of the Ammonites â—eing convinced of his evil by the Prophet repented when the Child so gotten in Adultery was born David being convinced by Nathan the Prophet of his evil acknowledged his Transgression saying My sin is ever before me and repented of his sin as may be seen at large in Psalm 51. yet the new born Babe was taken away by death year of the world 2971 Bathsheba being now his Wfe bare David a Son unto whom Solomon born as to one who should prove a man of Peace God gave the name of Solomon as to one beloved of God the Name of Jedidia year of the world 2987 The Lord was angery with David and why David for numbring the People kindled the Wrath of God against the Israelites wherefore Gad the Prophet told David thus saith the Lord Chuse one of them that I may do unto thee viz. whether Famine Sword or Pestilence and David said I am in great streight and his Heart smote him David chose to fall into the hands of God for he saw the evil he had done in Numbering the People and said Let us now fall into the Hands of the Lord for his Mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men So the Lord sent the Pestilence upon Israel and there died seventy thousand men in one day David being now seventy years of age year of the world 2989 and broken with continually Cares and Wars David grown old grew weak and feeble and Adonias his Son seeing his Father thus declining by the counsel and advice of Joah and Abiathar the high Priest Adonias his Son strives for the Kingdom David causeth Solomon to be anointed King made himself King whereof when David was advertized by Bathsheba and Nathan he presently caused his Son Solomon to be anointed King by Zadock the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benajah the Son of Jehojada in Gihon which so soon as Adonias heard he presently fled and afterwards laying hold on the Horns of the Altar was pardoned by the favour of Solomon and set at liberty Whereupon Adonias flies and now David assembling all the Governours and chief of Israel together with his Sons and Servants exhorted them all to fear and worship God David departed this life year of the world 2990 having reigned in Hebron seven years and and six Moneths David dies and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel Solomon loved the Lord year of the world 2991 and walked in the Statutes of David his Father Solomons Uprightness to walk before the Lord. and in Gibeon the Lord appeared to him in a Dream and bid him ask and chuse what he would and it should be given him and Solomon said Thou hast shewed unto thy Servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in Truth and Righteousness and now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a little Child I know not how to go out or come in He asketh Wisdom and he asked Wisdom and an Understanding Heart to be given him of God and the Speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing God therefore gave him Wisdom from above Wherefore God gave him Wisdom beyond any before or after The first experience of Solomons Wisdom exceeding any that was before him or should come after him and of his Wisdom the first Experiment was made in deciding the Controversie between the two Women about the Child which first gave him an esteem among the People when they saw the Wisdom of God was in him to do Judgment Solomon having according to his Fathers direction in whose heart it was to build an House for the Name of the Lord God of Israel built the Temple year of the world 2012 which was seven years and a half in building How long the Temple was building in the building of which there was neither Hammer nor Ax nor any Tool of Iron heard in the House whilst it was in building and now Solomon having built the Temple he placed there the Ark wherein was the Covenant of the Lord which he made with the Children of Israel when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and Solomon stood before the Altar of the Lord and in the Presence of the People said Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in Heaven above or in Earth beneath who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart and he made a long prayer for the Preservation of the People desir'd the Lord would be with them Solomons Prayer for he People as he was with their Fathers and not leave them nor forsake them and that he would incline their Hearts unto him to walk in all his Wayes and to keep his Statutes and Judgments which he commanded their Fathers Thus was Solomons beginning Solomons heart drawn away from the Lord. but it was not long after until he was drawn away by many strange Women who towards his latter dayes drew away his Heart into Idolatry and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the Heart of David his Father for he went after the Abominations of the Amonites and he did evil in the sight of the Lord The Lord angry with Solomon and went not fully after the Lord as
did David his Father and he built an high place for Chemosh the Abomination of Moab and for these things the Lord was angry with Solomon and said Because thou hast not kept my Covenant I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee yet in thy dayes I will not do it for David thy Fathers sake but after this Solomon repented deeply and made his peace with the Lord Solomon repenteth as may be seen at large in the Book called the Preacher and at last he died when he had reigned forty years Rehoboam the Son of Solomon year of the world 3029 when all Israel met at Sechem to make him King Rehoboam through his unadvisedness turns away the Peoples heart from him by a harsh answer made unto them alienated the hearts of the ten Tribes from him who presently sending into Egypt for Jeroboam the Son of Nebat made him King over them and fell off both from the House of David and also from the true Worship of God in memorial of which sad disaster the Jews afterward kept a Solemn fast yearly upon the twenty third of the third Moneth called Sivan from this dismal rent made in that Kingdom Rehoboam reigned over Judea and Benjamin seventeen years and Jeroboam over Israel that is over the ten Tribes by the space of twenty years And now Jeroboam fearing lest his new-gotten Subjects should revolt from him again Ierâ—â—â—ms Idolatry to divert their thoughts from looking any more after Jerusalem set up a new deviced Form of Religion setting up two Golden Calves the one at Bethell the other at Dan and there he offered Sacrifices to his Calves and the People run a Whoring after his Idolatry At which time a Prophet and Man of God out of Judea went to Bethell and cryed out against the Altar in the Word of the Lord The Prophet is sent of God to reprove him and bore his Testimony against the Kings Idolatry and when the King stretched forth his hand to lay hold on him his hand was dried up and the Prophet foretold That the Altar should be Rent After this Prophet had done his Message he was charged by the Lord not to eat Bread nor to drink Water nor return by the way that he came but being deceived by another who said he was a Prophet and abused the Word of God unto him was unfaithful to Gods Command wherefore The Prophet slain for his disobedience as he was returning homeward he was slain by a Lyon whereof when tidings came to the Prophet which had deceived him he took up his Body and buried it mourning over him year of the world 3030 saying Alas my Brother and assured his Sons that what had been foretold by the man of God should come to pass The Israelites who feared God falling off from Jeroboam to Rehoboam maintained the Kingdom of Juda three years for so long walked they in the wayes of David and Solomon Rehoboam being once settled in his Kingdom year of the world 3046 forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel and Juda with him Rehoboam forsoke the Lord. for the Jews who by their good Example should have stirred up their Brethren the Israelites to repentance provoked the Lord with their own Sins wherein they offended more then any of their fore-Fathers had done for they made also to themselves High-places Images and Groves upon every high Hill and under every green Tree doing according to all the Abominations of the Gentiles which the Lord had therefore cast out before them After Rehoboam succeeded Abijah year of the world 3046 who putting his trust and confidence in God obtained a great Victory against Jeroboam and slew five hundred thousand men and took Bethel where one of the Idolatrous Calves was set up After the death of Abijah year of the world 3049 Asa his Son succeeded and God gave ten years peace without interuption in the Land and this godly King Asa put away all Idolatry Asa throw down Idolatry and reformed the Kingdom but when Asa dyed though he was good yet a better succeeded in his staâ—d his Son called Jehosaphat who being settled in his Kingdom began with taking away the High-places Iehosaphats good reign and the Groves but when Jehosaphat dyed year of the world 3115 Jehoram his wicked Son slew all his Brethren and many of the Princes of Israel and following the counsel of his wicked Wife Athaliah set up in Juda Iehorams Idolatry and even in Jerusalem it self the Idolatrous worship of Baal after the manner of his Father-in-law Ahab and his house He is reproved by the Prophet for which he was reproved in a letter by the Prophet Elias who foretold him what Calamities should fall upon him because he had not walked in the wayes of his Father but had made Juda and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a Whoring like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also had slain his Brethren of his Fathers house The Judgment that God inflicted on him which were better then himself and according to what the Prophet had foretold the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable dissease in the Bowels and he died a miserable death and his Son Achazia succeeded him who also walked in the wayes of the wicked house of Ahab for his Mother was his Counsellour to do wickedly and the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord was his destruction being sick he asked counsel of Baal-zebub the God of the Ekronites concerning his recovery the Prophet Elias told the King plainly that he should dye and accordingly he dyed Athaliab through cruelty possesses her self of the Kingdom The secret Athalia the Daughter of Ahab seeing her own Son Achazia dead destroyed all the Race of the house of Juda and possessed her self of the Kingdom but Jehosheba the Daughter of King Joram and Wife to Jehoida the high Priest took Joash being then an Infant and Son to her Brother Ahazia and him with his Nurse hid six moneths in the Temple preservatien of Joash whilest Athalia ruled and at seven years end brought him forth and anointed him King and caused Athalia to be slain and restored the worship of the True God Athalia slain destroying the worship of Baal Whilst this King had good Counsel he did right This Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehojada the Priest now after the death of Jehojada the King hearkning to the Princes of Juda they left the house of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols for which Sin the Lord sent his wrath upon them He turns into Idolatry yet he sent his Prophets to testifie against them and to bring them back again but they would not hear and Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada was moved by the Spirit of God to tell them that they had forsaken God The Prophets reproves him and that he had forsaken
them for which Message they stoned him to death at the Commandment of the King The Prophets is stoned to Death thus Joash the King remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada Zachariahs Father had done to him and when the Prophet dyed he said This Kings miserable end the Lord look upon it and require it and now mark what was the end of this King his own Servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed as may be seen more at large in the account given of Gods Judgments against Persecutors Amazia succeeded Joash year of the world 3194 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Amaziahs Evil for at last he set up the God of the Children of Seir and bowed himself before them and burnt Incense unto them wherefore the anger of the Lord was Kindled against him and he sent a Prophet unto him to reprove him The Prophets reproves him to whom the King said Art thou made of the Kings Council forbear wherefore shouldest thou be smitten Nevertheless the Prophet said I know God hath determined to destroy thee The King is slain and after the time that this King turned away his heart from the Lord he was slain After him succeeded Uzzia under him did the Kingdom of Juda flourish no less then that other of Israel did under Jeroboam the second and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord The reason of Vzziah his prosperity and he sought God in the dayes of Zachariah and as long as he sought the Lord and applyed his mind to matters of piety God made him to prosper and he subdued the Philistines and other bordering Enemies and thus whilest he was weak and low he was marvellously helped against his Enemies but when he was strong How he came to loss and lookt at his own strength his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and burnt Incense wherefore the Lord smote him with Leprosie and he remained a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a house several God Judgment on him for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and he being dead Jotham his son reigned and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord how be it the People did yet do corruptly but he be came mighty because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God After him reigned Ahaz his Son year of the world 3242 who did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel Ahaz his Evil. who made also Moulten Images for Baalim and burnt Incense on the High-places and under every green Tree wherefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of his Enemies and thus the Reader may see He is delivered into the hands of his Enimies how these people and Children of Juda and Israel to whom God had given a commandment that they should fear him and not forget him and that then he would deliver them from their Enemies howbeit they did not hearken but were ready often to back-slide and to serve their graven Images both their Children and their Childrens Children unto this day Ahaz being dead Hezekiah his Son began to reign year of the world 3278 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father David did year of the world 3374 he removed the High places and broke the Images and cut down the Groves Hezckiahs good reign his breaking down Idolatry and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan that is to say a little piece of Brass and thus this good Reformer he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and he left not off throwing down the Altars and High Places until he had Destroyed them all causing a thorow Reformation And his zeal was so great for the Lord that after him as it is recorded was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that was before him for he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him and the Lord was with him and he prospered him whithersoever he went forth Hezekiah falling sick unto death the Prophet Esaiah being commanded of the Lord year of the world 3291 said unto him Set thine House in order for thou shalt die He tell sick the Prophet foretold his dâ—ath and not live this moved Hezekiah's heart that he wept sore and turning to the Wall prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart He ekiah is broken in Tenderness The Lord had compassion on him and have done that which is good in thy sight wherefore the Lord had compassion on him and added fifteen years more to his dayes and Hezekiah dying Manasseh his Son reigned and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the Abomination of the Heathen building the High-places which his Father had destroyed and again reared up Alters for Baal His Son is turned to Idolatry and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served them and used Inchantments and dealing with Familiar-Spirits and Wizards he wrought much Wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger for which Abomination the Lord sent his Servants and Prophets to foretel that for those Abominations he would bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda that whosoever should hear it their Ears should tingle The Prophets Message against the evil of those times The Kings Bondage he is brought into He is humbled under the hand of God and reforms in part and the Lord brought upon Manasseh the Host of the Assyrians which took Manasseh and bound him with Fetters and carried him Captive to Babylon and now being in Affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers wherefore the Lord restored him again to his Kingdom and then he knew that the Lord was God and he cast out the Altars that he had built and took away the strange Gods and Idols and commanded the People to serve the Lord God of Israel but still the People retained the High-places to Worship in And after his death his Son Amon was punished by the Lord being slain by his Servants in his own House and now these two bad Kings being taken away the Lord raised up another good King The good King Iosiah raised up which was Josiah the Son of Amon who reigned thirty four years in Ierusalem and eaused again a Blessed and thorow Reformation amongst the People of Iuda and Jerusalem making a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Testimonies with all his Heart His Covenant with the Lord.
Jesus comes nigh unto Bethany and finds that Lazarus had been buried four dayes in the Grave Martha comes to meet him they discourse concerning the Resurrection Mary hearing of it comes quickly to him without the Town where Martha met him who seeing her weep Jesus wept and comes to the Grave bidding them remove the Stone and giving thanks to his Father calls Lazarus out of his Grave He raisâ—th up Lazarus whereupon many believed on him and some going to the Pharisees telling what things Jesus had done they called therefore a Council where Caiaphas Prophesied concerning Jesus and from that day consulted together that they might put him to death commanding that if any knew where he was they should give notice that they might take him and at another time the Pharisees said Behold the whole World is gone after him And Jesus travelling towards Jerusalem He weeps over Jerusalem when he came nigh seeing the City he wept over it foretelling the utter Destruction thereof and being come to Ierusalem having spoken of the desolation and ruin of it as he sat on the Mount of Olive over-against the Temple his Disciples asked him when these thing shall be and what shall be the signs of thy coming He warns his Disciples to watch to whom he answers at large and warns them to Watch and to be ready for they know not the hour when the Lord will come and teacheth the same thing by the Parable of the ten Virgins as also by the Parable of the Tallents delivered to the Servants to Trade withal And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings he saith to his Disciples Ye know that after two dayes is the Passover and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to be crucified Then they consulted together in the Palace of the High-Priest that they might kill Jesus but they said Judaâ— Covenants to betray him not on the Feast-day least there be an uproar among the People then entered Satan into Judas who offers himself and Covenants to betray him In the first day of the Unleavened Bread when the Passover was slain and in the Evening he cometh with the twelve and when they had sat down and eaten Jesus said I have greatly desired to eat this Passover before I suffer and he further said One of you shall betray me He telleth who should betray him and they began to be sorrowful and to say unto him one by one Is it I He answered It is he that dippeth his hand with me in the dâ—sh and to Iudas asking Is it I He saith Thou hast said When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God there being a strife among his Disciples who should be greatest he riseth after Supper and layes aside his Garments He washeth his Disciples Feet and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poured Water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples Feet Peter saith Thou shalt never wash my Feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Peter saith Not my Feet only but also my Hands and my Head After he had washed their Feet and had taken his Garments and was set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done to you you call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am if then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet you ought also to wash one anothers Feet for I have given you an Example that you should do as I have done to you and speaking further to his Disciples he was troubled in Spirit and said One of you shall betray me they looked one upon another doubting of whom he speak one of the Disciples whom Jesus loved lying on Jesus his Breast said Lord who is it Jesus said He it is to whom I shall give a stop after I have dipped it and he gave it to Judas and said to him What thou doest do quickly Now when Judas had received the stop he went immediately out when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the Son of Man Glorified and God is Glorified in him little Children yet a little while I am with you ye shall seek me and as I said to the Jews Whither I go you cannot come so now I say unto you He exhorts them to love one another a New Commandment I give unto you That you love one another as I have loved you by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you have love one to another Peter said Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Peter said Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my Life for thy sake Jesus answered The Cock shall not crow till thou hast denyed me thrice Against their sorrow conceived by them for his death he comforts them saying Let not your hearts be troubled He comforts them and that in his Fathers House were many Mansions and that the Comforter the holy Ghost should come and be their Teacher and he exhorts them to to abide patiently the hatred of the World which hated him and that they should not be offended though Persecutions attended them Again entering into a Garden with his Disciples unto whom he said Pray ye that ye enter not into Temptation He again exhorts them to pray against entering into Temptation sit here till I go and pray yonder and he took Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee with him and said unto them Tarry here and watch and being withdrawn from them about a Stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my Will but thine be done and there appeared an Angel from Heaven strengthening him then he returns and finds his Disciples sleeping he reprehends and admonisheth them Christ was in an Agony and being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood and while he was yet speaking to his Disciples Judas came and betrayed him to the chief Priests and they took him and he said unto them This is your hour and Power of Darkness and the Disciples left him and fled and they bound Jesus Judas betray'd him and brought him first to Annas who sent him to Caiphas the High-Priest where were all the chief Priests Elders and Scribes of the People gathered together then Caiphas asked him concerning his Disciples and his Doctrine Jesus answered him I spake openly to the World ask them that heard me therefore one of the Officers struck him with a Staff to whom he answered If I have well spoken why smitest thou me Then all
Jerusalem to the Eleven and those that were with them who told them The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared unto Simon then they told them what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of Bread but neither believed they them But whilest they yet spake whilest it was Evening in the first day of the week the Door being shut where the Disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews He appears again to his Disciples cometh Jesus himself and stood in the midest of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you but they were terrified and affrighted supposing they had seen a Spirit but he upbreaded them with their unbelief and heardness of heart He reproveth their unbelief because they believed not them that had seen him since he was risen and he said unto them Why are ye troubled See my Hands and my Feet a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones and he shewed them his Hands and his Feet and his Side and when they believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them Have ye here any meat and he eat a piece of boiled Fish and an Hony-Comb and the Disciples rejoyced that they had seen the Lord and he said unto them These are the words that I spake unto you that all things must be fullfilled that was written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms of me then opened he their understandings He opens their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behooveth Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations and ye are witnesses of these things and behold I send the Promise of my Father among you He sendâ— them forth but tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on High He saith unto them again Peace be unto you as my Father sent me so send I you go ye into the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name they shall cast out Devils and they shall speak with new Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover And when he had said these things he breathed on them and said unto them Receive the holy Ghost whose Sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose Sins ye retain they are retained and thus Jesus appeared five times in the very first day of his Resurrection but Thomas who is called Dydimus one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came and the rest of the Disciples telling him we have seen the Lord he very confidently professed he would not believe it about eight dayes after Thomas being then together with the rest Jesus comes the doors being shut and stands in the midest and saith unto them Peace be unto you and aboundantly satisfies Thomas his unbelief Then the Eleven Disciples went into Galilee unto the Mountain that he had appointed them and when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted and when Jesus came unto them he said All Power is given unto me both in Heaven and in Earth go therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them c. and I am with you to the end of the World After that Jesus was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once after that by James 1 Cor. 15.6 7. Afterwards Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples again at the Sea at Tiberias or at the least to seven of them as they were Fishing after they had fished all night and caught nothing in the morning Jâ—â—â—â— unknown to them stands upon the Shore and bids them cast their Net on the right side of the Ship where they took a great Number of Fish Last of all he appeared to his Disciples in Jerusalem and led them out as far as Bethany and he lift up his Hands and blessed them and it came to pass as he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven Hitherto reacheth the History of the four Evangelists declaring the Sufferings of Christ and now I shall give the Reader a short account what Josephus the Jewish Historian in his eighteenth Book of Antiquity writeth of John the Baptist and Christ concerning the Baptist Cap. 7. he saith thus Herod the Tetrarch killed John Sur-named the Baptist Josephus his Testimony Concerning Iohn a most excellent man who stirred up the Jews to the study of Virtues especially of Piety and Justice and also to the washing of Baptism which he said then would be acceptable to God if not abstaining from some one or two Sins but having their minds first purged through righteousness they also added cleanness of body And whereas there was great resort unto him the Common people being greedy of such Doctrine Herod fearing least the great Authority of the man should raise some Rebellion because they seemed as though they would decline nothing to which he advised them thought it safer to take him out of the way before there was any alteration in the State then to repent too late when the State was once imbroyled wherefore he commanded him to be sent Prisoner to Macharas and then to be put to death Concerning Christ he saith thus Chap. 45. In the same time there was a wise man named Jesus if we may call him a man Iosephus his Testimony concerning Christ he was a worker of miracles and a Teacher of them that willingly receive the Truth he had many both Jews and Gentiles that were his Followers and was believed to be the Christ and when Pilate had crucified him through the envy of our Rulers nevertheless those that loved him continued constant in their affections for he appeared to them alive the third day the Prophets in their Prophesies foretelling both these and many other wonderful things concerning him and the Christians from him so called continue to this very day After the Apostles had seen Christ and had worshipped him after his Resurrection they returned to Jerusalem with great joy from the mount of Olives which is from thence a Sabboth dayes journey and in Jerusalem they abode in an uper Room The holy Ghost fell upon the Apostles and continued with one accord in Prayer with the Women and Mary his Mother and his Brethren and they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance and many received the Truth and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking bread from House to House did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart praising God and having favour with all the people
Them that belived were of one heart and the Lord daily added to the Church such as should be saved and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one Soul and there was none among them that lacked for as many as had Possessions of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the prices and laid them down at the Apostles feet to be distributed to the use of the Poor in which business Barnabas that is the Son of Consolation shewed the first Example By the hands of the Apostles were many Miracles done among the People and many believed and were added to the Lord. But the high Priests and Sadduces that were with him moved with Envy cast the Apostles into Prison from whence the night following being freed by an Angel were commanded to Teach the people boldly and without fear from whence being brought to the Council by the advice of Gamaliel a Pharisee a Doctor of Law in much esteem among the People were delivered from death after they had been scourged and let go and they went from the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus and they taught daily in the Temple and the Word of the Lord increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed Stephen did many wonders and Miracles among the People and stoutly defended the Cause of Christ against the Jews of the Synagogue of the Libertines Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with them but when they could not resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake they turn to false accusing him and caught him and brought him before the Council and set up false Witnesses who should avouch that they heard him speak Blasphemous words against the Temple and the Law Stephen before Annas the High Priest and Council shews that the true worship of God was observed by Abraham and his Posterity before the Temple was built by Solomon Stephens Testimony of Christ yea before Moses was born and that Moses gives Testimony of Christ and that the outward Ceremonies that were given to their Fathers were to endure but for a time Then he sharply reprehends the Jews because they alwayes resisted the holy Ghost and had wickedly put Christ to death whom the Prophets had foretold should come into the World now concerning the death of Stephen see it at large in the Testimony of the Martyrs Persecution arose After the death of Stephen there arose a great Persecution against the whole Church that was at Jerusalem in which Saul exceedingly raging made havock of the Church for having received Authority from the chief Priests he not only when the Saints were put to death gave his voice against them but also he himself entering into every House and taking from thence both men and Women bound them and put them in Prison and some were compelled by denying Christ to Blaspheme This Persecution dispersed the Church into divers Countries but with great advantage to the Church It proves to the advantage of the Church for some that were dispersed into the Regions of Judea and Samaria preached the Gospel wheresoever they came others went to Damascus amongst whom was Ananias a devout man according to the Law and one who had a good report among all the Jews who dwelt there others travelled as far as Phenice Cypris and Antioch Preaching the Word of God to those that were dispersed among the Gentiles amongst them that went to Samaria was Philip who Preached Christ there when the Apostles at Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of the Lord they sent unto them Peter and John upon whose praying for them and laying their hands on them they received the holy Ghost which Simon Magus who had a long time Simon Magus his wickedness bewitched the People of Samaria with his Sorceries that giving heed to him from the least to the greatest they said he was the great Power of God seeing the great signs and wonders that were done by the Apostles offered them Money that he also might receive the Gift of conferring the holy Ghost Peter reproveâ— him whose mad impiety Peter sharply rebuking warns him to repent of this his Wickedness and to ask pardon of God who desireth the Apostles that they would pray for him to the Lord The Apostles having cleared themselves in these parts they returned to Jerusalem Preaching the Gospel in the Villages of Samaria as they went Saul yet breaâ—hing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord obtains of the High-Priest Annas and the Council Saul breathes out threatnings against the Christians Letters to the Synagogues of Damascus that if he found any that were Christians he should bring them bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished and as he came nigh to Damascus at mid-night a Light from Heaven above the brightness of the Sun shined round about him and them that journyed with him and when they were fallen to the Earth he heard a voice speaking to him in the Hebrew Tongue Saul Saul Why Persecutest thou me 't is hard for thee to kick against the pricks and when he had said Who art thou Lord it was answered him I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou Persecutest The Lord appears to him but rise and stand upon thy feet I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a Minister and a Witness both of those things that thou hast seen and those things in which I will appear unto thee delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee that thou mayest open their Eyes and turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive remission of sins and Inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith that is in me and when as Saul full of fear and trembling asked further Lord what wilt thou have me to do The Lord said unto him Rise go unto Damascus and there it shall be told thee of all things that thou must do The Lord sends him to Damascus but the men that journyed with Saul were so amazed that they were speechless seeing indeed a Light and hearing the sound of words but neither seeing Christ which spake nor understanding any thing which he spake Saul arose from the Earth and being blinded with the Glory of the Light being led by the hand His sight was taken away he comes to Damascus and he was three dayes without sight and did neither eat or drink Now there was a certain Disciple named Ananias to whom the Lord spake in a Vision Arise and go into the Street that is called Streight and inquire in the House of Judas for Saul of Tarsus Ananias is sent by a Vision to him for behold he prayeth and Saul then saw in a Vision Ananias entering and laying his hand on him that he might receive his sight but Ananias answered Year since
Christ Lord I have heard by many how much evil he hath done unto thy Saints at Jerusalem yea in this place he hath Authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call upon thy Name and the Lord said unto him Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to carry my Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel for I will shew unto him how great things he must suffer for my Name He layes his hand on him And Ananias went and entered into the House and laying his hands on him said Brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared unto thee in the Way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the holy Ghost His sight is restored and strait-way their fell from his Eyes as it were scales and he received his sight forth-with And Ananias said The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his Will and see that Just One and shouldest hear the Voice from his Mouth for thou shalt be a Witness before all men of those things that thou hast heard and seen and now why tarriest thou Arise and be Baptized and Washed from thy Sins calling on the Name of the Lord and Saul arose and was Baptized and when he had received meat he was strengthened But what was revealed to Saul at Damascus that he should do Luke shews not in the Acts but out of those things which in the Epistle to the Galatians he saith happened unto him immediately after his Conversion it appears that among other things it was commanded him that he should not confer with flesh and blood nor return to Jerusalem to them that were Apostles before him but that he should go for some time into Arabia or places neer Damascus where he should Receive the Knowledge of the Gospel not being taught of men but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Saul then returns to Damascus and tarries with the Disciples there a few dayes and strait-way in the Synagogue he Preacheth that Christ is the Son of God and they were all amazed who heard these things and said Is not this he that destroyed at Jerusalem those that called on this Name and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priest and Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus teaching that Jesus is the Christ for to the Jews that dwelt at Damascus was the Gospel first preached by him Tiberius being certified by Pilate out of Palestine concerning the Affairs of Christ he proposeth to the Senate that Christ might be reckoned among the Gods which the Senate opposing he remaining in his Opinion threatens that it should be dangerous for any to accuse a Christian as Tertullian relates in Apologetic Chap. 5 and 21. and others that follow him as Eusebius in Chronic. and Hestor Eccles lib. 2.2 and our Gildas in an Epistle of the destruction of Brittain which being granted we may lawfully say that the first Persecution after the Murther of Stephen that arose in Judea ceased partly by the Conversion of Saul who greatly promoted it and partty through the fear of Tiberius When Saul had preached the Gospel a long time at Damascus the Jews took counsel to kill him and watching the Gates of the City day and night that they might take him and kill him but being let down by a rope by night in a Baskit escaped from them The first three years after his conversion being finished Saul returned to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes and he then assaying to joyn himself to the Disciples they all were affraid of him not believing him to be a Disciple but Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles viz. Peter and James the Brother of the Lord he declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus Saul also speaks boldly in the Name of Jesus at Jerusalem but the Jews went about to kill him Saul being in the Temple praying was in a Trance and saw the Lord speaking unto him saying Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem for they will not receive thy Testimony of me to whom he answered Lord they know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue those that believed on thee and when the Blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by and kept the Garments of them that killed him and the Lord said unto him Go and I will send thee to the Gentiles The Brethren at Jerusalem brought him to Cesarea years since Christ 38 and sent him into his own Country of Tarsus and he came into the Countries of Syria and Cilicia hitherto he was unknown by face to the Churches of Judea but they heard only that he preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in him and the Churches had rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplyed About this time King Herod troubled the Church years since Christ 44 laying hands upon some for contradicting the Institutions and Rites of the Country of which he was a most religious observer as Josephius Lib. 19. Cap. ult relates He slew James the Brother of John with the Sword and seeing the death of James Peter imprisoned pleased the people he cast Peter into prison in the dayes of Azincus delivering him to four Quaturnions that is sixteen Souldiers to guaâ—d him intending after the Passover to bring him out to the People He is wounderfully delivered but there were Prayers made daily in the Church for him and an Angel of the Lord delivered him miraculously in the night and he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John Marcus where many were Congregated and at Prayer and telling them that they might certifie James the Son of Alphâ—as and Brother of our Lord and the rest of the manner of his deliverance he went into another Place Herod rage against the Prison Kepers Herod being frustrate of his hope in his rage commands the Innocent Keepers to be dragg'd to Execution and he going down to Caesarea stayed there he was prejudiced in his mind against the Syrians and Sidonians whose Land being not sufficient to maintain them Especially in that year of scarcity they were forced to seek for themselves sustentation from Galilee and other places under Herods Jurisdiction they came therefore Unanimously to him by the mediation of Blastus the Kings Chamberlain whom they had made their Friend desiring Peace of him a day being appointed Herod in his royal attire and sitting before the Tribunal made a Speech to them the People with Acclamations shouting out 'T is the Voice of a God and not a Man Herod is smote and dâ—ed but
preached by Christ and his Apostles pag 20. Part IV. Containing an Account of such as suffered Persecution and Martyrdom under Episcopacy c. pag. 235. An Account of the Just Judgments of God inflicted upon Persecutors wherein is shewed the Wicked Lives and most Horrible Vntimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old pag. 248. A Christian-Plea against Persecutors for the Cause of Conscience grounded upon Scripture Reason Experience and Testimonies of Princes and Learned Authors Published for general Service Part I. Containing the History of the Persecutions and great Sufferings sustained by the faithfull Servants of the Lord hoth before and after the Jews Apostacy and before the Coming of Christ THe great Enemy to all mankind is that wicked Spirit of Persecution Abel persecuted by Cain it moved Cain against his righteous Brother Abel The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his Offering but unto Cain and his Offering he had not respect and Cain rose up against his Brother Abel and slew him and the Lord said unto Cain where is Abel thy Brother and he said I know not And the Lord said A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth and Cain said unto the Lord My punishment is greater then I can bear And Pharach afflicted the People of God a long time The Children of Israel persecuted in Egypt which grieved the good Spirit of God in his People but they Cryed out to the Lord in their Oppressions for the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with rigour and they made their Lives bitter with hard Bondage the King commanding the Midwives to slay all the male Children yet the Lord delivered his people out of all these afflictions with a mighty hand and he poured out his Judgments upon Pharach and upon the Egyptians that oppressed his people and he set his people free for while the People of God had a sence of their Bondage and Sufferings and Cryed unto the Lord through the multitude of their Oppressions the Lord heard and answered them and delivered them by the hand of his servant Moses by whom he gave them Laws which they were to obey and which they submitted to then God was with them as a mighty Defence and in this time of sufferings they kept nigh to the Lord and he was with them and was as a Rock of Defence unto them And because Mordecai the servant of the Lord could not bow Mordecai and the Jew persecuted by Haman nor do reverence to proud Haman Haman was full of wrath and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone wherefore he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Abasuerus even the People of Mordecai And Haman said unto King Abasuerus There is a certain People scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are diverse from all People neither keep they the Kings Laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them If it please the King let it be written that they may be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand Talents of Silver And the King said the Silver is given to thee the People also to do with them as seemeth good to thee and Letters were sent to the Rulers of all the Provinces to destroy all both young and old little children and Women and to take the spoil of them for a prey Thus this Proud Persecutor endeavoured to have destroyed this People A just judgment against a persecutor had not Queen Esther made supplication the King on their behalf and by that means a stop was put to the wicked design and he was hanged on the Gallows that he prepared for Mordecai And Jezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord but Obadiah who was Governour of Ahab's house being one that feared the Lord greatly he took an hundred of the Prophets 1 Kings 18.4 and hid them by fifty in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water And Ahab persecuted Elijah and said to him Art thou he that troubleth Israel Elijah persecuted he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers House in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim And Jezebel persecuted Elijah so that he fled into the Wilderness And Manasses persecuted the Prophet Isaiah for reproving him Jeremiah persecuted Jer. 29. and caused him to be sawn a sunder with a wooden Saw And Jeremiah for declaring the word of the Lord to all the Cities of Judah and saying Thus saith the Lord If you will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have set before you c. Then will I make this House like Shiloh and will make this City a Curse to all the Nations of the Earth for this Testimony he was persecuted and all the people were gathered against him in the House of the Lord and the Priests and Prophets said unto the Princes and People This man is Worthy to dye for he hath prophesied against this City Jeremiah said The Lord sent me to Prophesie against this House and against this City As for me said he behold I am in your hands do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you Chap. 23.2 But know for a certain that if ye put me to death you shall surely bring Innocent blood upon your selves and upon this City And Jeremiah was shut up in the Court of the Prison which was in the King of Judahs house And in the 37 Chap. verse 15. the Princes were wrath with Jeremiah and smote him and put him in Prison into a Dungeon Nebuchadnezzar persecuted Shadrach Meshach and Abednego because they would not bow to the Golden Image he had set up The three Children persecuted Dan. 3.23 the King told them that if they would not worship the Image which he had made they should be cast into the burning fiery Furnace they answered O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King we will not serve thy Gods c. then was he full of fury and commanded the Furnace to be heat seven times more then it was wont to be and commanded that they should be bound with their Hats and Coats on and cast into it but the Lord preserved them in the Flames so that the Fire had no power over them The Princes under Darius also persecuted the Prophet Daniel against whom they confessed they could find no occasion except it were concerning the Law of his God Daniel persecuted wherefore they perswaded the King to make a Decree That whosoever should ask a Petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of the King should be cast into the Den of Lions But Daniel as
he did afore-time opened his windows towards Jerusalem and kneeled down and prayed and gave thanks before his God of which these Persecutors acquainted the King then the King commanded and they cast Daniel into the Den of Lions but the Lord preserved him that the Lions hurt him not because he believed in his God which the King hearing of caused Daniel to be taken up out of the Den A judgment of God upon Persecutors and commanded them that were his Persecutors to be cast into it which was done and they were soon destroyed The Constancy and faithful Suffering of some of the ancient people of the Jews rather then they would be forced to depart from the Laws of their Fathers and not to live after the Laws of God Eleazer one of the principal Scribes an aged man and of a well-favoured countenance was constrained to open his Mouth Eleazer persecuted and to eat Swines Flesh But he choosing rather to dye gloriously then to live stained with such an Abomination spit it forth and came of his own accord to the torment as it behoved them to come that are resolved to stand out against such things as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted But they that had the charge of that wicked Feast for the old acquaintance they had with the man taking him aside besought him to bring flesh of his own provision such as was lawful for him to use and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the Sacrifice commanded by the King That in so doing he might be delivered from death and for the old friendship with them find favour But he began to consider discreetly and as became his Age and the excellency of his ancient years and the honour of his gray Head whereunto he was come and his most honest Education from a Child or rather the holy Law made and given by God therefore he answered accordingly and willed them strait-wayes to send him to the Grave For it becometh not our Age said he in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazer being fourscore years old and ten were now gone to a strange Religion and so they through mine hypocrisie and desire to live a little time and a moment longer should be deceived by me and I get a stain to mine old Age and make it Abominable For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead wherefore now manfully changing this life I will shew my self such an one as mine Age requireth and leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and couragiously for the honourable and holy Laws and when he had said these words immediatly he went to the Torment they that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred because the foresaid speeches proceeded as they thought from a desperate mind But when he was ready to dye with stripes he groaned and said It is manifest unto the Lord that hath the holy knowledge that whereas I might have been delivered from death I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear him And thus this man dyed leaving his death for an example of a noble Courage and a memorial of vertue not only unto young men but unto all his Nation The Constancy and Cruel Death of seven Brethren and their Mother in one day because they would not eat Swines Flesh at the Kings Commandment Seven Brethren with their Mother were taken and compelled by the King against the Law The Mother and her seven Children persecuted to taste Swines Flesh and were tormented with Scourges and Whips but one of them that spake first said thus What wouldst thou ask or learn of us we are ready to dye ' rather then to transgress the Laws of our Fathers Then the King being in a rage commanded Pans and Caldrons to be made hot which forthwith being heated he commanded to cut out the Tongue of him that spake first and to cut off the utmost parts of his Body the rest of his Brethren and his Mother looking on Now when he was thus maimed in all his Members he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the Fire and to be fryed in the Pan and as the vapour of the Pan was for a good space disperced they exhorted one another with the Mother to dye manfully saying thus The Lord God looketh upon us and in Truth hath comfort in us as Moses in his Song which witnessed to their Faces declared saying and he shall be comforted in his Servants so when the first was dead after this manner they brought the second to make a mocking stock and when they had pulled off the skin of his Head with the hair they asked him ' Wilt thou eat before thou be punished ' throughout every member of thy Body but he answered in his own Language and said No wherefore he also received the next Torment in order as the former did and when he was at the last gasp he said Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life but the King of the world shall raise us up who have dyed for his Laws unto everlasting life After him was the third made a mocking stock and when he was required he put out his tongue and that right soon holding forth his hands manfully and said couragously ' These I had from Heaven and for his Laws I dâ—spise them and ' from him I hope to receive them again insomuch that the King and they that were with him marvailed at the young mans courage for that he nothing regarded the pains Now when this man was dead also they tormented and mingled the fourth in like manner so when he was ready to dye he said thus It is good being put to death by men to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him as for thee thou shalt have no resurrection to life Afterward they brought the fifth also and mangled him then looked he unto the King and said Thou hast power over men thou art corruptible thou dost what thou wilt yet think not that our Nation is forsaken of God but abide a while and behold his great power how he will torment thee and thy seed After him also they brought the sixth who being ready to dye said Be not deceived without cause for we Suffer these things for our selves having sinned against our God therefore marvelous things are done unto us but think not thou that takest in hand to strive against God that thou shalt escape unpunished But the mother was marvelous above all and worthy of honorable memory for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day she bare it with a good courage because of the hope that she had in the Lord yea she
exhorted every one of them in her own Language filled with couragious spirit and stirred up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach she said unto them I cannot tell how you came into my womb for I neither gave you breath nor life neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you but doubtless the Creator of the world who formed the Generation of man and found out the beginning of all things will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again as you now regard not your own selves for his Laws sake Now Antiochus thinking himself despised and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech whilst the youngest was yet alive did not only exhort him by words but also assured him with Oathes that he would make him both a rich and a happy man if he would turn from the Laws of his Fathers and that also he would take him for his Friend and trust him with affairs but when the young man would in no case hearken unto him the King called his Mother and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life and when he had exhorted her with many words she promised him that she would counsel her Son but she bowing her self towards him laughing the cruel Tyrant to scorn spake in her Country language on this manner O my Son have pity upon me that bare thee nine Months in my Womb and gave thee suck three Years and nourished thee and brought thee up unto this age and endured the troubles of Education I beseech thee my Son look upon the Heaven and the Earth and all that is therein and consider that God made them of things that were not and so was mankind made likewise fear not this Tormentor but being worthy of thy Brethren take thy death that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy Brethren While she was yet speaking these words the young man said Whom wait ye for I will not obey the Kings commandment but I will obey the Commandment of the Law that was given unto our Fathers by Moses and thou that hast been the author of all mischeif against the Hebrews shalt not escape the hands of God for we suffer because of our Sins and though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastning and correction yet shall he be at one again with his Servants But thou O Godless man and of all other most wicked be not lifted up without a cause nor puffed up with uncertain hopes lifting up thy hands against the Servants of God for thou hast not yet escaped the Judgment of Almighty God who seeth all things for our Brethren who now have suffered a snort pain are dead under Gods Covenant of everlasting Life but thou through the Judgment of God shalt receive just punishment for thy Pride but I as my Brethren offer up my Body and Life for the Laws of our Fathers beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful unto our Nation and that thou by Torments and Plagues mayest confess that he alone is God and that in me and my Brethren the wrath of the Almighty which is justly brought upon all our Nation may cease Then the King being in a rage handled him worse then all the rest and took it grievously that he was mocked so this man dyed undefiled and put his whole trust in the Lord last of all after the Sons the Mother dyed When her Sons were apprehended she exhorted them in the Hebrew Tongue saying O my most dear and loving Children let us hasten to that Agony which may credit our profession and be rewarded by God with Eternal Life let us fearlessly present our Bodies to those Torments which aged Eleazar endured let us call to mind our Father Abraham who having but one only Son willingly sacrificed him at Gods command and feared not to bring him to the Alter whom with many prayers he had obtained in his old age Remember Daniel the three Children c. Antioch being enraged against her caused her to be stript naked hanged up by the Hands and cruelly whipt then were her Dugs and Paps pulled off and her self put into the Red-hot Frying-pan where lifting up her Hands and Eyes to Heaven in the midest of her Prayers she yielded up her chaste Soul unto God But God suffered not the cruel Tyrant to escape unpunished for in his Wars against the Persians the Lord struck him with Madness his Intrals were devoured with Worms and stinking like a Carrion in the Extreamity of his Torments he gave up the Ghost Part II Containing an Account of the great Persecutions and Martyrdoms of the Christians after the coming of Christ and before the Apostacy and Darkness wholy spread over the Church AFter the Jews who were once the People of God and had the Laws Statutes Ordinances and Commands of God made known to them as is before related had apostatized from the holy Spirit or Life they provoked God and soon forgat him shamefully entreated and killed the Servants and Messengers of God yet the Lord had Compassion to mankind and remembred his Promise and in love to the World sent forth his Son who said when he was come he was the true Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world yet the world knew him not but God sent his Messenger to prepare his Way and the Voice of one cryed in the Wilderness prepare ye the Way of the Lord and make strait Paths for our God and when this Messenger whose name was John was come the hand of the Lord was with him and he preached repentance for the remission of sins and for reproving Herod of his Evils he was shut up in Prison and though Christ testified of him that among those that were born of women there was not a greater Prophet then John Yet this Herod who had married Herodias his brothers wife to whom John said it is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife John Baptist beheaded therefore the persecuting spirit arose in Herodias and she would have killed him but could not yet afterwards she was the cause of John Baptists being beheaded in Prison And when Christ Jesus appeared who is the Light of the world whom John called the Lamb of God Christ Jesus Persecuted and put to death who testified against the apostatized Jews their false worship in their dead Forms saying God a is Spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit and and truth yet him these Jews rejected and would not receive him that they might have Life and when he said I am the bread of life and I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I shall give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world the Jews in their ignorance reasoned saying How can this be can this man give us his flesh to eat and
could not believe in him though he did such great works and miracles amongst them that never man did the like yet they sought to kill him nevertheless they would be accounted of Abrahams seed and called him their Father but saith Christ if ye were Abrahams Children ye would do Abrahams works but now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the Truth ye are said he or your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no truth in him And this blessed Lamb of God Christ Jesus did these persecuting Jews put to death crucifying of him as may be read at large in the Scriptures After they had Crucified the Lord of life then they persecuted his Disciples and Apostles as followeth When the Jews heard what Stephen had declared Acts. 7 54â— they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their Teeth but he being full of the holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right Hand of God then they cryed out with aloud voice and stopped their Ears and run upon him with one accord and cast him out of the City and stoned him and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled down and crying with a loud voice Lord lay not this Sin to their charge and when he had said this he fell asleep James the Brother of John Martyred After the Martyrdom of this blessed Stephen the Apostle James suffered next mention of which is in the Acts of the Apostles how that not long after the stoning of Stephen King Herod stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church who slew James the Brother of John with the Sword of this James Eusebius also maketh mention alleadging Clement thus writing a memorable story of him this James saith Clement when he was brought to the Tribunal Seat Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 9. he that brought him and was the cause of his trouble seeing him to condemned and that he should suffer death as he went to the Execution he being moved therewith in Heart and Conscience confessed himself also of his own accord to be a Christian And so were they led forth together where in the way he desired of James to forgive him that he had done after that James had a little paused upon the matter turning to him said Peace be unto thee Brother and kissed him and both were beheaded together in the Year 36. James the Brother of Christ Martyred James the Brother of Christ was termed a just and perfect man it is said that he took in hand the Goverment of the Church after the Apostles and when many of the Princes were perswaded there arose a Tumult of the Jews Scribes and Pharisees saying It is very dangerous lest the whole People look after this Jesus as though he were Christ and being gathered together they said to James we pray thee stay this people for they err in Jesus as though he were the true Christ We pray thee perswade this people concerning Jesus Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 23. for we all obey thee yea we and all the people testifie of thee that thou art just and respectest not the person of any man stand therefore upon the Pinacle of the Temple that thou mayst be seen aloft and that thy word may be heard plainly of all the people The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees placed James upon the Pinacle of the Temple and shouted to him and said Thou just man at whose commandment we are all here insomuch as this people are seduced after Jesus who was crucified declare unto us which is the Door or way of Jesus crucified and he answered with a loud Voice why ask ye me of Jesus the Son of man when as he fitteth at the right Hand in the great Power in Heaven When as he had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the Testimony of James and said Hosanna in the highest to the Son of David Then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves We have done very ill in causing such a Testimony of Jesus to be brought forth but let us climb up and take him to the end that the people may be striken with fear and so may be brought to renounce his Faith and they shouted saying O O and the just also is seduced so they climbed up and threw Justus down dead long saying let us stone James Justus and they began to throw stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead and he fell upon his Knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wot not what they do And as they were stoning of him one of the Priests the Son of Rachab the Son of Cherabim spake to them the Testimony which is in Jeremiah the Prophet and cryed out Cease what do you this just man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a fullers Club struck Justus on the head and brained him This James was so notable a man that for his justness he was had in honour of all men insomuch that the wise man of the Jews shortly after his Martyrdom did impute the cause of the besieging Jerusalem and other Calamities which hapned unto them to no other cause but unto the violence and injury done to this man also Josephus hath not left this out of his History where he speaketh of him after this manner Jos Lib. 10. these things so chanced unto the Jews for a vengeance because of that Just man James which was the Brother of Jesus for shortly after his suffering Vespatianus the Emperour destroyed the Land of Jury and brought them into Captivity A Relation of the Persecutions raised by the Romans against the Christians in the Primitive Age of the Church dureing the space of three hundred Years Eusebius and the most part of Writers do number the first Persecutions to be Ten wherein great Numbers of the Christians were slain and tormented some slain with the Sword some burnt with Fire some with whips scourged some stabed with Forks of Iron some fastned to the Cross or Gibbet some drowned in the Sea some their Skins pluck off some their Tongues cut out some stoned to death some killed with cold some starved with hunger some their Hands cut off or otherwise dis-membred have been so left naked to the open shame of the World whose kinds of punishment although they were divers yet the manner of constancy in all these Martyrs was one The first of the Ten Persecutions The first of these Ten Persecutions was stired up by Nero Domitias about the year 67. after the Birth of Christ Orosius writeth of Nero that he was the first within Rome did raise up
Christian World as before is related And Pope Alexander the third being informed that divers persons in Lyons questioned his Soveraign Authority over the whole Church cursed Valdo and his Adherents commanding the Arch-Bishop to proceed against them by Ecclesiastical censures to their utter extirpation whereupon they were wholly chased out of Lyons Valdo and his followers were called Waldenses who afterwards spread themselves into divers Countries and Companies and for their Religion many of them were Burnt to death and fleeing into Germany and other Countries many of them were put to death Pope Alexander 〈◊〉 de a Decree that these Gospellers and all their Favourers should 〈◊〉 comunicated and that none should sell them any thing or buy 〈◊〉 â—hing of them 〈◊〉 the Waldenses notwithstanding all the Popes Curses continued publishing that the Pope was Antichrist the Mass an Abomination the Host an Idol and Purgatory a Fable whereupon Pope Innocent the third Anno 1198. seeing that the other remedies were not sufficient to suppress these Hereticks as he called them authorized certain Monks Inquisitors who by process should apprehend and deliver them to the secular power by a far shorter but much more cruel way then was used formerly for by this means they were by thousands delivered into the Magistrates hands and by them to the Executioners whereby in a few years all Christendom was moved with compassion to see so many burnt and hanged that did trust only in Christ for Salvation And from the year 1170. to the year 1470. many noble Witnesses were raised up in England and elsewhere to write against the Popes pride calling him Antichrist c. and to bear a publick Testimony in these dark times against the corruption and abominable Idolatry which was crept into the Church with the hazard of their Lives and Liberties amongst which were the Lollards of the increase of whom the Pope had often complained in Richard the second 's time but could not prevail and King Henry the fourth coming to the Crown by Usurpation to ingratiate himself with the Clergy made a Law that Lollards should be burnt at the discretion of the Bishops whereupon divers suffered Martyrdom as followeth William Sawtery of London in the year 1400. William Sawtery Suffered was imprisoned by Thomas Arondell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury VVilliam Sawtry desired his cause might be heard by the Parliament then sitting for the commodity of the whole Realm but the Bishops would not allow it but caused him to be brought before them who examined him upon eight Articles the last whereof was about Transubstantiation to which he answered that after the words of Consecration there remained very bread the same bread which it was before the words were spoken whereupon he was condemned by Robert Hall the Bishops Chancellour after which they got a warrant from the King directed to the Mayor and Sheriff of London for his burning William Thorp for the same cause was examined and imprisoned and after a long examination before the Arch-Bishop was committed to another foul bad Prison where he never was before of which place he writeth as followeth After I was brought to Prison when all men were gone forth from me the Prison doors fast being by my self I began to Think on God and to thank him for his goodness and I was then greatly comforted not only for that I was then delivered for a time from the presence of the Scorning and from the Menacing of my Enemies but much more I rejoyced in the Lord because that through his Grace he kept me so both among the flattering especially and among the menacing of mine Adversaries that without heaviness and anguish of my Conscience I passed away from them In his examination the Bishop told him that it was certified against him that he preached openly and boldly in Shrewsoury that Priests have no title to Tythes the substance of his Answer was There was one came to Prison to me and asked what I said of Tythes to whom I said ask the Priests and Clerks of the Town the man replyed our Prelates say they are cursed that withdraw their Tythes I said I wonder any Priest say men are cursed without the ground of Gods Word and put the man to enquire of the Priest of that Town where the sentence of cursing them that Tythed not was written in Gods Law and I said further in the old Law which ending not fully till Christ rose up from death to life God commanded Tythes to be given to the Levites but the Priests were to have but the tenth part of those Tythes given to the Levites now said I in the new Law neither Christ nor any of his Apostles took Tythes of the People nor commanded the People to pay Tythes but Christ taught the People to shew works of mercy and I said not of Tythes but of pure Almes of the People Christ and the Apostles lived when they were so busie in preaching the word to the People that they could not otherwise work to get their livelihood Then the Bishop said thou preachedst openly at Shrowsbury that it is not lawful to swear in any case Thorp said by the Authority of the Epistle of James and by witness of divers others The Martyr against swearing oâ— a Book I have preached openly in one place or other that it is not lawful for any to swear in any case by any Creature Then the Clerk asked him whether it were not lawful for a Subject at the command of his Prelate to kneel down and touch the holy Gospel book and kiss it saying so help me God and this holy Dome Thorp said Ye speak full largly what if a Prelate command his Subject to do an unlawful thing should he obey Arch-Bishop a Subject ought not to suppose that his Prelate will bid him do an unlawful thing Thorp But to our purpose related the Opinion of a master in Divinity in the matter of Swearing who said it was not lawful either to give or take any such charge upon a Book for every Book is nothing else but divers Creatures of which it is made of Therefore to sware upon a Book is to swear by Creatures and this swearing is ever unlawful this Sentence saith Thorp witnesseth Chrysostom plainly blaming them greatly that bring forth a book to swear upon charging Clerks that in no wise they constrain any Body to sware whether they think a man to sware true or false Then the Arch-Bishop scorned me and threatened me with sharp and great Punishment except I left this Opinion of swearing Thorp said It is not only my opinion but the opinion of Christ James and Chrysostom and divers others The Clerk said Wilt thou tarry my Lord longer submit thee here meekly to the Ordinance of holy Church and lay thy hand upon a Book touching the holy Gospel of God promising not only with thy Mouth but also with thine Heart to stand to my Lords ordinance Thorp said have I not told you here how that I
to Preach is the true Character of the Beast and Antichrist And that the Court of Rome is the Chief Head of Antichrist And that no Reprobate is a Member of the Church His books being examined were condemned as heretical to be burnt in the Fire and Sentence of Condemnation was past upon him by the Arch-Bishop and he was delivered to the secular Power by whom he was carried into Smithfield and there burnt with one Richard Turning a Baker The next year after the burning of these men the Prelates of England seeing the daily increase of the Gospel and fearing the ruin of their papal Kingdom took counsel together with what deligence they could to maintain the same Wherefore to make their State and Kingdom sure by Statutes Laws Constitutions and Terror of Punishment Henry Chichly Arch-Bishop in his Convocation holden at London maketh another Constitution against the poor Lollards which was sent abroad Anno 1416. to be straitly executed in which their Officials or Commissaries were required twice every year at least to make diligent enquiry after such persons as were suspected of Heresie and Parishoners were to be sworn upon the Evangelifts to discover whether they knew any frequenting privy Conventicles or differing in their life and manners from other Common Catholick men or that should have any Books in the English Tongue After the setting out of this Constitution aforesaid great inquisition hereupon followed in England and many good men who began to have a love to the Gospel were much troubled and great Sufferers John Gale of London was summoned before the Arch-Bishop for having a Book in English entituled A Book of the new Law Ralph Mungin for the same Doctrine was condemned to perpetual imprisonment William White a follower of John Wickliff he was of a devout holy life is recorded as a Morning Star in the midst of a Cloud a man well learned an upright man and well spoken for the love of the Truth he gave over his Preisthood but not his preaching for he continually laboured to advance the glory of God by reading writing and preaching The chief matters charged against him were that he held That men should seek for the forgiveness of their sins only at the band of God That the Pope was an Enemy unto Christs Truth That men ought not to Worship Images That the Romish Church was the Figg-Tree which Christ Cursea because it brought forth no Fruit of the true Beleif That such as wear Câ—ules or be Annointed or Shorn are the Souldiers of Lucifer And that all such because their Lamps are not burning shall be shut out when as the Lord shall come He was apprehended for preaching and teaching such like Doctrine in Norfolk and being had before the Bishop of Norwich he was convicted condemned and burnt in Norwich in the 7th Moneth 1424. When he was at the Stake beginning to open his mouth to speak to the People to exhort them and confirm them in the Truth one of the Bishops Servants struck him in the mouth thereby to force him to keep silence And thus this good man received the Crown of Martyrdom and ended this Mortal life to the great grief of all good men in Norfolk his wife Joane following her Husbands steps A Woman Preacher according to her power teaching and sowing abroad the same Doctrine confirmed many in Gods Truth wherefore she suffered much trouble and punishment the same year at the hands of the said Bishop John Goose 1473. being called before the Bishops and accused for Heresie being condemned and delivered to Robert Beâ—â—isdon one of the Sheriffs of London to see him burnt in the afternoon the Sheriff like a charitable man had him home to his house and there exhorted him to deny his Errors he desired the Sheriff to be content for he was satisfied in his Conscience The Sheriff giving him some meat he being very hungry did eat so freely as if the hour of his death had not been known to be so nigh saying to the Standers by leat now a good and competent Dinner for I shall pass a little sharp Shower ere I go to Supper and having dined he required that he might be led to the place where he should yield up his spirit unto God About this time there being a war begun by the Turks against the Christians so called there was great invasions and victories obtained by the Turks against them insomuch that the Turks in the space of Thirty years subdued Arabia got Palestina Phenetia Siria Egypt and Persia raging with their Armies throughout all Asia and Europe Conquering as they passed The causes of which Invasions and Victories as is recorded were the dissention discord falshood idleness unconstancy greedy avarice lack of Truth and fidelity amongst Christian men of all states and degrees both high and low for by the wilful defection and back-sliding of the Christians the Turkish power did exceedingly encrease and them called Christians were by multitudes destroyed and as it is written there was hardly a Town City or Village in all Asia and Grecia also in a great part of Europe and Africa whose streets did not flow with the Blood of the Christians whom these cruel Turks Murthered after an inhuman manner Men and Women being by them cut in Pieces Children stuck upon Poles and Stakes till they gored them to death in the sight of their Parents draging some at their Horse tails till they famished them to death tearing some in Pieces tying their Arms and Legs to four Horses treading the aged and feeble under their Horses feet The Princes of Rasia had both their Eyes put out with Basons red hot set before them cuting some asunder in the midst and with other Torments putting many to death insomuch that the streets and ways of Chalrides did flow with Blood of them that were slain The Pretors Daughter of which City being the only Daughter of her Father and noted to be of singular beauty A remarkable story and worthy noâ—ing was saved out of the slaughter and brought to Mahumet the Turk to be his Concubine but she denying to consent to his Turkish filthiness was commanded therefore to be slain it would be long to recite and incredible to bâ—lieve the cruel and horrible slaughters and miserable tortures inflicted upon the Christians by these Turks in most parts of Asia and Africa but especially in Europe And during all these Wars and Slaughters the Pope ceased not continually calling upon Christian Kings and Princes and Subjects to take the Cross and to War against the Turks lest he should lose all whereupon in that time of Darkness and Popery many took Voyages to the holy Land and many Baâ—tails were fought for the winning the holy Cross and yet no success neither ever came it prosperoufly forward whatsoever the Pope attempted against him what the cause was may be easily judged if the Reader considers the gross Idolatry prophaness and degeneration those called Christians were fallen into having wholy
constantly persisted in the Truth in which she was planted a Woman of her acquaintance coming to Prison to visit her said to her why doest not thou keep silence and think secretly in thine Heart these things which thou believest that thou mayest prolong thy life here Oh said the Widdow you know not what you say it is written With the Heart we believe to Righteousness with the Tongue we confess to Salvation at her Execution she commended her self into the Hands of God and after a fervent prayer was burnt to death John Pistorius Martyr About this time there suffered many more in Germany for the witness of the Gospel viz. John Pistorius coming from Wittenberge for speaking against the Mass and Pardons and against the subtile abuses of the Priests he was committed to Prison with ten Malefactors whom he did comfort one of whom being half naked and in danger of cold he gave his gown his Father visiting him in Prison did not disswade him but bad him be constant being condemned and coming to the Stake he gave his neck willingly to the band wherewith he was first strangled and then burned saying at his death O death where is thy victory There using to be a great Meeting near Antwerp where one used to preach to a great number of People which Charles the Emperor hearing of gave leave to any that would to take the uppermost Garment of all them that came to hear and offered thirty Guilders to him that would take the Preacher afterwards when the People were gathered and their usual Minister being not there One Nicholas of Antwerp Martyr one Nicholas of Antwerp stood up and preacht to the People wherefore being apprehended by a Butchers Servant was put in a Sack and drowned at the Crane at Antwerp 1524. And certain of the City of Lovane were suspected of Lâ—â—â—â—ranism the Emperors Procurator came from Brussels thither to make Inquisition after which Inquisition made certain Bands of armed men came and beset their Houses in the night where many were taken in their beds pluckt from their Wives and Children and sent to divers Prisons through the terror whereof many Citizens revolted from the Gospel The terror of Persecution caused some to revolt from the Truth and returned again to Idolatry but twenty eight there were which remained constant in that Persecution unto whom the Doctors and Inquisitor of Lovane resorted disputing with them thinking either to confound them or convert them but so strongly the Spirit of the Lord wrought with the Saints that the Doctors went rather confounded away themselves when they saw disputing would not do they used cruel Torments to enforce them one of them was condemned to perpetual Prison which was a dark and stinking Dungeon where he was suffered neither to write nor read nor any man to come at him commanded only to be fed with bread and Water two of the said Prisoners were also burns constantly taking their Martyrdom One man beheaded and two women buryed afive There was there an old man and two aged Women brought forth of whom the one was called Antonia born of an antient Stock in that City these were condemned the man to beheaded the two Women to be buried Quick which death they received very chearfully and the rest of the Prisoners that would not abjure the Doctrine of Lather were put to the Fire One Percival of Lovane for owning the Truth was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment there to be fed only with Bread and Water which punishment he took patiently for Christ's sake he was secretly made away either famished or drowned no man could learn how Justus Jusberge a Skinner in Lovane in the year 1544. for having a New Testament in his House Justus Jusberge Martyr was persecuted by one Darsardus and committed to Prison and the Goaler commanded that none should speak with him shortly after the Doctors examining of him touching the Popes Supremacy Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory and such Trumpery whereunto he answered plainly and boldly confirming his Answers by the Scriptures when they saw he would not be moved from his Faith then they condemned him to be burnt but as a pretended favour to him he was only beheaded Giles Tilman of Brussels Cutler born of honest Parents about the age of thirty years Giles Tilman Martyr he began to receive the Light of the Gospel for which he was very Zealous and fervent he was in his nature very mild and pittiful passing all other in those parts giving whatsoever he had to spare to the poor living only upon his Trade he was persecuted by the Priest of Brussels being taken at Lovane spreading that Religion which the Pope called Heresie his Adversaries used great care to make him objure but being a man of a singular wit and constant in his Religion they went away many times with shame after he had been kept eight Months in Prison he was sent to Brussels to be judged where finding Franciscus Ensenes and othes of the same Religion in Prison he exhorted them to be constant to the Truth that they might receive the Crown that was prepared for them When the Gray-Friars being sent unto him would mis call abuse him he ever held his peace at such private lajuries wheresore they reported that he had a dumb Devil in him he might several times have escaped out of Prison the doors being set open but he would not being removed to another Prison and on the twenty second of the Month called January 1544. he was condemned to be burnt privately for openly they durst not do it for fear of the People he being so well beloved when tiding was brought him of his Sentence he thanked God that the hour was some wherein he might glorifie the Lord and being had to the Fire he willingly refined up his life into the Hands of the Lord. Great Persecution in Gaunt and other parts of Flanders Anno 1543 1544. The Edict against the Lutherans to be read twice a year Charles the Emperor lying in Gaunt the Fryars and Docters obtained that the Edict made against the Lutherans might be read openly twice a year which caused a great Persecution to follow so that there was no City nor Town in all Flanders wherein some were not either Expulsed Beheaded Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment or their Goods Confiscate without respect either to Age or Sex especially at Gaunt where some of the cheif men in the Town were burnt for their Religion Afterward the Emperor coming to Brussels there also was terrible Slaughter and Persecution of Gods People namely in Brabant Honegow and Artois the horror and cruelty whereof is almost incredible insomuch that two hundred Men and Women were brought out of the Country into the City some of whom were drowned others buried Quick others privately made away others sent to perpetual Imprisonment whereby the Prisons were filled to the great sorrow of them which knew the Gospel the Professors whereof being now compelled
not long after smote him with sickness indeed a most horrible and strange Disease his Body being greatly tormented with Pain and could get no Help being had to an Hospital his Flesh rotted away and stunk so that none cared to come near him and in this Rage and Torment he was under he often cryed out Who will deliver me The Just Judgment of God against a cruel Persecutor Who will Kill me and deliver me out of these Torments and Pains which I know I suffer for the evils and oppressions that I have done to the poor men and in this anguish he most miserably ended his unhappy dayes After the death of this persecuting Monk the Bishop of Aix by his Official continued the Persecution and put a great Multitude of them in Prison of whom some by force of Torments revolted from the Truth the others which proved constant after he had condemned them of Heresie were put into the hands of the ordinary Judge which at that time was one Meiranus a cruel Persecutor who without any form of Process or order of Law such as the Official had pronounced to be Hereticks he put to death with most Cruel Torments After this Persecutor was dead one Bartholomew Casenes President of the Parliment of Province a Pestilent Persecutor whom God at length struck with a fearful and sudden Death in the time of this Tyrant those of Merindol were cited personally to appear before the Kings Attorney but they hearing that the Court had determined to burn them without any Process or Order of Law durst not appear at the day appointed for which cause the Court awarded a cruel Sentence against Merindol and condemned all the Inhabitants to be burned both Men Women and Children and their Town and Houses to be rased to the Ground and their Country to be made a Desart and Wilderness never more to be inhabited This bloody Arrest or Decree seemed strange and wonderful same openly saying They marvelled the Parliment should be so mad to give out such an Arrest so manifestly injurious and unjust and contrary to all Reason and Humanity others said The Judges are not bound to observe either Right or Reason in exterpating such as are suspected to be Lutherans but what ever was said in opposition to this Decree the Bishops from time to time used all the opportunities to endeavour to put the same in execution as appears in the following Relation Amongst these poor men that suffered in Merindol there was a Book-seller who for â—etting publickly to sale certain Bibles in French and Latine in the sight of the Bishop of Aix and other Prelates they were thereat greatly moved and caused him to be apprehended and committed to Prison and afterwards he was sentenced and burnt the Prelates seeing great dissention among the people of Avinion and that many murmured at the death of this Book-seller for selling the Bible to fear the people the next day they put out a Proclamation against all French Bibles That none should keep them in their Hands upon pain of Death After this Proclamation the Bishop of Aix endeavoured his utmost to prosecute the people of Merindol being very earness with the President to that effect and to put the Parliaments Arrest and Decree in execution the President shewing himself unwilling to the Bishop to shed Innocent Blood pleaded The King would be displeased to have such destruction made of his Subjects then said the Bishop Though the King at the first do think it ill done we will so bring it to past that in a short space he shall think it well done for we have the Cardinals on our side especially Cardinal Tournon By these Arguments of the Bishop the President and Councel of Parliament were perswaded to raise a Force and destroy the people of Merindol according to the Decree The Inhabitants of Merindol hearing thereof and seeing nothing but present death to be at hand with great Lamentation commended themselves and their Cause unto God by Prayer and made themselves ready to be murdered as Sheep for the Slaughter whilst they were in this grievous distress there was one raised up called the Lord of Alner to plead with the President on their behalf giving the President several Reasons why he ought not to destroy these poor Christian man of Merindol by which Reasons the President was perswaded and immediatly called back his Commission which he had given out and caused the Army to Retire who were within a mile and a half of Merindol which the people of Merindol understanding that the Army was retired gave thanks unto God comforting one another with Admonition and Exhortation Alwayes to have the fear of God before their Eyes and to seek after the everlasting Riches The noise of these Proceedings and of this Arrest and Decree coming to the King of France his ear he appointed persons to make Inquiry into the whole matter and to make a Report to him thereof and what manner of People these Merindolians were These Deputies brought a Copy of the Arrest Decree and Proceedings unto the Kings Lieutenant declaring unto him the great Injuries Polling Extortions Exactions Tyrannies and Cruelties which the Judges as well Secular as Ecclesiastical had used against them of Merindol and others as touching the behaviour and disposition of those which were persecuted they reported that the most part of the men of Province affirmed them to be men given to great Labour and Travel and that about two hundred years past as it is reported they came out of the Country of Piedmont to dwell in Province and took to tillage and to inhabit many Villages destroyed by the Wars which they had so well husbandred that there was now great store of Wine Oyle Honey and Cattle so that Strangers were greatly relieved and that they were a Peaceable Quiet People beloved of all their Neighbours man of good Behaviour constant in keeping of their Promise and paying of their Debts without suing men at Law that they were also Charitable men giving Alms relieving of the Poor and suffered none amongst them to lack or be in necessity harbouring and Nourishing poor Strangers and Passengers in their necessities moreover that they were known by this throughout all the Country that they would not Swear and that if they heard any Swear blaspheme or dishonour God they strait-way departed out of their Company this was the tenour of the report made to the Kings Lieutenant touching the Life and Behaviour of these Inhabitants of Merindol who were persecuted by the Popish Bishops and Cardinals which the Lieutenant advertised the King who was a good Prince moved with mercy and pity sent Letters to the Parliament Expresly charging and commanding them that they should not hereafter proceed to prosecute the said Arrest and Decree so Rigorously as they had done before against this People and not to molest or trouble them in person or goods and to command them to set at Liberty all Prisoners which either were accused or
nod its Head hang the Lip and move and shake his Jaws according to the value of the Gift offered if it were a small piece of Silver then would he hang a frowning Lip if it were a piece of Gold then should his Jaws go Merrily Thus were poor peoples Souls seduced and their pockets pickt by these Idolatrous Forgers until Cromwel caused the said Image to be carried publickly to Pauls where the People tore it in pieces He was a man not only Zealous for the publick Reformation but also always ready to help private persons that were in distress and though its common amongst men that are raised from low estate to great place and outward preferment to forget themselves what they formerly were and the persons from whom they received benefits It was not so with him for in his Travels beyond Sea being brought to a low condition and being relieved by a Rich Merchant in Florence and entertained in his House when he was in great distress and when he was minded to return to England the Merchant gave him a Horse Money and Apparel which Cromwel received with great thankfulness This Merchant not long after through great losses fell to decay and having money owing him in England came over to see if he could get it and arriving at London not thinking of the kindness he had shewed to Cromwel but as he was travelling the Streets Cromwel as he was riding along espied him and knew him and alighted and took notice of him and of his former kindness and invited him to Court who coming there after he had dined with him he had the Merchant into a private Room and paid him fully for all he had of him at Florence and gave him sufficiently over as a Recompence for his kindness and kept him in his House all the time of his remaining in England This is but one example of many that might be mentioned to shew this Cromwells Gratitude and Courtesie His care and Zeal for the setling the Protestant Religion was that which brought him to his end for that for the better estalishing thereof he devised to effect a Marriage between the King and the Lady Anne of Cleeve whose Sister was Married to the Duke of Saxony a Protestant Prince by which Marriage it was supposed there would be established a perpetuall Peace and Amity between this Kingdom and the Protestant Princes of Germany which would much strengthen the Protestant Party against the Tyranny and Oppression of the Pope and his Adherents But presently after the Marriage Stephen Gardner who had soon after crept into favour with the King as is before related suggested to him some occasions of distaste against the Duke of Saxony and some apprehensions of fear by reason of that Odium which he had pulled upon himself by rejecting the Pope and demolishing Abbies and Monasteries whereby as he told him he had made the Pope the Emperour the King of France and the King of Scotland his Enemies but especially his own Subjects who were much distasted with the Innovations in Religion and that the only way to heal all was to shew himself Sharp and severe against the new Sectaries This occasioned the King to withdraw his favour from Cromwell for being one day in the Council Chamber he was suddainly apprehended and committed to the Tower of London at the hearing whereof many good men were much troubled the charge laid against him was that he was a supporter of Hereticks and a Spreader of their Books and that he had caused to be translated into English Books wrote against the Sacrament of the Alter and that he had spoke words against the King but whatever he was accused of he was soon after condemned in the Tower without coming to his Answer and was beheaded his death the King shortly after bewailed wishing he had his Cromwel alive again so that it appears it was more the malice of his Adversary that stirred up the King against him then any real cause by him given or acted that might justly occasion his death In this year viz. 1545. one John Athee was indicted by the Kings writ for speaking certain words against the Sacrament That he would not believe in the thing that the Knave Priest made neither in that which Longs wife selleth but only in God which is in Heaven and when it was told him that God through his Word could make it Flesh and Blood he answered so he might if he would turn it into a Chickens leg Here followeth a Narative of a sudden Fear and Surprizal that fell upon the Doctors and others at Mary's Steeple-house in Oxford by reason of a mans Crying Fire in the Street and what hapned thereupon There being a Sermon to be preached in the aforesaid Steeple-house at the Recantation of one Malory the Priest had no sooner got into the Pulpit and Malory come forth with his Faggot on his Shoulder accompanied with a great Congregation of people but one in the Street seeing a Chimney on Fire cryed out Fire Fire which so alarumed the People in the Steeple-house that the Doctor and Congregation were amazed expecting the Steeple-house had been on Fire and at last they all generally concluded it was on Fire and that the Hereticks had set it on Fire and with eagerness running on heaps to get forth they raised such a dust that it seemed like Smoak of Fire and thrusting many together to get out they stopt up the Doors that few could pass and thus being afrighted as if great Danger or present Death were at hand did they crowd one upon another the Heretick throwing down his Faggot and shifting as well as he could among the rest the Doctor that was preaching his Recantation cryed out Lord have Mercy upon me this is the Hereticks doings amongst the rest a Monk one of the Auditors fearing the Danger and seeing the way to escape stopt he got up to a Window and breaking the glass thrust himself part thorow but there stuck and could get no further neither in nor out a Boy also endeavouring to escape got upon the Door and jumping down jumpt into a Monks Cowle as it hung at his Back the Monk hearing one in his Cowle cryed out who is that at my Back The Boy cryed I am Bertrams Boy Who art thou said the Monk I am Bertrams Boy good Master let me go and with that the Cowle began to crak the Monk took him out and the Boy ran away Some lost their Clothes in the throng and some their Money in this Surprizal and Fright at the noise of a Fire that did them no hurt About this time one Sr. George Blague of the Kings Privy-Chamber was falsly accused for speaking against the Mass whereupon Wrisly the Lord Chancellor sent him to Newgate and the next day he was arraigned and Condemned at Guild-Hall and within a day or two after should have been burnt in Smithfield but some of the privy-Chamber making suit to the King on his behalf the King was
and upon private conference together the King called him Knave Arrent Beast and Fool withal commanding him out of his Presence The King after his departure returned to the Queen who perceiving him to be much chafed with Sweet words endeavoured to qualifie his displeasure saying that though she knew not what might be the cause he was Offended but desired him if it were not hainous that for her sake he would pass it by Ah poor Soul said the King little dost thou know how ill he deserves this Grace at thy hands on my word Sweet Heart he hath been towards thee an Arrant Knave and so let him go And thus the Queen through Gods Providence and the Kings Favour escaped the Hands of her bloody Persecutors who sought to have destroyed her Persecuted in Scotland In the year 1534. the Arch-Bishop of Andrews convented before him David Stratton and one Norman Gourlay the first of these having a Fisher-boat that went to Sea the Bishop of Murray demanded Tythe-Fish of him to whom he answered That if they would have Tythe of that which his Servants caught in the Sea they should take it in the Place where it was caught and so caused his Servants to throw the tenth Fish into the Sea again All this while he had nothing in him for Religion But when hereupon he was summoned to answer for Heresie it troubled him exceedingly and then he began to frequent the company of such as were godly and here appeared a Wonderful change in him so that whereas before he despised the Scriptures now all his delight was in hearing them read to him and he became a vehement Exhorter of all men to peace and concord and contempt of the World he much frequented the company of the Laird of Dun Ariskin whom God in these dayes had marvelously illuminated and hearing that Text read for he could not read himself He that denyeth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked Generation I will deny him before my Father and holy Angels at those words being suddenly as one revived he fell upon his Knees and stedfastly lifting up his Eyes and Hands at length he burst out into these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayst thou withdraw thy Grace from me But Lord for thy Mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Truth for fear of Death or any Corporal Pain soon after Norman and he were brought to Judgment to Holy Rood house the King himself being present much means was used to draw this David Stratton to make a Recantation but he persevered in his constancy still denying that he had offended and so they were both condemned to the Fire and after dinner they were both first hanged and then burnt Not long after the burning of these two there was one Thomas Forret a Dean who used to preach every first day to his Parishoners the Epistles and Gospels this was counted a great Novelty in those time for none used to preach but the Fryers and therefore they envying him accused him to the Bishop of Dunkelden for an Heretick and one that re rad the Mysteries of Scriptures to the vulgar People the Bishop instigated by the complaint of the Fryers called the said Thomas Forret before him to whom he said My joy Dean Thomas I love you well and therefore I must give you Council how to govern your self The Dean thanked him and then he proceeded My joy Dean Thomas I am informed that you preach the Epistles and Gospels every Sunday to your People and that you take not your Dues from them which is very prejudicial to the Church-men and that therefore my joy Dean Thomas I would have you to take your Dues or else it s too much to preach every Sunday for by so doing you make the People think that we should do so also Thomas answered My Lord I presume none of my Parishoners complain for my not taking my Dues and whereas you say it s too much to preach every Sunday I think it is too little and wish that your Lordship would do the like Nay nay Dean Thomas said the Bishop let that be for we are not ordained to preach and Dean Thomas go your wayes and let all these Fancies be for if you persist herein you will repent you when it is too late I trust said the Dean my cause is good and just in the presence of God and therefore I care not what follows thereupon and so went away but shortly after he was summoned to appear before the Cardinal by whom he was condemned and burned for a chief Heretick and Teacher of Heresie But notwithstanding their bloody Tyranny the Knowledge of God did Wonderfully encrease in this Country partly by reading and partly by brotherly Conference which in those dangerous dayes were much used to the Comfort of many which so enraged the Popish Party that in the year 1538. there were burned in one Fire four Persons The year after Jeremy Russel and Alexander Kenedy were apprehended and brought before the Bishop the said Jeremy being a man of a meek and quiet Nature Alexander was a young man about eightteen years old Alexander at first was faint and would fain have recanted but when all place of Repentance was denyed him the Spirit of God began to refresh him yea the inward Comfort began to burst forth as well in his Vissage as in his words and he cryed in prayer to God Oh Eternall God how Wounderful is thy Love and Mercy who hast made me to feel Heavenly Comfort which takest from me that ungodly fear which before I was oppressed with now I defie death do with me what you please I praise God I am ready Then did they rail upon him and Jeremy who also said unto them This is your hour and power of darkness Now sit ye as Judges and we stand wrongfully Accused and more wrongfully to be Condemned but the day will come when our Innocency will appear and ye shall see your own blindness to your Everlasting Confusion Go forward fulfill the measure of your Iniquity Shortly aft'r th'y were Condemned to die as they went to Execution Jeremy comforted Alexander saying to him Brother fear not greater is he that that is in us then he that is in the World the pain that we are to suffer is short and shall be light but our Joy and Consolation shall never have end Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Saviours Joy by the same Strait Way which he hath taken before us Death cannot hurt us for it is already destroyed by him for whose Sake we now Suffer And thus they constantly continued stedfast in the Flaming Fire till they finished their Course by Death In the year 1543. George Wiseheart a man of a Courteous Modest and Temperate Behaviour fearing God and hating Covetousness very charitable and moderate in his Apparel and Diet and for his Innocency was a man well beloved he was
thy Promise and for this Mortal receive an Immortall and for this Corruptible put on Incorruption accept this burnt Sacrifice and Offering O Lord not for the Sacrifice but for thy Sons sake for whose Testimony I offer this Free-will-Offering with my Soul into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Amen The next day John Lawrence was brought to Colchester and being not able to go his Legs being so worn in Prison with heavy Irons and his Body weak he was carried in a Chair to the Fire and burnt sitting After these suffered two persons in Wales viz. Robert Farrar in Carmarthen Robert Farrar and Rawlins White Maryrs in Wales who was a Bishop of a place called St. Davids and one Rawlins white a Fisher-man burnt at Cardiff This Rawlins for the love that was in him to the Truth and delight he took in hearing the Scriptures read trained up his Son at School on purpose to read to him because he could not read himself and by often hearing the Scriptures read having a good Memory he so retained them that he at last became an Instructor and Teacher to People and travelled from place to place with his little Boy with him visiting such where he saw any hopes of receiving the Truth having thus continued for five years in Edward the sixths time he became a noted Preacher until by the Bishop of Landaff he was committed Prisoner to Chepstow and from thence was removed to Cardiff Castle where he continued a Prisoner a whole year which tended to the ruin of his poor Wife and Children in this World yet he as a man unconcerned at the loss of the World continued exhorting and speaking to such as came to visit him declaring the Way of Salvation to them according to the best of his understanding admonishing them to beware of false Prophets that come to them in Sheeps Cloathing At his Examination the Bishop speak to him to this effect that they had taken pains to reduce him from his Opinions but seeing he continued still obstinate and willful he must condemn him as an Heretick but said the Bishop to the People before we proceed any further let us pray that God may turn his heart after Prayer the Bishop askt him how it was with him and whether he would recant He answered Rawlins you left me and Ralwins you shall find me Thereupon he was carried again to Cardiff and ordered to be put in the Town Prison a very dark loathsom bad Prison where he continued about three week before he suffered in which time the Enmity of his Persecutors was such that they would have burnt him before the Writ de hareticis Comburendis came from London had not the Recorder of the Town stopt them teling them if they should so do they were liable to be called in question when the Writ came as they had him to Execution his Wife and Children met him by the way Q. Mary An. 1555. with great Weeping and Lamentation at the Suddain sight whereof his heart was so pierced that the tears trickled down his Face yet on he went cheerfully to the Stake and being fastned thereto with a Chain and the Fire kindled he give up his life crying O Lord receive my Soul O Lord receive my Spirit About this time the Pope knowing how things stood in England in reference to Religion and how the Power of the Sword was turned against such as had been the chief Instruments in reforming Religion he thought it was now a good time to stir to redeem and cause to be restored to the Church such Rites as not long before had been taken from her for Queen Mary signifying to the Council that in her Conscience she was not satisfied until she had restored Abbey Lands to the former Proprietors The Council objected against it upon this account for that it brought in such an incom to the Crown without which possessions they said it could not well be furnished nor maintained she answered the Salvation of her Soul was more to her then ten Kingdoms a zealous Expression and could not have been discommended had it been spoken in a good cause The Pope hearing this sends over a Bull with all speed with full Authority to Command the Restitution of Abbey Lands thundring out Excommunication against all such as should detain them but many of the chief both of the Clergy and others being against the alteration of those Laws that had given them to the Crown considering the profit they brought in over-ballanced that good will and affection they had to observe the Popes Directions and Command which no doubt they were ready enough to incline to had it not been in a matter wherein the Revenues of the Crown would have been so lessned if the Bull had been prosecured and therefore it was let fall without taking so much notice of it as to see it performed but to return to shew the next that suffered The Sufferings and Examination of George Marsh Martyr at Westchester the 24th day of the Moneth called April 1555. The said George Marsh was born in the Parish of Deane George Marsh Martyr in the County of Lancaster about the Age of twenty five years he Married and took a Farm towards the Maintenance of himself and Family for favouring the Protestant Religion and Preaching against the Anti-Christian Doctrine of the Papists he was at length apprehended and committed to Prison The beginning of his trouble was thus there was strict search made for him in Boulton with intentions if he had been apprehended to have him before the Earl of Derly there to be examined concerning his Religion divers of his Friends and Relations hearing of it advised him to escape their hands laying before him the danger that might ensue if he did not which caused him to consult with himself and to be full of trouble not knowing what course he had best to take but soon after a Friend writ to him counselling him that he should not flee but abide and boldly confess the Faith of Jesus Christ at which words he was so confirmed and established in his Conscience that from thenceforth he consulted no more but was resolved to appear before those that sought after him and patiently to bear such Cross as it should please God to lay upon him upon which Conclusion be found great peace and quietness in his Conscience And appearing before one Barton that had sought for him Barton shewed him a Letter from the Earl of Darby wherein he was Commanded to send the said George Marsh and others to Latham when he came to Latham he was brought before the Earl of Darby who after he had ask his name enquired further of him whether he was not one that sowed evil seed and diffention among the People which thing he denied desiring to know who were his Accusers and after many more Questions askt him in Conclusion they committed him to Ward in a cold windy Stone House where was little room where he
never the better but worse and worse and therefore I will delay the time no longer but send you to Newgate Hawkes You can do me no better pleasure Bonner Why would you so fain go to Prison Hawkes Truly I did look for none other when I came to your hands Bonner Come on your wayes you shall see what I have written And then shewed him several Articles he had drawn up against him whereupon he thought he should have been carried to Prison the next day and so he had but that he was kept till Doctor Harpsfield had some discourse with him who began to perswade him concerning the Sacrament and the Ceremonies and after much talk he said That the Sacrament of the Altar was the same Body that was born of the Virgin Mary which did hang upon the Cross Hawkes He was upon the Cross both alive and dead which of them was the Sacrament Harpsfield Alive Hawkes How prove you that Harpsfield You must believe he that believeth not is condemned already Hawkes John saith he that believeth not in the Son of God is condemned already he does not say he that believeth not in the Sacrament is condemned already Harpsfield There is no talking with you Then said Hawkes Why is the Roodloff set between the Body of the Church and the Chancel Harpsfield You have askt a question you cannot answer your self Hawkes Yes that I can for this saith one of your own Doctors that the Body of the Church doth present the Church Millitant and the Chancel the Church Triumphant and so because we cannot go from the Church Millitant to the Church Triumphant but that me must bare the Cross of Christ this is the cause of the Roodlofâ— being between the Body of the Church and the Chancel Harpsfield This is well and Clarklike concluded Hawkes As all the rest of your Doctrines and so the discourse ended and Thomas Hawkes returned again to the Porters Lodge The next day being the first day of the Monâ—th called July the Bishop went to the Porters Lodge himself and called Thomas Hawkes to him and commanded him to make ready to go to Prison and writ a Warrant and sent two men with him to the Gate-house at Westmenster in the Warrant he writ to this effect to the Keeper to keep him safe Prisoner and let none speak with him for that said he he is a Sacramentary and one that speaketh against Baptism a seditious and perilous man some dayes after his commitment the Bishop sent two of his men to see how he did and whither he was the same man still to whom he answered I do like a Prisoner and am not changed They said my Lord would be glad that you should do well If he will do me any good said Hawks let him suffer my Friends to come to me so they departed but Hawkes heard no more of the Bishop till the third day of the Monâ—th called September following And then Bonner brought a charge against him and required him to set his hand to it but he refused saying I shall set my hand to nothing of your making or devising then the Bishop in great anger thrust him on the breast and said he would be even with him and with all such proud Knaves in Essex Hawkes You shall do no more ther God shall give you leave And as for your Cursings and Railings I care not for them for I know the Moths anâ— Worms shall eat you Bishop I wâ—â—â— be even with you when time shall come Hawkes You have been even with some of us already you may in your Mallice destroy a man but when you have done you cannot do so much as make a finger Bonner If I do thee any wrong take the Law of me Hawkes Soloman saith Go not to Law with a Judge for he will judge according to his own honour Bonner Soloman saith Give not a Fool an answer and I count thee a Fool and so dost thou me but God forgive thee Hawkes Thought is free Then took Bonner the Bill of Articles and read it again when he saw he could not have Hawkes hand to it he biâ— him take it into his hand and give it him again Hawkes What needeth that Ceremony It shall neither come into my hand nor heart After these private Conferences between the Bishop and Thomas Hawkes the Bishop seeing no hopes to win him to his Wicked Wayes he was fully bent to proceed openly against him and to that end caused him to be brought to the publick Consistory where Bonner brought the Articles he refused to sign against him the Bishop adding four more to them to the which Hawkes answered publickly then the Bishop exhorted him to return to the Mother Church but in a constant resolution he satisfied them he should never recant so long as he lived whereupon Bonner past the Sentence of Death upon him and shortly after he was delivered to the Sheriff of Essex and burnt at a Town called Coxhall This following Epistle he wrote to the Congregation An Epistle written by Thomas Hawkes Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ be alwayes with you all My Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ for ever and his holy Spirit conduct and lead you in all your doings that you may alwayes direct your deeds according to his holy Word that when he shall appear to reward every man according to their works you may as Obedient Children be found Watching ready to enter into his Everlasting Kingdom with your Lamps Burning and when the Bridegroom shall shew himself ye need not to be ashamed of this life that God hath lent you which is but transitory vain and like unto a vapour that for a season appeareth and vaniâ—heth away so soop passeth away all our terrestial honour glory and felicity For all Flesh saith the Prophet is grass and all his glory as the Flower of the Field which for a season sheweth her beauty and as soon as the Lord bloweth upon it it withereth away and departeth For in this transitory and dangerous Wilderness we are as Pilgrims and Strangers following the foot-steps of Moses among many unspeakeable dangers beholding nothing with our outward man but all vanities and vexation of mind subject to hunger cold nakedness bonds sickness loss labour banishment in danger of that dreadfull Dragon and his sinfull seed to be devoured tempted and tormented who ceaseth not behind every Bush to lay a bait when we walk awry to have his pleasure upon us casting abroad his Apples in all places times and seasons to see if Adam will be allured and enticed to leave the Living God and his most holy Commandments whereby he is assured of everlasting life promising the World at will to all that will fall down in all Ages and for a mess of pottage sell and set at nought the Everlasting Kingdom of Heaven so â—rail is Flesh and Blood and especially Israel is most ready to walk awry when
Shortly after were four others burnt at Canterbury viz. John Bland John Frankish Nicholas Shetterden and Humfrey Middleton all condemned for their denying the real Presence in the Sacrament Shetterden being at first illegally committed when he was brought before the Chief Priâ—sts and examined upon certain Articles he required 〈◊〉 see their Commission which they shewed and read to him whereby he perceived that upon suspition they might examine upon two Aâ—â—ieles viz. â—hather Christs real Presence were in the Sacrament so called and whether the Church of England were Christs Catholick Church Whereupon Shâ—â—terden said I have been a Prisoner three quarters of â—â—â—ar and as I think wrongfully reasâ—n would therefore that I should answer to those things wherefore I was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ed. The Susâ—â—agan said his Commission was You mâ—st ansâ—er directly yea or â—â—y Shâ—tterden This Commission was not general to examine whom you woodd bâ—t upon just sâ—spâ—â—ion Susâ—ragan said You are suspected and presented to me Shetterden I require the Accusation may be shewed Suffr I am not bound to shew it Shetterden For what I have done I ask no favour but as I am a Subject I require Justice Suffr You are suspected Shetterden Prove vour suspition or shew the cause of it Suffr Thou wast cast into Prison for that cause Shetterden Because I was cast into Prison contrary to the Law of God must I now to make me amends be examined upon suspition with uâ—a cause to hide all the wrong done to me before Then said the Bishop I my self do suspect thee Whereby said Shetterden Suffr It isâ—nâ— matter whereby you are suspected Shetterden It is not meet for you to be my Accuser and my Judge If I have offended the Law let me be punished I ask no favour Then said they You are obstinate and will not answer Shetterden Because you greedily seek Blood I will answer only to what you have against me Suffr No we seek not thy Blood but thy Conversion Shetterden That we shall sâ—e if you first prove that you have against me before you condemn me upon suspition Shâ—râ—ly after he was had before the Bishop of Winchester Bishop I have sent for you because I hear you are indictedof Heresâ—â—â— and being called before the Commissioners you will not answer nor submit your self Shetterden I did not refuse to answer but did plainly answer that I had been in Prison a long time and I thought it was but reason that I should bâ— charged or discharged for that and not to be examiced upon Articles to hide my wrong imprisonment neither did I know any Indictment against me if there were any it could not be just for I was not abroad since this Law was made Bishop Yet if you be suspected you ought to clear your self Shetterden I thought it sufficient to answer to my Offences c. Bishop If thou wilt declare thy self thou shalt go and then thou wayst have a Writ of wrong Imprisonment Shetterden I am not minded to sue but require Justice to be done me and if I have offended the Law let me be punished and after some other discourse the Bishop departed Middleton being examined who was one of the four burnt at this time concerning his belief in the Sacrament he said he believed in his own God my living God and no dead God After their Examinations they were condemned by the Bishop of Dover the five and twentith day of the Month called June 1555. and were delivered to the secular power and all burnt in one Fire at Canâ—erbury Nicholas Shetterden before his death prayed to this Effect O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in Heaven and Earth Maker of all things visible and invisible I am thy Creature and Work of thy Hands Lord God look upon me and other thy People which at this time are oppressed of the Worldly minded for thy Lawes sake Yea Lord thy Law it self is now trodden under foot and mens Inventions exalted above it and for that cause do I and many thy Creatures refuse the Glory Praise and Commodity of this Life and do choose to suffer adversity and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy Word for the hopes sake that is laid up in store for Lord thou knowest if we would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word we might by their permission enjoy these Comodities that others do as Wife Children Goods and Friends all which I acknowledge to be thy Gifts given to the end I should serve thee and now Lord that the World will â—ot suffer me to enjoy them except I offend thy Laws behold I give unto thee my whole Spâ—rit Soul and Body I leave all the pleasures of this life in hopes of Eternal life purchased by Christs Blood for all them that are content to suffer with him for the Truth In the conclusion of his Prayer he cryed Lord Jesus receive my Spirit into thy Hands Amen In the same Month next after the suffering of the aforesaid Kentish men Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waid Martyrs followed the death and Martyrdom of Nicholaâ— Hall Bricklayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford both condemned by the Biship of Rochester about the last day of the Mouth called June upon Articles much to the same effect as the Kentish mens were As that they should hold and maintain that in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine is not the very Body and Blood of Christ and that the Mass was nought and Abominable Three others burnt in Kent In the Month called July three others were condemned by the same Bishop whose names were Joan Beech widdow John Harpolt of Rochester and Margery Polly Derick Carver John Launder Martyrs The twenty second day of the same Month Derick Carver was burnt at Lewis in the County of Sussex and the next day John Launder was burnt at Stenning in the same County they were first apprehended by one Edward Gage as they were at prayer within the dwelling house of the said Derick Carver and by him sent up to the Council who after examination sent them to Newgate and shortly after were examined privately by Bonner who used many fair words to perswade them to recant of their Religion who when he saw that way would not do he caused them to be brought to the publick Consistory at Pauls where the Bishop first beginning with Derick Carver causing his Articles and Answers to be openly read asking him whether he would stand to the same to whom Derick replyed he would for said he your Doctrine is Poyson and Sorcery and if Christ were here you would put him to a worse death then he was put to before your Ceremonies are beggerly and your Auriculer Confession is very Poyson The Bishop seeing his constancy and that neither his accustomed flatteries nor yet his cruel threatnings could once move him to encline to their Idolatry he pronounced his usual Sentence against him and also
and all his Company Smith At this word which he coupled with an Oath came I in and said my Lord it is written you must not Sware Bonner Ah Master Controler are you come Lo my Lord Mayor this is Master Speaker pointing to my Brother Tankerfield and this is Master Controler pointing to me and then began to read my Articles Smith I require you my Lord in Gods behalf unto whom pretaineth your Sword and Justice that I may here before your presence answer to these Objections that are laid against me and if any thing can be proved Heresie that I have said I will recant before this Auditory Mayor Why Smith thou canst not deny but this thou saydest Smith Yes I deny that which he hath written because he hath both added to and diminished from the same but what I have spoken I will never deny Mayor Why thou speakest against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Smith I denied it to be any Sacrament and I do stand here to make proof thereof and if my Lord here or any of his Doctors be able to prove either the name or usage of the same I will recant mine error Then spake my Brother Tankerfield and defended the probation of things which they called Heresie unto which the Bishop answered Bonner By my troth Master Speaker you shall Preach at a Stake Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner VVell Master Controler I am no Saint Smith No nor yet good Bishop for a Bishop saith St. Paul should be faultless and a dedicate Vessel unto God and are you not ashamed to sit in Judgment and be a Blasphemer condemning Innocents Bonner VVell Master Controler you are faultless Note the said Robert Smith being charged â—alsly in the said Articles turning to the Mayor said Smith speaking to the Mayor said I require you in Gods name that I may have Justice we are here this day a great many Innocents that are wrongfully Accused of Heresie and I require you if you will not seem to be partial let me have no more favour at your hands then the Apostle had at the hands of Festâ— and Agrippa who being Heathens and Infidells gave him leave not only to speak for himself but also heard the probation of his Cause this require I at your hands who being a Christian Judge I hope will not deny me that right which the Heathen have suffered if ye do then shall all this Audience and the Heathen speak shame of your fact for a City saith our Saviour that is builded on a hill cannot be hid if they therefore have the Truth let it come to light for all that well do come to the Light and they that do evil hate the Light Then the Mayor hanging down his head said nothing but the Bishop told him he should preach at a Stake and so the Sheriff cryed with the Bishop Away with him Thus came he before them four times desiring Justice but could have none and at length his Friends requiring with ouâ— voice the same but could not have it they had Sentence and then being carried out were brought in again and had it every men severally given But before the Bishop gave Sentence on Richard Smith he told him in derision of his Brother Tankerfield a Tale between a Gentleman and his Cook To which he answered you fill the Peoples Ears with Fantasies and foolish Tales and make a laughing matter at Blood but if you were a true Bishop you should leave these railing Sentences and speak the Words of God Bonner Well I have offered to that naughty fellow Master Speaker your Companion the Cook that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdain forsaken it How sayst thou wilt thou have him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith If your Chancellor shall do me any good and take any pains as you say let him take mine Articles in his hands that you have objected against me and either prove one of them Heresie or any thing that you do to be good and if he be able so to do I stand here with all my heart to hear him if not I have no need I praise God of his Sermon for I come to answer for my life and not to hear a Sermon Then began the Sentence in Dei Nomine To which Smith answered that he began in a wrong name requiring of him where he learned in Scriptures to give sentence of death against any man for his Conscience sake To the which he made no answer but went forward to the end and immediately cryed Away with him Then Smith turned to the Mayor and Sheriffs and said Is it not enough for you that ye have left the strait way of the Lord but that you must condemn Christ causless Bonner Well Master Controller now you cannot say but I have offered you fair to have Instruction and now I prithee call me bloody Bishop and say I seek thy Blood Smith Well although neither I nor any of this Congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shall these Stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Bonner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good Friends ye have seen and heard the great wrong that we have received this day and ye are all Records that we have desired the probation of our cause by Gods Book and it hath not been granted but we are condemned and our cause not heard nevertheless my Lord Mayor forasmuch as here you have exercised Gods Sword câ—â—sless and will not hear the right of the poor I commit my cause to Almighty God that shall judge all men according unto right before whom we shall both stand without Authority and there will I stand in the right to your great confusion except your repent which the Lord grant you to do if it be his will and then was I with the rest of my Brethren carried away to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neer as I can I have set out the Truth of my Examination and the verity of mine unjust condemnation for the Truth desiring God that it may not be laid to the châ—rge of thee O England requiring your hearty prayers unto God for his Grace and Spirit of boldness with hope even shortly to set to my Seal at Uxbridge the eighth of August by Gods Grace pray that it may be to his honour my Salvation and your Consolation I pray you Dagloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus Reader thou hast a full Relation of the Christian fortitude and valour of this faithful Martyr who so valiantly and manfully stood in the defence of his Masters cause and as thou seest him here boldly stand in Examination before the Bishop and Doctors so was he no less comfortable also in the Prison among his Fellows who being togâ—â—â—â—r Prisoners in Newgate did daily pray and exhort one another and his care was not only for those in the â—ame
Heart that feareth God For therewith bless we God above and therewith Curse we men And thereby Murders do arise through Women now and then And seeing God hath given a Tongue and put it under power The surest way is for to set a hatch before the door For God hath set you in a seat of double low degree First unto God and then to man a subject for to be I write not that I see in you those things to be suspect But only set before your Face how sin should be correct For flesh and Blood I know you are as other Women be And if ye dwell in Flesh and Blood there is infirmity Receive a Warning willingly that to thy teeth is told Account the gift of greater price then if he gave thee Gold A wise man saith Solomon a warning will imbrace A Fool will sooner as he saith be smitten on the Face And as your members must be dead from all things that are vain Even so by Baptism you are born to live with Christ again Thus farewel free and faithful Friend the Lord that is above Encrease in thee a perfect faith and lead thee in his Love And as I pray with perfect Love and pour out bitter tears For you and all that are at large abroad among the bryars Even so I pray thee to prefer my person and my bonds Unto the Everlasting God that hath me in his Hands That I may pass out of this Pound wherein I am opprest Inclosed in a clod of Clay that here can have no rest That as he hath begun in me his mercies many one I may attain to overtake my Brethren that be gone That when that death shall do his worst where he shall point a place I may be able like a man to look him in the Face For though he catch away my Cloâ—k my body into dust Yet am I sure to save a Soul when death hath done his worst And though I leave a little dust dissolved without blood I shall receive it safe again when God shall see it good For my Redeemer I am sure doth live for evermore And sitteth high upon the Heavens for whom I hunger sore Even as the Deer with deadly wounds escaped from the spoile Doth haste by all the means he may to seek unto the soile Of whom I hope to have a Crown that always shall â—emain And eke enjoy a perfect peace for all my wo and pain The God that giveth all encrease and seeketh still to save Abound in thee that perfect peace which I do hope to have And I beseech the living God to hold thee in his Hands And wish thee even withal my heart the blessing of my bands Which I esteem of higher price then Pearl or precious Stone And shall endure for evermore when earthly things are gone For though the Fire do consume our Treasure and our Store Yet shall the goodness of the Lord endure for evermore And where thou art a Friend to him that is to me full dear The God of might make thee amends when all men shall appear That hath shewed Mercy to the meek and rid them out of pain And thus the Lord possess thy Spirit till we do meet again If thou wilt have a Recompence Abide still in obedience The Exhortation of Robert Smith unto his Children GIve ear my Children to my words whom God hath dearly bought Lay up my Law within your heart and print it in your thought For I your Father have foreseen the frail and filthy way Which flesh and blood would follow fain even to their own decay For all and every living beast their Crib do know full well But Adams heirs above the rest are ready to rebel And all the Creatures on the Earth full well can keep their way But man above all other Beasts is apt to go astray For Earth and Ashes is his strengh his glory and his reign And unto Ashes at the length shall he return again For flesh doth flourish like a flower and grow up like a Grass And is consumed in an hour as it is brought to pass In me the Image of your years your treasure and your trust Whom you do see before your face dissolved into dust For as you see your Fathers flesh converted into Clay Even so shall ye my Children dear consume and wear away The Sun and Moon and eâ—e the Stars that serve the day and night The Earth and every earthly thing shall be consumed quite And all the Worship that is wrought that have been heard or seen Shall clean consume and come to nought as i ft had never been Therefore that ye may follow me your Father and your Friend And enter into that same life which never shall have end I leave you here a little Book for you to look upon That you may see your Fathers Face when I am dead and gon Who for the hope of heavenly things while he did here remain Gave over all his golden years in Prison and in Pain Where I among mine Iron bands enclosed in the dark A few dayes before my death did dedicate this work To you mine heirs of earthly things which I have left behind That ye may read and understand and keep it in your mind That as you have been heirs of that which once shall wear away Even so you may possess the part which never shall decay In following of your Fathers foot in Truth and eke in Love That ye may also be hâ—â— heirs for evermore above And in example to your youth to whom I wish all good I preach you here a perfect faith and seal it with my Blood Have God alwayes before your Eyes in all your whâ—le intents Commit not sin in any â—ise keep his Commandments Abhor that arrant Whore of Rome and all her blasphemies And drink not of her decretals nor yet of her decrees Give honour to your Mother dear remember well her pain And recompence her in her age in like with love again Be alwayes aiâ—ing at her hand and let her not decay Remember well your Fathers fall that should have been her stay Give of your Portion to the poor as Riches doth arise And from the needy naked soul turn not away your eyes For be that will not hear the Cry of such as are in need Shall cry himself and not be heard when he would hope to speed If God hath given you great increase and blessed well your store Remember you are put in trust to minister the more Beware of foul and filthy last let whoredom have no place Keep clean your Vessels in the Lord that he may you imbrace Ye are the Temples of the Lord for ye are dearly bought And they that do defile the same shall surely come to nought Possess not pride in any case build not your nests too high But have alwayes before your face that ye be born to die Defraud not him that hired is your labours to Sustain But give him alwayes out of hand his
penny for his pain And as ye would that other men against you should proceed Do you the same again to them when they do stand in need And part your portion with the poor in money and in meat And feed the fainted feeble soul with that which ye should eat That when your members lacketh meat and cloathing to your back You may the better think on them that now do live and lack Ask counsel at the wise give ear unto the end Refuse not you the sweet rebuke of him that is your Friend Be thankful alwayes to the Lord with prayer and with praise Desire you him in all your deeds for to direct your wayes And sin not like that swearing sort whose bellys being fed Consume their years upon the Earth from belly unto bed Seek first I say the living God set him alwayes before And then be sure that he will bless your hasket and your store And thus if you direct your dayes according to this book Then shall they say who see your wayes how like me you do look And when you have so perfectly upon your fingers ends Possessed all within your book then give it to your Friends And I beseech the living God replenish you with grace That I may have you in the Heavens and see you face to fact And though the sword have cut me off contrary to my kind That I could not enjoy your love according to my mind Yet do I hope when that the Heavens shall vanish like a scrole I shall receive your perfect shape in body and in soul And that I may enjoy your love and ye enjoy the the Land I do beseech the living God to hold you in his hand Farewel my Children from the World where ye must yet remain The Lord of Hosts be your defence till we do meet again Farewel my Love and loving Wife my Children and my Friends I hope to God to have you all when all things have their ends And if you do abide in God as you have now began Your course I le warrant will be short ye have not far to run God grant you so to end your years as he shall think it best That ye may enter into Heaven where I do hope to rest Robert Smith to his Brother AS Nature doth me bind because thou art my blood According to my kind to give thee of my good That thou mayst have in mind how I have run my race Although thou bide behind but for a little space I give thee here a Pearl the price of all my good For which I leave my life to buy it with my blood More worth then all the World or ought that I can note Although it be clad in such a simple Coate For when I had obtained this pearl of such a price Then was I sure I gained the way for to be wise It taught me for to fight for to dispise my flesh To stick unto the Light and for to leave the Lyes In sending out my Seed with bonds and bitter tears That I might reap with joy in Everlasting years And have for all my loss my travail and my pain A thousand times and more of better goods again And for because the good that hath been got and gain'd And that the Lords Elect hath evermore obtain'd Is closed in this book which I do give to thee Wherein I have my part as thou thy self mayst see In which I hope thou hast a stock also in sâ—ore And wilt not cease to sayle till God has made it more I will thee to beware be sure thou keep it well For if thou do it loose thy part shall be in Hell And here I testifie before the living God That I detest to do the things that are forbad And as my Judgment is my body to be brent My heart is surely set therewith to be content And sith it is his will to put me in his Power Upon his holy Hill to fight against this Whore Full well I am content if he allow it so To stand with all my might the Whore to overthrow Even with a willing mind the death I will out-face And as I am assured the Battel to imbrace That they which hear the Truth how I have past the pike May set aside their youth and learn to do the like And though it be my lot to let her suck my blood Yet am I well assured it shall do her no good For she is set to kill the thing she thinks accurst And shall not have her fill of blood until she burst And when as thou shalt see or hear of my decease Pray to the living God that I may pass in peace And when I am at rest and rid out of my pain Then will I do the like for thee to God again And to my woful wife and widdow desolate Whom I do leave behind in such a simple state And compassed with tears and mournings many one Be thou her staying staff when I am dead and gone My mouth may not express the dolours of my mind Nor yet my heaviness to leave her here behind But as thou art my Bone my Brother and my Blood So let her have thy heart if it may do her good I took her from the World and made her like the Cross But if she hold her own she shall not suffer loss For where she had before a man unto her make That by the force of fire was strangled at a Stake Now shall she have a King to be her helping hand To whom pertains all things that are within the Land And eke my Daughter dear whom I bequeath to thee To be brought up in fear and Learn the A B C That she may grow in Grace and Ruled by the Rod To learn to lead her Life within the fear of God And alwayes have in mind thy Brother being dead That thou art left behind a Father in my stead And thou my Brother Dear and eke my Mothers Son Come forth out of all fear and do us I have done And God shall be thy Guide and give thee such encrease That in the Flames of Fire thou shalt have perfect Peace Into Eternal Joy and pass out of all pain Where we shall meet with mirth and never part again If thou wilt do my Daughter good Be mindfull of they Brothers Blood Teach me O Lord to walk thy Wayes my living to amend And I shall keep it all my dayes even to my lives end Give me a mind to understand so shall I never start But I shall keep all thy precepts even wholy with my heart Make me to go a perfect pace in that I have begun For all my love and my delight is in thy Wayes to run Encline my heart unto thy Wayes set thou thereon my thought And let me not consume my dayes to covet that is nought O quicken me in all thy Wayes the VVorld for to despise And from all fond and foolish toyes turn thou away mine Eyes O plant in me thy
perfect VVord which is to me so dear Lay up thy Laws within my heart to keep me still in fear Aed rob me of that great rebuke which I do fear full sore For all thy Judgments and thy Law endure for evermore Behold O Lord in thy precepts is all my whole delight O quicken me in all thy Wayes that I may walk aright The Substance of an Epistle written by Robert Smith to the Persecuted Flock of Christ To all which Love God unfainedly and intend to lead a godly life according to his Gospel and to persevere in his Truth unto the end Grace and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Be not afraid most dearly beloved in our Saviour Jesus Christ at these most perilous dayes wherein by the suffering of God the Prince of Darkness is broken loose and rageth in his members against the Elect of God withal cruelty to set up again the Kingdom of Anti-christ against whom see that ye be strong in faith to resist his most devilish Doctrines with the pure Gospel of God arming your selves with patience to abide whatsoever shall be laid to your charge for the Truths sake knowing that thereunto you are called not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him Oh how happy are ye that in the sight of God are counted worthy to suffer for the Testimony of Christ quit therefore your selves O my loving Brethren and rejoyce in him for whom ye suffer for unto you do remain the unspeakable Joyes which neither the Eye hath seen nor the Ear hath heard neiâ—â—â—r the heart of man is able to comprehend in any wise Be not â—â—â—raid of the bodily Death for your names are written in the Book of Life and the Prophets do record that in the sight of the â—â—â—d pretious is the Death of his Saints Watch therefore and pray that ye be not prevented in the day of Temptation now cometh the day of your Tryal wherein the Waters rage and the Stormy Winds blow now shall it appear whether you have builded upon the fleeting Sand or upon the unmovable Rock Christ which is the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereon every House that is builded groweth into an holy Temple of the Lord by the mighty working of the holy Ghost now approacheth the day of your Battel wherein it is required that you shew yourselves the valiant Souldiers of Christ Jesus with the Armour of God that ye may be able to stand fast against all the crafty assaults of the Devil Christ is your Captain anâ— you are his Souldiers whose Cognisance is the Cross to the which he willingly humbled himself even unto the Death and thereby spoiled his Enemies and now triumpheth he over them in the glory of his Father making intercession for them that do here remain to suffer the Aâ—â—lictions that are to be fulfilled in his mystiâ—al Body it behoveth therefore every one that will be accounted his Schollor to take up his oâ—n Cross and follow him as yâ—u have him for Example and â—ssure you that he being on your side nothing shall be able to prevail against you and that he will be with you even to the Worlds â—nd you have his promise in the 28th of Matthew he will go forth with his Host as a Conqueror to make a Conquest he is the man that siâ—â—eth on the white Horse crowned with Immortality and ye Brethren are his Fellowship whereof he is the Head he hath your hearts in his hand as a bow bent after his godly will he shall direct the same according to the riches of his glory into all spiritual and heavenly Cogitation he is faithfull and will not suffer you to be further assâ—â—â—ced then he will give you strength to overcome and in the most danger he will make a way that you may be able to bear it Shrink not therefore dear â—earts when ye shall be called to answer for the hope that is in you for â—ebâ—â—e the Comforter even the Spirit of Truth which was sent from the Heavens to teach us he shall speak in us he shall strengthen us what is he then that shall be able to confound us Nay what Tyrant is he that now boasteth himself of his strength to do mischief whom the Lord shall not with his Spirit by the Moâ—th of his Servants strike down to Hell-fire yea suddainly will the Lord bring down the glory of the Proud Philistians by the hands of his Servant David their strength is in Shield and Spear but our help is in the Name of the Lord which made both Heaven and Earth he is our Buckler and our Wall a strong Tower of defence he is our God and we are his People he shall bring the counsels of the ungodly to nought he shall take them in their own Net he shall destroy them in their own Inventions the Right Hand of the Lord shall work this Wonder his Power is known amongst the Children of men their Fathers have felt it and are confoundeâ— in like manner shall they know that there is no counsel against the Lord when their secrets are opened to the whole World and are found to be against the Living God work they never so craftily builâ—â—hey never so strongly yet down shall their Babel fall and the Builders themselves shall then be scattred upon the face of the Earth as Accursed of God the Just shall see this and be glad and praise the Name of the Lord that so Marvelously hath dealt with his Servants as to bring their Enemies under their feet then shall the fearfull Seed of Cain Tremble and Quake then shall the mocking Ishmâ—elites be cast out of the Door then shall the Proud Nemborth see his labour lost then shall the Beast of Babylon be trodden under foot then shall the Scribes and Pharisees for madness fret and rage then shall their painted Wisdom be known for extream folly then shall the bloody Dragon be void of his prey then shall the Whore of Babylon receive double Vengence then shall they scratch their Crowns for the fall of their Mistress Harlot whom they now serve for filthy lucre when no man shall buy their Wares any more then shall the Popish Priesthood cry Weal away with care even when the Lord shall help his Servants which day is not far off the day wherein the Kingdom of Anti-christ shall have an end and never raise any more in the mean time abide in certain and sure hope cleaving unto the promises of God which in their own time shall be fulfilled What better Quarrel can you have to give your lives for then the Truth it self That man that giveth his life for the Truth taketh the readiest way to life he that hath the Popes curse for the Truth is sure of Christs Blessing Well then my Brethren what shall now let but that you go forwards as ye have begun Nay rather run with the Runners that ye may obtain the appointed glory hold on the right
way look not back have the Eye of your heart fixed upon God and so run that you may get hold of it cast away all your Worldly Pelf and Worldly respects as the favour of Friends the fear of men sensual Affâ—ction respect of Person Honour Praise Shame Rebuke Wealth Poverty Riches Lands Possessions carnal Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children with the love of your own selves and in respect of that Heavenly treasure you look for let all these be denied and utterly refused of you so that in no condition they do abate your zeal or quench your Love towards God in this case make no account of them but rather repute them as vile in comparison of Everlasting life away with them as Thorns that cheak the Heavenly Seed of the Gospel where they be suffered to grow they are burthens of the Flesh which encumber the Soul exchâ—â—ge thâ—â— therefore I beseech you for advantage doth not he gain that findeth Heavenly and immortal treasure for Earthly and corruptible Riches looseth that man any thing which of his carnal Father and Mother is forsaken when therefore he is received of God the Father to be his Child and Heir in Christ Heavenly for Earthly for Mortal Immortal for transistory things permanant is great gains to a Christian Conscience Therefore as I began I exhort you in the Lord not to be afraid shrink not my Brethren mistrust not God be of good comfort rejoyce in the Lord hold fast your Faith and continue to the end deny the World and take up the Cross and follow him which is your Lead man and is gone before if you suffer with him you shall reign with him What way can you glorifie the Name of your Heavenly Father better then by suffering death for his Sons sake What a Spectacle shall it be to the World to behold so godly a fellowship as you Servants of God in so just a Quarrel as the Gospel of Christ is with so pure a Conscience so strong a Faith and so lively a hope to offer your selves to suffer most cruel Torments at the hands of Gods Enenies and so to end your daies in Peace to receive in the resurrection of the Righteous life Everlasting Be strong therefore in your Battel the Lord God is on your side and his Truth is your cause and against you be none but the Enemies of the Cross of Christ as the Serpent and his Seed the Dragon with his Tail the marked man of the Beast the Off-pring of the Pharisees the Congregation Malignant the Generation of Vipers and Murtherers as their Father the Devil hath been from the beginning To conclude such are they as the Lord God hath alwayes abhorred and in all Ages resisted and overthrown God from whom nothing is hid knoweth what they are he that searcheth the hearts of men he hath found out them to be crafty subtle full of Poyson Proud Disdainfull Stiff-necked Devourers Ravenours and Barkers against the Truth filthy and shameless and therefore doth the Spirit of God by the Mouthes of his holy Prophets and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes Serpents Cockatrices Lyons Leopards Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Swine Beasts teaching us thereby to understand that their natural inclination is to deceive poyson and destroy as much as in them lyeth the faithfull and Elect of God but the Lord with his right Arm shall defend his little Flock against the whole rabblerment of these Worldlings which have conspired against him he hath numbered all the hairs of his Childens Heads so that not one of them shall perish without his Fatherly will he keepeth the Sparrows much more will he preserve them whom he hath purchased with the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb he will keep them until the hour appointed wherein the Name of God shall be glorified in his Saints in the mean time let them work their wills let them Envy let them Malign let them Blasphem let them Curse Ban Betray Whip Scourge Hang and Burn for by this means God will try his Elect as Gold in the Furnance and by these Fruits shall they also bring themselves to be known what they be for all their Sheep skins for as he that in suffering patiently for the Gospel of God is thereby known to be of Christ even so also is the Persecutor of him known to be a member of Anti-christ Besides this their extream cruelty shall be a means the sooner to provoke God to take pity upon his Servants and to destroy them that so Tyranniously entreat his People as we may learn by the Histories as well in the Bondage of Israel under Pharaoh in Eygpt as also in the miserable Captivity of Judas in Babylon where when the People of God were in most extream thraldom then did the Lord streath forth his mighty Power to deliver his Servants though God for a time suffered them to be exalted in their own pride yet shall they not escape his Vengeance To conclude my Brethren I commit you to God and the Power of his Word which is able to establish you in all Truth his Spirit be with you and work alway that ye may be mindfull of your duties towards him whose ye are both Body and Soul whom see that ye Love Serve Dread and Obey above all worldly Powers and for nothing under the Heavens defile your Conscience before God dissemble not with his Word God will not be mocked Nay they that dissemble with him deceive themselves such shall the Lord deny and cast out at the last day such I say as bear two faces in one hood such as play on both hands such as deny the known Truth such as obstinately rebel against him all such with their partakers shall the Lord destroy God defend you from all such and make you perfect unto the end your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy This aforesaid Robert Smith the valiant and constant Martyr of Christ thus replenished as you have read with the fortitude of Gods Spirit was condemned at London by Bishop Bonner the 12th day of the Moneth called July and suffered Death at Uxbridge the Eighth day of the Moneth called August Anno 1555. A Letter sent to his Wife Anne Smith The God and Father eternal which brought again from death our Lord Jesus Christ keep thee dear Wife now and ever Amen and all thy Parents and Friends I praise God for his Mercy I am in the same state that ye left me in rather better then worse looking daily for the living God before whom I hunger full sore to appear and receive the Glory of which I trust thou art willing to be a partaker I give God most hearty thanks therefore desiring thee of all loves to stand in that Faith which thou hast received and let no man take away the Seed that Almighty God hath sown in thee but lay hands of Everlasting Life which shall ever abide when both the Earth and all earthly Friends shall perish desiring them also to receive thankfully our
his holy Spirit to their Everlasting health both for Body and Soul I now most dear Christians having the Sweet Comfort of Gods saving health and being confirmed with his free Spirit be he only praised therefore am constrained in my Conscience thinking it my very Duty to admonish you as ye tender the Salvation of your Souls by all manner of means to seperate your selves from the Company of the Popes Hirelings considering what is said in the Revelation of St. John by the Angel of God touching all men the words be these If any man Worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured into the Cup of his wrath and he shall be punished with Fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the Smoak of their Torment ascendeth up evermore Come out from among them and joyn not your selves to their unlawfull Assemblies yea do not once shew your selves with the least part of your Body to favour their Wicked doings but glorifie God as most right is so well in your whole Body outwardly as inwardly in your Spirit or else you can do neither of both well for your Body doth belong to God as well asyour Spirit at the Dreadfull Day of judgment we shall all receive the Works of our Bodies according to that we have done whether it be good or bad Therefore whatsoever we do we may not bring the Spirit in bondage to the Body but contrary wise we may subdue the Body and the will of the Flesh to the Spirit that the Spirit may freely accomplish the will of God in all things for otherwise we shall never be Partakers of his Promise with the true Children of Abraham for as Paul saith they which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God if we live according to the Flesh we shall die for to be carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because that the fleshly mind is Emnity to God for it is not obedient to the Law of God neither can be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Now choose you which way you will take either the narrow Way that leadeth to Life which Christ himself and his faithfull Followers have gone through before or else the broad Path-way which leadeth to Destruction which the Wicked Worldlings take their pleasure in for a while I for my part have now written this short Admonition unto you of good will as God be my Witness to exhort you to that Way which at length you your selvos shall prove and find to be best yea and rejoyce thereof And I do not only write this but I will also with the assistance of Gods Grace ratifie confirm and sâ—al the same with the effusion of my Blood when the full time shall be expired that he hath appointed which so far forth as I may judge must needs be within these few dayes Therefore I now bid you all most heartily farewell in the Lord whose Grace be with your Spirit Amen Watch and Pray Watch and Pray Pray Pray so be it John Hullier On the 24th day of April so called there were six men burnt at one fire in Colchester Six men burnt at Colchester where the most part of them did inhabit there names were Christopher Laster of Dingham Husband-Man John Mace of Colchester Apothecary John Spencer Weaver of Colchester Symon Joyne Sawyer Richard Nicholes of Colchester Weaver John Hammond of Colchester Tanner Being had to the Bishops House at Fulham several Articles were objected against them concerning the Sacrament of the Altar and other things the same in effect that were propounded to others that suffered before them to the which they made there several Answers agreeing altogether there in one Truth and standing most firmly unto their Christian-profession though they were by divers wayes and means tryed and proved whether they would revoke their Faith and return to Anti-christs-Church which thing when they refused the Bishop stoutly pronounced the Sentence of condemnation against them committing them unto the temperal power who receiving the writ De Hereticis Comburandis the 28th day of the Mon. called April as aforesaid they cheefully ended their lives to the glory of God and the great encouragment of others The next that suffered were Hugh Laverock of Barking Hugh Laverock and Jo. Apprice Martyrs a Lame man and John Apprice a Blind man They were Accused of some of their Neighbours to the Bishop and others and being sent for by an Officer were brought to the Bishops House where he Examined them upon his nine Common-Articles to the which they having answered were sent to Prison till further Examined which was about nine dayes after in the Consistory at Pauls where he urged them to recant their Opinions against the Sacrament of the Altar Hugh Laverock said I will stand to mine answers and I cannot find in the Scriptures that the Priests should lift up over their heads a Cake of Bread John Apprice said your Doctrine you teach is so agreeable with the World and imbraced by them that it cannot be agreeable with the Scriptures of God The Bishop soon after pronounced the Sentence against them and delivered them to the Temperal Officer and on the 15th day of the aforesaid Month they were carried in a Cart from Newgate to Stratford where most quietly in the Fire they praised God yielding up their Souls into his hands The next day after they were burnt there suffered Death at the Fire in Smithfield three Women viz. Katherine Hut of Bocking Widdow Joan Hornes of Billerica Maid Elizabeth Thackvell of Great-Bursted Maid Three Women burnt in Smithfield Bonner brought his usal form of Articles against them to which when they had answered he past his Sentence upon them Katherine Hut Widdow at her last Examination told the Bishop she denyed their Sacrament to be God because said she it is a dumb God and made with mens hands Joan Hornes said That Way you call Heresie I trust to serve the Lord my God in At the same time there was one Margaret Ellis who for the same Truth was brought in Question and was by Bonner adjudged and condemned but before the time of her burning came she died in Newgate whose Innocent suffering was also thought meet to be recorded with the rest of her Faithfull Friends A Relation of the burning of Thomas Drowry a Blind Boy and Thomas Croker Bricklayer In Examination before Doctor Williams Chancellor of the Consistory Court at Gloucester amongst other Articles Thomas Drowry and Tho. Croker Martyrs he chiefly urged the Articles of Transubstantiation saying Chancellor Dost not thou believe that after the Words of Consecreation spoken by the Priest there remaineth the very real Body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar To whom the Blind Boy answered No that I do not Chancellor
Amen Ah my most sweet and loving Brethren and dearest hearts in the Lord what shall I say or how shall I write unto you in the lest point or part to utter the great joy that my poor heart hath conceived in God through the most godly Example of your Christian-constancy and sincere Confession of Christs Truth truly my Tongue cannot declare nor my Pen express the aboundance of Spiritual mirth and gladness that my mind and inward man hath felt ever since I heard of your hearty â—oldness and modest behaviour before the Bloody Butcher in the time of all your crafty Examinations especially at your cruel Condemnation in their cursed Consistory place blessed be God the Father of all Mercy and Praised be his Name who hath not only given you continual Aid Strength and Comfort of his holy and mighty Spirit to the faithful Confession of Christ for whose Cause Oh most happy man ye are condemn'd to die but hath also given you such a Mouth and Wisdom as all your Wicked Enemies were not able to resist my dear Brethren this is an evident proof that God is on our side Therefore my dearly Beloved Cease not so long as ye be in this life to praise the Lord for that of his great mercy and infinite goodness he hath counted you Worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not only the loss of Goods Wife and Children long Imprisonment Cruel Oppression c. But also the deprivation of this mortal life with the dissoluation of your Bodies in the fire Ah my most dear Brother Tyms whose time resteth altogether in the hands of the Lord in a full happy time camest thou into this Troublesome World but in a much more blessed hour shalt thou depart out of the same so that the sweet saying of Soloman or rather of the holy Ghost shall be full well verified upon thee yea and on all thy faithfull Fellows better is the day of Death saith he then the day of Birth This saying cannot be verified upon every man but upon thee my dear Brother and such as thou art whose Death is most pretious before God and full dear shall your Blood be in his sight blessed be God for thee my dear Brother that ever I knew thee for in a most happy time came I first into thy Company pray for me dear Brother pray for me that God will once vouch me Worthy of that great dignity whereunto he hath now brought you Ah all my faithfull Brethren what shall I say or what shall I write unto you but the same that Elizabeth said to Mary Happy art thou which hast believed Luke 2. for all things which the Lord hath spoken to thee shall be fulfilled so I say to you my dear hearts in the Lord happy are ye all yea twice happy shall you be for evermore because you have stedfastly believed the most sweet Promises which God the Father hath made unto you with his own Mouth in that he hath Promised you which are the faithfull Seed of the believing Abraham that ye shall be blessed ever World without end and as you do believe so do you bear record that God is true the Testimony whereof you have full worthily born to the World and shortly will full surely seal the same with your Blood yea even to Morrow I do understand Oh Constant-Christians Oh Valliant Souldiers of the high Captain Jesus Christ who for your sake hath conquered the Devil Death Sin and Hell and hath given you full Victory over them for evermore Oh Worthy Witnesses and most glorious Martyrs whose invincible Faith hath overcome that Proud Sturdy-Bragging Prince of the World and all his Wicked Army over whom you shall shortly triumph for evermore Thus committing you all to Gods most merciful Defence whose Quarrel you have defended whose Cause you have promoted whose glory you have set forth and whose Name you have constantly confessed farewel my dear Hearts in the Lord I will make as much haste after you as I may Rev. 11. All our dear Brethren Salute you they pray for you and praise God for you continually Blessed be the Dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them John Careless About the same time that John Careless died Julius Palmer John Gwin and Thomas Askin were burnt together in Newberry in the County of Berks. Julius Palmer Julius Palmer Martyr was born in Coventry his Father had been Mayor of Coventry who bred Julius a Schollar This Julius was a man of a prompt and ready memory a wit sharp and pregnant he was of behaviour courteous without curiosity of countenance chearfull without high looks of Speech pleasant he was affable and loâ— as a Child and yet quick Spirited and vehement in reasoning he practiâ—ed no deceit towards any man for he was of such simplicity that he was apter to be deceived then to deceive In King Edward's time he was a Papist and an utter Enemy to the Protestant Religion then appearing for which he was expelled the House or Colledge he belonged to but in Queen Maryes reign was again restored to the said House but seeing the Constancy of the Martyrs that Suffered in Queen Maryes reign and hearing a Relation of the cruelty inflicted on some of them he cryed out O raging Cruelty O Tyranny and more then Barbarous and set himself to search into the Religion of the Protestants that suffered and soon after was so far converted from Popery that he could not bow to several Popish Ceremonies so that he was constrained in a short space to yield up his Fellowship in Oxford and betook himself to teach School at Reading where he had not continued long but some envious pâ—â—â—â—us against the Trâ—th sought Occasion aganst him and finding an opperâ—â—â—â—ty searched his Closet where they found some Books and Writings written by him against the Popish Proceedings and especâ—lly against their brutish Tyranny executed against the Martyrs whereupon they threatned him that except he did without delay depart their Coasts they would produce the Books before the Councel whereupon he was forced to depart from the Town of Reading leaving in the hands of his Enemies what he had there and took his Journey to Evisham where his Mother dwelt hoping to get what his Father left him when he died his Mother understanding his Condition as soon as she saw him and had a short discourse with him said to him I require thee to depart from my House and out of my sight as for Money and Goods I have none of thine thy Father bequeathed nought for Hereticks Faggots I have to burn thee more thou gets not at my hand so with a soft answer and a few sweet words to her the tears running down his cheeks he departed from her which so mollified her hard heart that she threw an old Angel after him and said take that to keep thee a true man This poor man being destitute of worldly
wait for me for God put in my mind that they would lay wait for me at all Sea-Coast Towns as they did So when all was husht I went abroad among our Friends and Brethren and at length I went beyond the Seas both into Flanders and France but I thought the time long till I came home again I was there but three weeks but it was known among Baals Priests who could not abide it but got Warrants and searched my House for me sometimes twice in a week sometimes I went privily sometimes openly from home staying abroad two or three weeks together otherwhile living a Moneth together at home doing openly such work as I had to do and yet mine Enemies laid no hands on me till the hour was fully come and then mine own Brother according to the flesh delivered me into their hands The Examination of Richard Woodman before the Bishop of Chichester Doctor Story Doctor Cooke and others Bishop What is your name My name is Richard Woodman Then said the Bishop I am sory for you you have been a man of good report and esteem in your Country till now of late therefore look to your self your Wife and Children and Friends and be ruled and think not your self wiser then all the Realm but be informed and you shall have their favour as much as ever you had Woodman My Life my Wife and my Children I love them but they are all in Gods hands and I have them as if I had them not Bishop Q. Mary An. 1557. The Sheriff told me that you were desirous to spake with me Woodman I thought meet to appeal to you because you have taken upon you to be the Physitian of our Country for many unjust things are laid to my charge and they seek my Blood and I have appealed unto you that if my blood be shed unrighteously it might be required at your hands Doctor Story Is not this a perverse Fellow dost thou think thou shalt be put to death unjustly and that thy Blood shall be required no said he and further added that he could condemn a hundred such Hereticks and threatned that he would help to rid him Then Woodman would have answered but the Bishop desired them both to give him place Bishop Well Neighbour Woodman I call you Neighbour because you are one of my Diocess and you are sent to me that I should give you spiritual counsel for I am your Spiritual Pastor therefore hear what I say unto you Woodman First I desire you to hear me a few words you have said you will give me Spiritual counsel are you sure you have the Spirit of God Bishop No I am not sure of that I dare not be so bold to say so Woodman Then you are like the Waves of the Sea Tossed about with every wind and unstable in all your wayes and can look for no good thing at the Lords hand yea you are neither hot nor cold and therefore God will spue you out of his Mouth Then in a fury Story said What a perverse Fellow is this he hath a Devil in him and is mad and the Bishop said He is sent to me to learn and taketh upon him to teach me Then Richard Woodman seeing their Blindness and Blasphemy it made such an impression upon him that his heart was melted and and his eyes gusht out with tears and he spoke to them after this manner The Jew's said to Christ he had a Devil and was mad as you have here said to me but I know the Servant is not above his Master and God forbid that I should learn of him that confesseth he hath not the Spirit of God Bishop Why do you think that you have the Spirit of God you boast more then ever Paul did or any of the Apostles the which is great presumption Woodman I boast not in my self but in the Gift of God as Paul did who said He verily believed that he had the Spirit of God making thereof no question 1 Cor. 7. Chichester It is not so you bely the Text. Woodman If it be not so let me be burnt to morrow Story Thou shalt not be burnt too morrow but I will promise thee thou shalt be burnt within six dayes Bishop If it be so it 's wrong Translated as it is in a thousand places more Woodman Take heed that you bely not the Translators I believe they had the fear of God more before their Eyes then you report of them but if that place be wrong translated I can prove by places enough that Paul had the Spirit of God Bishop How prove you that Woodman No man can believe that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and again we have not received the Spirit of Bondage to fear any more but we have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit certifieth us that we are the Sons of God also John saith he that believeth not that Christ is come in the Flesh is an Anti-christ and denieth both the Father and the Son and he that believeth in God dwelleth in God and God in him Story What an Heretick is this why do you here him send him to Prison to his Fellows in the Marshalsea and they shall be dspatcht within these twelve dayes Woodman When I heard him say so I rejoyced greatly in my heart desiring God if it were his will to keep them in that mind for I expected to have been sent to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house or Lollards Tower but they sent me to the Marshalsea to my Brethren and old Prison-Fellows whereby it pleased God that the burden I looked for was something eased when they saw I rather rejoyced then feared imprisonment the Bishop said My thinks he is not afraid of the Prison Woodman No I praise the Living God Story He hath the right terms of an Heretick the living God c. I pray you be there deads Gods that you say the Living God Woodman Are you angry with me for speaking the words written in the Bible Story Bibble Babble what speakest thou of the Bible there is no such word written in all the Bible Then said Woodman I am much to blame and brought several Scriptures to prove that there was a Living God and dead Gods for David said My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh rejoyce in the living God Story My Lord I will tell you how you shall know a Heretick by his words that is they will say the Lord and we praise God and the Living God c. Woodman The Lords Name be praised from the rising of the Sun until the going down of the same also as many as fear the Lord say alwayes the Lord be praised Story My Lord this is an Old Heretick send him to Prison you will do no good on him I will leave you and go to Church
hand behind him toward her and wisht her to be strong so they both ended their lives joyfully About this time several persons Persecuted in Colchester suffered in Essex being Prosecuted by one Thomas Tye Priest who wrote a Letter to Bonner against them to this effect They assemble said he together upon the Sabbath day during the time of Divine Service sometimes in one House and sometimes in another and there keep their private Conventicles this Letter of the Priests caused a Storm to arise against such as profess the Truth in Essex and the House of William Mant was beset by one Terril and the Officers with him The Priests Letter to stir up Persecution who told William Munt and his Wife they must go with them to Colchester Castle The woman being sick in Bed desired her Daughter might first fetch her some Drink for she was ill at ease Terrill giving her Daughter leave as she was coming back with the Drink and a Candle in her hand He wisht her to give her Father and Mother good counsel the Maid replyed they have a better Instructer then me for I hope the holy Ghost doth teach them which will not suffer them to err then said Terril Art thou in that mind thou naughty Houswiff marry it is time to look upon such Hereticks indeed the Maid replyed with that you call Heresie do I worship my Lord God Terril said Then I perceive Gossip you will burn with the rest for Company sake no said she not for Company sake but for Christ's sake if I am compelled and I hope if he call me to it he will enable me to bear it Then the said Terril took the Candle out of her hand and held her wrest and the burning Candle under her hand saying Thou young Whore wilt thou not cry She replyed she had no cause to cry but rather to rejoyce and quietly suffered his rage for the time at the last she said have you done what you will do he said Yea and if thou think it not well then mend it Mend it said she nay the Lord mend you and give you repentance and now if you think it good begin at the Feet and burnt the Head also for he that set you on work shall pay you your wages so the said Terril searched the House and took one John Thurston and Margeret his Wife and william Munt and his Wife and Rose his Daughter whose hand he had burnt and carried them to Colchester Castle immediately there was in all ten persons Prisoners in Colchester for not conforming and for denying the real presence in the Sacrament who were all severally Sentenced to be burnt When Rose Alen whose hand was burnt by Terril Examined concerning her belief concerning Auricular Confession and the Mass c. She said they stunk in the Face of God and being asked What she said concerning the Sea of Rome and whether she would obey the Bishop of Romes Authority she answered boldlâ—â— she was none of his and as for his Sea it is for such Ravens and Crowes as you be to swim in for I shall not swim in that Sea while I live neither will I have any thing to do therewith whereupon she was condemned as the rest were After these poor Lambs were condemned they were delivered into the hands of the Secular Power and were by them committed every one unto the Prison from whence they came where they remained with much joy and great comfort in continual reading and calling upon God ever looking for Nine Martyr burntin Essex and one died in Pison and expecting the day of their dissolution which was upon the second day of the Moneth called August following and because some were in the Castle Prison and some in the Town Prison called the Mote-hall therefore it was agreed by the Officers that they in the Mote-hall viz. William Bongeer William Purcas Thomas Benold Agnes Silverside alias Smith Ellen Ewring and Elizabeth Fowlks should be burnt in the forenoon and William Munt and his Wife and Daughter and John Johnson Prisoners in the Castle should be burnt in the afternoon who when they were tyed to the Stakes they called upon God and earnestly exhorted the People to flee from Idolatry and so ended their Testimonies joyfully and as for John Thurston before mentioned he died in Prison The next that suffered was George Eagles a man of a good Utterance G. Eagles Maryr and Eloquent in speech though but a Taylor by Trade in this time of great Persecution he left his Trade and travelled about from place to place to comfort and strengthen such as had received the Truth in any measure sometimes Lodging in the Fields and Woods and because he travelled much abroad he was called Trudgever in his Diet he was sparing and for his Drink it was mostly Water for three years to which necessities of denying himself he was drove to through the â—ear of this time of Persecution for he was fain to keep pretty much in Woods and Holes for the Queen had put out a Proclamation in four Counties for apprehending of him and twenty pounds was to be given to the party that took him and shortly after he was taken in a Corn-Field in Essex and being apprehended was had Prisoner to Colchester and from thence within four dayes was had to Chilmsford where he abode one night and did neither sleep nor eat nor drink and the next day he was carried to London and there Examined by the Bishop or Councel and from thence sent back to Chilmsford again and at the Sessions there he was indicted for Treason for having Meetings contrary to the Law and for praying that God would turn Queen Maryes heart or else take her away the which words that God would take her away he denyed that he spake nevertheless he was condemned and executed for the same The Sufferings of Richard Crashfield of Wymondham Examined before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich The Chancellor said Rich Crashfield Martyr How say you Sirrah to the Ceremony of the Church What Ceremonies said Crashfield Chancellor Do you believe in the Sacrament of the Altar Crashfield said He knew not what it was Chancellor Do you not believe that Christ took Bread gave thanks break it and said Take eat this is my Body Crashfield Even as Christ spake so did he perform the work Chancellor How say you to the Confession to the Priest when were you Confessed Answ I confess my self daily unto the Eternal God Chancellor Do you not then take the confession to the Priste to be good Answ No but rather Wicked Chancellor What say you to Singing and the Organs is that godly Answ I perceive said he no godliness in it and yet he said he approved of Spiritual Songs but yours is of the Flesh and of the Spirit of Error and though to you it be pleasant and glorious yet to the Lord it is bitter and odious Then said the Chancellor Stand nearer Country-man why stand
shut out because they made not themselves ready to suffer with Christ neither go about to take up his Cross Oh dear hearts how pretious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord for dear is the death of his Saints Oh fare you well and pray the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Amen pray pray pray By me Râ—chard Roth written with my own Blood I mentioned before how that ten persons suffered at Colchester amongst whom was one Agnes Bengeer who should have suffered with them six that went out of Mote-hall but her Execution was suspended for a time her name being mistaken in the Writ and instead of Agnes Bengeer called Agnes Boyer this poor woman when she saw she was seperated from her Prison-fellows and sent back to Prison and might not suffer with them for she had given up her self to suffer having provided a Nurse for her sucking Child and provided all things necessary for her suffering but when she saw she was put back she wept bitterly and made pitious mâ—an to her self esteeming her self as naked and desolate and bemoaning her condition when she was seperated from her Companions and this is written that the Reader may see how zealous these persons were in those dayes who esteemed death rather then life for their Testimonies sake but shortly after a Writ came down from London wherein her name was rightly incerted and she was burnt at Colchester Shortly after one John Noyes of Lacksfield in the County of Suffolk Shoe-Maker John Noyes Martyr he was apprehended for not going to their publick Service and Mass by one Thomas Levell and others who beset his House on both sides where they found John Noyes in his backside going forth one of the Persecutors seeing of him called to him and said Whether goest thou John replyed to my Neighbours the Persecutor said Your Master hath deceived you you must go with us now John replyed Take heed your Master deceive not you so they apprehended him and had him before the Justices next day who committed him to the Dungeon where he lay for some time and then he was had to Norwich before the Bishop and soon after Sentence of death was pronounced against him when he was bound to the Stake he speak these words Fear not them that can kill the Body but fear him that can kill both Body and Soul and cast them into Everlasting Fire And seeing his Sister weep and make moan for him he bid her that she should not weep for him but weep for her sins and so he yielded up his life Whilst he was burning one John Jarvis standing by said How the Sinews of his Arms shrink up two of the Sheriffs men hearing of him speak apprehended him and having him before the Justices they affirmed he should say what Villianous Wretches are these Whereupon the Justices commanded that he should be set in the Stocks next Market day and whipt about the Market naked but the Constable in friendship to him did not set him in the Stocks till that called Sunday morning and in the afternoon they whipt him about the Market with a Dog-whip having three Cords and so they let him go Whilst John Noyes was Prisoner his Wife desiring him to send her some tokens of Rememberance of him thereupon he sent her several Sentences of Scripture for a Rememberance as followeth Dearly beloved be not troubled with this heat that is now come among you to try you as though some strange thing had happened unto you but rejoyce insomuch as you are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his glory appeareth you may be glad if ye be railed on for the Name of Christ happy are you for the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you It is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing then for evil-doing 1 Pet. 3. So 1 Pet. 4. See that none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or an Evil-door or as a Busie-body in other mens matters but if any man suffer as a Christian-man let him not be asham'd but let him glorifie God in this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God If it first begin at us what shall the end of them be that believe not the Gospel of God Wherefore let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit their Souls to him in well-doing St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 3. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution St. John saith 1 John 2. See that ye love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World as the lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World which vanisheth away and the Lust thereof but he that fulfileth the Will of God abideth forever St. Paul saith Collos 3. If ye be risen again with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things that are above and not on things which are on Earth Our Saviour Christ saith Math. 18. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the Sea The Prophet David saith Psal 84. Great are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all fear the Lord ye his Saints for they that fear him lack nothing When the Righteous cry the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles but misfortune shall slay the ungodly and they that hate the Righteous shall perish Hear Oh my People I assure thee Oh Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me there shall so strange God be in thee neither shalt thou Worship any other God Oh that my People would obey me for if Israel would walk in my wayes I would soon put down their Enemies and turn my hand against their Adversaries Our Saviour Christ saith The Disciple is not above his Master nor yet the Servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master is and that the Servant be as his Lord is if they have called the Master of the House Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold so fear not them therefore St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 4. Set your selves therefore at large and bear not a strangers Yoke with the Unbelievers for what fellowship hath Righteousness with Unrighteousness What Company hath Light and Darkness Either what part hath the Believer with the Infidell c Wherefore come out from among them and seperate your selves now saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing so will I receive you and I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons
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.
Rich and in great Authority he had the more power to Persecute he divorced many men and women for Religion he was a great Swearer and given to Women to write saith the History how many Concubines and Whores he had would be incredible but mark what Judgments the Lord brought upon him for his wickedness On a time a poor man speaking a word to him he struck him such a blow with the swingle of a staile that he presently died thereon for which as is said Berry held up his hand at the Bar. And shortly after one Alice Oxes of the Parish of Ailesham coming into his House and going into the Hall he met her and being before moved smote her with his fist whereby she was fain to be carried home and the next day was found dead in her Chamber When this Priest heard that Queen Mary was dead and that the glory of their triumph quailed the day called Sunday following he made a great Feast A Judgment of God upon a Persecutor and had one of his Concubines there present with whom he was in his Chamber after Dinner until he went to that he called his Evening-song where he Ministred Baptism and as he was going home between the Grave-Yard and his House he fell down suddainly to the ground with a heavy graon and never stirred after and thus the Judgments of God was evidently seen to be Executed upon him by all that beheld him In the same Moneth that the aforesaid three suffer'd at Norwich there was two men and one woman burnt at Colchester viz. William Harris Richard Day and Christian George In the next Moneth being the Moneth called June a short but sharp Proclamation came forth to prohibit the spreading several good Books therein condemned under the title of Heresie and Sedition laying the injunction so strickt that whosoever should be found to have any such Books in their custody after the Proclamation came forth should be reputed as Rebels and to be Executed forthwith according to the order of Martial Law Shortly after several persons were apprehended being assembled in a religious exercise in a back Close near Islington two and twenty of whom were committed to Newgate and there remained seven weeks before they were Examined seven of these two and twenty were afterwards burnt in Smithfield and six at Brainford One of them viz. Reginald Eastland being required by the Bishop to answer upon Oath to the Articles charged against him refused saying an Oath was to end strife but to begin strife said he and Oath is not lawful and therefore choosed rather to suffer what punishment they would inflict upon him then to swear the matter against himself After Bonner had past Sentence upon Roger Holland one of them that was burnt in Smithfield Roger spoke to this effect I am said he Moved by the Spirit of God to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty and after this day in this place shall there not be any put to the Tryall of Fire and Faggot and as he was speaking and exhorting the People the Bishop turned back and charged the Keeper that none should speak with him without leave being brought to the Stake he spake after this manner Lord I most humbly thank thy Majesty that thou hast called me from the state of Death unto the Light of thy heavenly Word and now unto the fellowship of thy Saintâ— that I may sing and say holy holy holy Lord God of hosts and Lord into thy hands I commit my Spirit Lord bless these thy People and save them from Idolatry Amongst these persons apprehended at Islington some of them were Scourged or Whipped by Bonner with his own hands upon his deformed Effigies in Whipping them one made some Latine Verses the which in English are as followeth Muse not so much that Natures work is thus deformed now With belly blown and head so swoln for I shall tell you how This Canibal in three years space two hundred Martyrs slew They were his food he lov'd so blood he spared none he knew It should appear that blood feeds fat if men lye well and soft For Bonners belly waxt with blood though he seem'd to fast oft Oh bloody Beast bewail the death of those that thou hast slain In time repent since thou canst not their lives restore again Thomas Hinshaw and John Wills were taken and sent to the Cole-house and from thence Wills was had to Fulham and there was kept eight dayes in the Stocks in which time Bonner much abused him oftentimes raping him on the head with a Stick and flirting him under the Chin saying He looked down like a Thief and then had him into his Orchard and in an Arbour where he Whipt Tho. Henshaw he Whipt him first with a Willow-rod and then with a Birchenrod labouring and dealing his blows so long as his fat panch could endure with breath oftentimes the Bishop speak to Wills to this effect They call me said he bloody Bonner I would fain be rid of you a vengeance on you you have a delight in burning If I might have my will said he I would sow up your Mouthes and put you into a Sack and drown you and thus much concerning the two and twenty taken at Islington Rich Yeoman Martyr The next that suffered was Richard Yeoman after the Persecution arose at which time he was put out of his Living he was put to great straits so that he was forced to travel from place to place selling Pins and Laces to get a livelihood to maintain his Wife and Children at last was apprehended by order from one called Justice Moyle who set him in the Stocks a day and a night but having no evident matter to charge him with let him go again and returning home to Hadley Persecution against him was so hot that his Wife kept him privately a whole year in a Room lockt up all day where he carded Wool to get Bread for his Family although he was Seventy Years Old at last the Priest of the Town one Newall having intelligence of it searched his House one night and took him out of his Bed and put him in the Cage and in the Stocks until day At the same time the said Newall had caused to be put into the Stocks one John Dale and there had kept him two or three dayes for speaking to him in the time of his Executing the Romish Service and saying O Miserable Blind Guides will ye ever be Blind Leaders of the Blind Will ye never amend Will ye never see the Truth Will neither Gods Threats nor Promises enter into your Hearts VVill the Blood of Martyrs nothing mollifie you O Crooked and Perverse Generation Out of the Stocks they were both taken and bound like Thieves and set on Horse-back and their Legs bound under the Horses belly and so carried to the Goal at Bury where they were put in Irons and thrown into the lowest Dungeon where John Dale fell sick and died after he
then she was shut up under two Locks in the Clink as she was before At another Examination Doctor Martin said Wilt not thou confess and keep thee from the Rack Elizabeth Sir I can confess no more do with my Carkass what you will At another time Doctor Cook said let her head be trussed in a small Line and make her to confess Then said the Bishop Why wilt not thou swear before a Judge that was the right trade of the Anabaptists Then said she I will not swear that this hand is mine my Lord Christ saith that whatsoever is more then Yea Yea and Nay Nay it cometh of Evil. Roger Cholmly being by said It was a man in Womans Cloathes Think you so said Bonner Swear her upon a Book seeing it is but a Question Then Doctor Cook brought her a Book and commanded her to lay her hand thereon Elizabeth but she refused saying I will not swear Docter Cook said swear before us whether thou be a man or a Woman Elizabeth If you will not believe me send for Women into a secret place and I will be tryed Cholmly Thou art an Ill-favoured whore Then said Bonner How believest thou in the Sacrament of the Altar and after some other Questions they cryed Away with her And speaking of Spirit and Faith Cholmly said What nothing but Spirit and Faith Where Then was she carried into the Cole-house and searched for Books and put into the Stock-house and a Knife girdle and Apron taken from her and there both her hands were Manacled in one Iron for several dayes and afterward she was removed into the Lollards Tower and there she remained with both her feet in the Stocks and Irons till the next time of her Examination But shortly upon the request of two Women who sought for her Liberty and became surety for her appearance before the Bishop of London she was set at Liberty In the Town of Bodfeild in the County of Suffolk was an ancient Woman one Elizabeth Lawson apprehended by the Constable of the Town as an Heretick because she would not go to hear Mass for which they laid her in a Dungeon Q. Mary An. 1558. and after that she was carried to Norwich and from thence to Bury-Goal where at last she was condemned to be burnt After Sentence was past Sir John Sylliard the high Sheriff took her home to his house where she was hardly kept and wrapt in Irons till at length when by no means they could move her to Recant she was sent to Prison again with shameful revilings Thus she continued in Prison the space of two years and three quarters in the mean time there was burnt her Son and many others where by she would often say Lord what is the cause that I may not come to thee with thy Children well thy blessed will be done and not mine Through the death of Queen Mary she was preserved although she had been before condemned to die It is also very remarkable to read and consider the many preservations from time to time that these People persecuted so hotly received through the Lords goodness in their Meetings in the City of London for they met is private places sometimes one hundred sometimes two hundred about the latter end of Queen Mary they greatly encreased and one remarkable Passage of their preservation was as followeth one Cuthbert Simpson one of their Church usually carrying a little Book in his Pocket of the Names of such as were Members of the Congregation the which had been found about him when he was apprehended had not Rough their Minister been warned in a Dream of the danger thereof and thereupon sent to Cuthbert Simpson to leave the Book out of his Pocket which he did otherwise all their Names had been discovered At this time the Popish Party so much abhor'd these despised Peoples Preaching or strengthning one another at the time of their Suffering and Martyrdom that the Queen put forth a Proclamation which was Proclaimed at Newgate and at the Stake where seven were condemned to suffer strictly for bidding any to pray or speak to them or any wayes to comfort them but not withstanding this Proclamation one Bentham one of their Ministers in his Christian Zeal and Charity opened his Mouth and aloud said I know they are the People of God and therefore cannot chose but wish well to them and say God strengthen them which words many People standing by confirmed saying Amen Amen so that then so many appeared to speak well of them that the Officers knew not what to say nor who to Accuse The said Bentham was another time marvelously preserved for as he was passing the Streets he was taken hold on to be a Quest man upon the death of a man found drowned being loath to meddle he was very earnest with the man to be excused alledging he had little experience in such a matter and desired them to take another that might have more Skill but finding what he had said would not satisfie them to excuse him he further alledged that he was a Schollar of Oxford and thereby priviledged from being of any Inquest the Coroner demanded the sight of his priviledge he said if he would give him leave he would fetch it then said the Coroner the Queen must be served withour delay Q. Mray An. 1558 and constrained him to stay and hear the matter when the Book was offered him to swear upon Bentham opening the Book and seeing it a Popish Primmer refused to swear thereupon speaking against the superstition therein contained what said the Coroner I think we shall have an Heretick among us and after further reasoning committed him to an Officer till further examination but mark what hapned for while these matters about Heresie were in debate suddainly came the Coroner of the Admiralty and discharged the first Inquest saying it belonged to his Officer to choose a Jury and Sit there by reason of which Bantham escaped their hands and had no more said to him The Suffering and Preservation of Richard Bartie of Lincolnshire and Katherine Dutchess of Suffolk his Wife In the Reign of Queen Mary Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester surmising the Dutchess of Suffolk to be one of his Antient Enemies because he knew he had deserved no better of her began to practice some revenge upon her for former grudges and thereupon subpaened her Husband Richard Bartie to appear before him at his House at Mary-Overs when he came before him after much discourse at last he said If I may ask the question of my Lady your Wife is she as ready now to set up the Mass as she was lately to pull it down Doth she think her Lambs now safe enough who said to me when I vailed my Bonnet to her out of my Chamber Window in the Tower that it was merry with the Lambs now the Wolf were shut up Richard Bartie after he had heard him endeavoured to moderate things saying that though them words seemed at
Servants of Christ falsly called Brownists unto the High-Court of Parliament The most high God Possessor of Heaven and Earth bringeth at this present before your Lordships and Wisdoms right honourable his own Cause his own People his own Sworn and most treacherous Enemies together with the most shameful Usage of his Truth and Servants that ever hath been heard of in the dayes of Sions professed Peace and Tranquility His Cause and People he offereth unto your Consideration and Defence in our Profession and Persons His Enemies and their Out-rage against his Truth and Servants in the Persons and Bloody Proceedings of the Prelates of this Land and their Complices We profess the same Faith and Truth of the Gospel with her Majesty which your honours this whole Land and all the reformed Churches under Heaven this day do hold and Maintain We go beyond them being our only fault even in the Judgment of our tyrannical and most savage Enemies in the detestation of all Popery that most fearful Anti-christian Religion and draw nearer in some Points by our practice unto Christs holy Order and Institution this is our Faith this is our cause Right Honourable yea the Lords Cause in our sinful hands For the Profession and Maintenance of which Faith the fore-named Enemies of God detain in their hands within the Prisons about London not to speak of other Goals throughout the Land about threescore and twelve persons Men Women Young and Old lying in Cold in Hunger in Dungeons and in Irons of which Number they have taken the Lords day last being the third day of the fourth Moneth 1592. about some sixteen persons hearing the Word of God truly taught praying and praising God for his favours shewed unto us unto her Majesty your Honours and this whole Land and desiring our God to be Merciful to us unto our Gracious Prince and Country being employed in these holy Actions and no other as the Parties who disturbed them can testifie they were taken in the very place where the Persecuted Church and Martyrs were enforced to use the like Exercise in Queen Maryes dayes The former Number are now unbailable committed by the Prelatel or Bishop of London unto whose close for the most part several Prisons as Bridewel the Limboe or Dungeon in Newgate the Fleet the Marshalsea the Counters the Clynk the Gatehouse the Whitelyon c. wherein we willingly acknowledge the Lot and Inheritance in this Life of our Fore-Fathers and Brethren the holy Martyrs of the former Age and the entailed Aceldama or Bloody Succession of the See of London and that whole Linage Well here our Brethren lie How long Lord holy and true thou knowest in Dungeons in Hunger in Cold in Nakedness and all outward distress for these Bloody men will allow them neither Meat Drink Fire Lodging nor suffer any whose Hearts the Lord would stir up for their relief to have any access unto them purposing belike to imprison them unto death as they have done Seventeen or Eighteen others in the same noisome Goals within these Six Years The Husband and Wife being now taken by them they permit not to be in the same but have sent them to be close kept in other Prisons VVhat the poor Family doth at home in the mean time your Lordships may consider and justly pity Som of this Company had not one Penny about them when they were sent into close Prison nor any thing being abroad which is the case of most of them if not all to procure themselves and their poor Families any Maintenance save only their handy Labours and Trades whereby it is come to pass that these Enemies of God do not only starve and undo a number of men in the Prisons but even a lamentable Company of poor Orphans and Servants abroad their unbrid led slanders their Lawless privy searches their Violent breaking open and rifling of our Houses their lamentable and barbarous Usage of VVomen and Young Children in these hostile assaults their Uncontrouled Thievery Robbing and taking away of whatsoever they think meet from us in this case their unappeased and merciless pursuit of us from our Houses Trades Wives Children especially from the holy Society of the Saints and Church of God We are inforced to omit lest we should be over tedious to your Lordships but their dealing this way towards us is so woful right honourable as we may truly demand with grief of heart whether the forreign Enemy or our native Country men do possess and bear rule over us in our dear and native Country Their whole dealing herein is most Barbarous most Inhumane but especially most Unchristian and such as exceeds the cruelty of the Heathen and Popish Professed Tyrants and Persecutors the Records of the Heathen Persecution under Nero Trajan Decius Galienus Maximinian c. can scant afford us any Examples of the like cruelty and havock for the Heathen Romans would Murder Openly and Professedly These godless men have put the Blood of War about them in the day of the Peace and Truth which this whole Land professeth to hold with Jesus Christ and his Servants Bishop Bonner Story Wesâ—â—n dealt not after this sort for those whom they committed close they would also either feed or permit to be fed by others and they brought them in short space openly into Smithfield to end their misery and to begin their never ending joy Whereas Bishop Elinar Q. Eliz. An. 1592. Dr. Stanhope and Mr. Justice Young with the rest of that Persecuting and Blood thirsty faculty will do neither of these No Fellows no Murderers no Traytors in this Land are so dealt with There are many of us by the Mercies of God still out of their hands The former holy Exercise and Profession we purpose not to leave by the Assistance of God We have as good Warrant to reject the Ordinances of Anti-christ and labour for the recovery of Christs holy Institutions as our Fathers and Brethren in Queen Maryes dayes had to do the like and we doubt not if our cause were truly known unto her Majesty and your Wisdoms but we should find greater favour then they did whereas our Estate now is far more lamentable And therefore we humbly and earnestly crave of her Majesty and your Lordships both for our selves abroad and for our Brethren now in miserable Captivity but just and equal Tryal according unto her Majesty's Laws if we prove not our Adversaries to be in a most Pestilent and godless course both in regard of their Offices and their Proceedings in them and our selves to be in the right Way we desire not to have the benefit of her Majestyes true and faithful Subjects which of all earthly favours we account to be one of the greatest Are we Malefactors Are we any wise undutiful unto our Prince Maintain we any Errours Let us then be judicially convicted thereof and delivered to the Civil Authority but let not these bloody men both Accuse Condemn and closly Murther after this sort
blessing upon any thing you take in hand The Lord my Brethren and Sisters hath not forgotten to be gracious unto Sion you shall yet find dayes of peace and rest if you continue faithful This standing and treading of us under his feet this subverting of our cause and right in Judgment is done by him to the end that we should search and try our wayes and repent us of our Carelesness Prophaneness and Rebellion in his sight but he will yet maintain the Cause of our Souls and redeem our lives if we return to him yea he will be with us in Fire and Water and will not forsake us if our Hearts be only and especially of the Building of Zion whithersoever we go Let not those of you then that either have Stocks in your hands or some likely Trades to live by dispose of your selves where it may be most commodious for your outward Estate and in the mean time suffer the poor ones that have no such means either to bear the whole Work upon their weak Shoulders or to end their dayes in sorrow and mourning for want of outward and inward comforts in the Land of Strangers for the Lord will be an Avenger of all such dealings but consult with the whole Church yea with the Brethren in other places how the Church may be kept together and built whithersoever they go let not the Poor and the Friendless be forced to stay behind here and to break a good Conscience for want of your support and kindness unto them that they may go with you And here I humbly beseech you not in any outward regard as I shall answer before my God that you would take my poor and desolate Widdow and my mess of Fatherless and Friendless Orphans with you into exile whithersoever you go and you shall find I doubt not that the blessed Promises of my God made unto me and mine will accompany them and even the whole Church for their sakes for this also is the Lords Promise unto the holy Seed as you shall not need much to demand what they shall eat or wherewith they shall be clothed and in short time I doubt not but they will be found helpful and not burthensome to the Church only I beseech you let them not continue after you in this Land where they must be inforced to go again unto Aegypt and my God will bless you even with a joyful return unto your own Country for it There are you who I doubt not will be careful of the performance of the will of your dead Brother in this point who may yet live to shew this kindness unto yours I will say no more Be kind loving and tender-hearted the one of you towards the other labour every way to encrease love and to shew the duties of love one of you towards another by visiting comforting and relieving one the other even for the reproach of the Heathen that are round about us as the Lord saith Be watching in prayer especially remember those of our Brethren that are especially endangered particularly those our two Brethren M. Studley and Robert Boule whom our God hath strengthned now to stand in the fore-front of the Battel I fear me that our carelesness was over great to sue unto our God for the lives of these two so notable Lights of his Church who now rest with him and that he took them away for many respects seeming good to his Wisdom so also that we might learn to become careful in prayer in all such causes pray for them then my Brethren and for our Brother M. Fran. Johnson and for me who am likely to end my dayes either with them or before them that our God may spare us unto his Church if it be his good pleasure or give us exceeding faithfulness and be every way comfortable unto the Sister and Wife of the dead I mean unto my beloved M. Barrow and M. Greenwood whom I most heartily salute and desire much to be comforted in their God who by his Blessings from above will countervail unto them the want of so notable a Brother and Husband I would with you earnestly to write yea to send if you may to comfort the Brethren in the West and North Countries that they faint not in these Troubles and that also you may have of their advice and they of yours what to do in these desolate times and if you think it any thing for their further comfort and direction send them conveniently a Copy of this my Letter and of the declaration of my Faith and Allegiance wishing them before whomsoever they be called that their own Mouthes be not had a Witness against them in any thing yea I would wish you and them to be together if you may whithersoever you shall be banished and to this purpose to bethink you before hand where to be yea to send some who may be meet to prepare you some resting place and be all of you assured that he who is your God in England will be your God in any Land under the whole Heaven for the Earth and the fulness thereof are his and blessed are they that for his Cause are bereaved of any part of the same Finally my Brethren the eternal God bless you and yours that I may meet with you all unto my comfort in the blessed Kingdom of Heaven Thus having from my Heart and with tears performed it may be my last duty towards you in this Life I salute you all in the Lord both men and women even those who I have not named as heartily as those whose names I have mentioned for all your names I know not And remember to stand stedfast and faithful in Jesus Christ as you have received him unto your Immortallity And he Confirm and Establish you to the end for the praise of his Glory Amen The 24th of the 4th Moneth April 1593. Your Loving Brother in the Patience and Sufferings of the Gospel John Penry a Witness of Christ in this Life and a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed I found also a Letter of the said Penry to his Wife which being large I have only inserted some particular sentences thereof as followeth To my beloved Wife Ellinor Penry Partaker with me in this life of the sufferings of the Gospel in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and resting with me in undoubted hope of the glory that shall be revealed all strength and comfort with all other spiritual graces be multiplyed through Christ Jesus our Lord. I see my blood layd for my Beloved and so my dayes and Testimony drawing to an end for ought I know and therefore I think it my duty to leave behind me this Testimony of my love towards so dear a Sister and loving a Wife in the Lord as you have been unto me First then I beseech you stand fast in that Truth which you and I profess at this present in much outward discomfort and danger let nothing draw you to be subject
Rebshaketh boasting and threatning what he would do unto Jerusalem and unto the men in it viz. he would make them eat their own Dung and drink their own Piss was by the just Judgment of God in the midst of his Pride disappointed of his wicked purpose for the Lord sent his Angel into the Camp of Assyria and slew in one night of his men one hundred fourscore and five thousand so that when they arose early in the Morning behold they were all dead Corpses and the King himself though returning to Nineveh not long after as he was worshipping of his God in the house of Nisroch two of his Sons named Adramelech and Sharezer smote him with the Sword that he died 2 Kings 18 c. The Assyrian punished The Assyrian who was the great and stout hearted Persecutor and Oppressor of the Saints who removed the Bounds of the People and robbed them of their Treasures and destroyed and cut off many Nations and took them for a prey and divided the spoil thereof and trod them down like mire in the Streets and then boasted of it when he had done saying all this have I done by the strength of mine own hand and by mine own wisdom I have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant man and I have found out the riches of the People as a Nest and gathered it as men gather Eggs that are left boasting how there was none that moved the Wing or opened the Mouth or peeped when as indeed in all this he was but the Rod of Gods anger and the Lords Indignation was the staff in his hand he being sent of him to an hypocritical Nation as the People of Israel then was to the end that they might repent and be amended and had it therefore given him in charge so to do howbeit in all this in regard he did what he did upon no such account as the Rod of Gods anger nor unto no such end as their purging and purifying neither did he mean so nor yet was it in his heart to think so but he did what he did out of a murderous and persecuting nature it being in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few therefore see how the just Vengeance of God is threatned against him for it wherefore it shall come to pass saith the Lord that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem that I will saith the Lord punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks and mine anger shall cease in his destruction and the Pride of Assyria shall be brought down the Lord of Hosts hath sworn saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand that I will break the Assyrian in my Land and upon my Mountains tread him under foot Isa 14.24 25. who had before trod down his People under his feet and this is the purpose which the Lord of Hosts hath purposed concerning the Assyrian and who shall dissanul it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back It is very remarkable also to see and consider all along the Scriptures how exceeding jealous the Lord hath ever been over his People and Children for good and how very wathful and tender he hath been over them lest any should wrong them or any way hurt them and how ready he hath alwayes been to revenge the least injury done unto them either by word or dead yea the Lord hath kept them as Mâ—ses confessed as the Apple of his own Eye and hath at certain times rebuked all their Enemies for them before their faces so saith the Psalmist he suffered no man saith he to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed do my Prophets no harm for he that toucheth them toucheth the very Apple of his Eye Zeph. 3.8 The Truth of which this tract hath plentifully proved and now there remaineth to shew from Scripture as well as from History how ready the Lord hath ever been and still is to revenge upon whole Kingdoms and Nations as well as upon particuler Persons all Injuries done unto his Servants and Children as for Example The Amonites The Amonites for saying Aha because they did but say Aha against the Sanctuary of the Lord when it was prophaned and against the People of Israel and their Land when it was dessolate and against the House of Judah when they went into Captivity see in what manner the Judgments of the Lord were threatned against them behold therefore saith the Lord I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a Possession and they shall set their places in thee and make their dwellings in thee they shall eat thy Fruit they shall drink thy Milk and I will make Rabbah which was the Royal City and Seat of the King where his great Iron Bed-stead stood Deut. 3.11 2 Sam. 12.26 30. called the City of Waters for pleasantness a Stable for Camels and the Amonites a couching place for Flocks and ye shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.3 4 5. Again the Amonites because they clapped their Hands and stamped with their Feet and rejoyced in their Heart with all their despite against the Land and People of Israel therefore thus saith the Lord Because thou hast done so behold therefore I will stretch out my hand upon thee and will deliver thee for a spoile to the Heathen and I will cut thee off from the People and will cause thee to perish out of the Countries I will destroy thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25. 6 7. Moab and Seir because they did but say Behold the House the House of Judah is like unto all the Heathen therefore behold saith the Lord I will open the side of Moab from the Cities from his Cities which are in his Frontiers the Glory of the Country Bethjeshimoth Baalmeon and Kiriathain unto the men of the East with the Amonites and will give them in Possession that the Amonites may not be remembred among the Nations and I will execute Judgment upon Moab and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.8 9. Edom for revenging themselves against Judah therefore thus saith the Lord Because that Edom hath dealt against the House of Judah by taking Vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hands upon Edom and will cut off Man and Beast from it and will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the Sword I will lay my Vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my People Israel and they shall do in Edom according to mine Anger and according to my Fury and they shall know my Vengeance saith the Lord God Tyrus for saying but Aha against Jerusalem I shall be replenished now she is laid
I have sinned in that I have betrayed Innocent Blood and then went forth and hanged himself and falling headlong he brust asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Matth. 27.3 4 5. Pilate the Governour Pilate that wicked Governor under whom Christ was Crucified in the dayes of Tiberius Nero then Emperor through the just punishment of Gods was first apprehended and accused at Rome and deposed and then banished to the Town of Lyons at length killed himself Acts and Mon. page 50. Caiphas the high Priest Caiphas that wicked high Priest that sate upon the Judgment Seat and condemned Christ was in the reign of the Emperor Caesar Caligula removed from his High-Priests Office and did not long after escape with his life Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Tiberius Caesar Tiberius Caesar who was also called Tiberius Nero under whose Raign aâ—d Goverment Christ himself suffered was poisoned to death Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Caesar Caligula Caesar Caligula that wicked Emperor and bloody minded man that wished that all the People of Rome had but one Neck that he might at his pleasure destroy them at once was cut off by the hands of a Tribune and others being slain when he had raigned but four years ibid. Claudius Nero. Claudius Nero of whom it is said that he Ruled thirteen years with no little Cruelty to the Christians was in the end slain ibid. Domitius Nero which succeeded next in the Empire but exceeded all the rest of the Neros for Fury Wickedness and Tyranny insomuch as he was counted a prodigious Monster of Nature more like a Beast yea rather a Devil then a Man in that he was so monsterously given to uncleanness Domitius Nero the first beginner and stirer up of the ten Persecutions about the Year 67 Acts and Mon. page 54. that he abstained not from his own Mother and his Natural Sister and in that he was so wretchedly cruel as that he caused to be put to death his own Mother his Brother-in-law his own Sister his own Wife great with Child and his Tutor Seneca and Lucane with divers more of his own Kindred besides the Apostles Peter and Paul who are said to be put to Death at the latter end of his reign for the Testimony of Christ and not only so his Wickedness ended not here but also he set on Fire the City of Rome in twelve places and so continued it six dayes and seven nights burning and to avoid the Infamy thereby laid the fault upon the Christians and then caused them to be persecuted He reigned fourteen Years even so long in cruelty till at last the Senate Proclaiming him a publick Enemy of Man-kind condemned him to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to Death for the fear whereof he flying the Hands of his Enemies in the night fled to a Mannour of his Servants in the Country where he was forced to slay himself complaining that he had neither Friend nor Enemy that would do so much for him Ibid. In a word if Histories speak true few or none of the Persecuting Roman Emperors died in their Beds Decius the Persecutor being overcome in War to avoid his Enemies hands he leaped with his Horse into a Whirl-pool and was drowned Cla. Gen. Martyr 54. Valerianus his reward Valerianus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians was taken Prisoner of the Persians when he was Seventy Years of Age and Sapores the King of the Persians used him for his Riding-block for whensoever the King was minded to mount his Horse openly in the sight of the People Valerian the Quondam Emperor was brought forth instead of a Block for the King to tread upon his Back in going to his Horse-back and in the end he was condemned to be slain and powdered with Salt for a perpetual Monument of his own wretchedness Acts and Mon. 105. Ex. Euseb Gallienus Killed by Aureolus Acts and Mon. 51. Aurelianus his Persecution wonderfuly prevented Aurelianus the Emperor began his reign with moderation and discretion giving Toleration to the Christians but at length giving ear to evil counsel his nature inclinable to Severity was altered to plain Tyranny which he shewed in Murdering First his own Sisters Son then purposing in himself to persecute the Christians he framed a Proclamation against them for their Persecâ—â—â—n â—â—d being ready and about to sign it with his own hand was by thâ—â—â—ghty stroke of the hand of the Lord suddainly from above stopt in his purpose binding as a man might say the Emperors hands behind him for Utropius and Vâ—piscus affirms that as the said Aurelianus was purposing to raise Persecution against the Christians he was suddainly Terrified with Lightning and so stopped from his wicked Tyranny Dioclesian the Wicked Persecutor Poisoned himself Dioclesian that Wicked and Impious Persecuting Emperor ring whose life a great and most grievous Persecution was moved â—gainst the Christians ten Years together and then he deposed himself and as some say at Solona Anno. 319. Poysoned himself Acts and Mon. Fol. 51. and 121. Maximinus was hanged as it is said by Constantine at Massilia about the Year 310. Acts and Mon. 123. Galerius confesseth to the Judgment of God Galerius the chief Minister of the Persecution after his terrible Persecutions fell into a wonderful sickness having such a sore risen in the nether parts of his Belly which consumed his Privey Members and so did swarm with Wormes that being not curable neither by Chyrurgery nor Physick he confessed it happened for his cruelty against the Christians and so calling in his Proclamations against them notwithstanding he not able to sustain as some say the stanch of his sore slew himself Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Maximinus the cruel Persecutor confesseth to the just Judgment of God Maximinus the Son as it is thought that Arch-Enemy to the Christians and great Persecutor of tender Conscience and stirrer up of others thereunto as witness his advising his Idol-Priests to execute their Office with great Authority and Dignity and with World like Pomp being to Christian pity and Religion most incensed exerciâ—ing cruel Persecution towards the East Churches so called was by the just Judgment of God suddainly and sorely vexed with a fatal disease most filthy and desperate and very strange taking its first beginning in his Flesh outwardly and from thence proceeding into the inward parts of his Body for in his Members there happened to him a suddain Putrifaction and botchey corrupt Boyles with a Fistual consuming and eating up his Intrales out of the which came swarming forth an innumerable multitude of Lice with such a pestifferous stench that no man could abide him or to be near him by reason whereof the Physitians that had him in cure some of them not able to abide the intolerable stench were commanded to be slain others because they could not heal him being so swoln and past hope of cure were all cruelly put to
Death at length being put in mind and in rememberance that his disease was sent of God he began to bethink himself of the wickedness that he had done against the Saints of God and coming unto himself confesseth his sins to God and sets forth his Edicts to command all men to cease from Persecuting the Christians desiring the Christians to pray to their God for him and this occasioned the very Infidels themselves to extol the only true God of the Christians and not long after by the very Violence of his Disease he ended his life Acts and Mon. 115.116.122 Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine and drowned in Tyber Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Lycinius being overcome by Constantine the great was deposed from his Empire and afterwards slain of his Souldiers Ibid. CHAP. III. The Just Judgments of God that befel some under Officers and Ministers of state and others that did execute the several Tyrannical Persecutions of the afore said Emperors upon the Christians for Conscience sake during the time of the aforesaid Ten Persecutions Informers justly rewarded CErtain men of the Jewish Nation Informers had accused the Martyr Symon Son of Cleophas and reputed nephew to Christ for being a Christian and one of the Stock of David against whom Trajanus the Emperor had given forth a Commandment that whosoever could be found of the Stock of David This Trajanus Emperor was the beginner of the Third persecution Anno. 100. or 108. see Acts and Mon. 57. Clae Gen. Martyr 35. he should be inquired out and put to death of which Stock upon inquiry these his Accusers were found to be and so right justly were put to Execution themselves which sought the destruction of another though it was not long after but the good man Simon after he had been scourged many dayes bearing it with singular constancy when he was a hundred and twenty years old was Crucified and put to death finishing his course in the Lord Acts and Mon. 65 66. Three other wicked evil-disposed persons Informers seeing the soundness grave constancy and vertuous life of Narcissus then Bishop of Jerusalem aged an hundred and sixty three years accused him as being guilty of a hainous crime Perjured Informers that he was clear of and having laid it to his charge they the better to make their Accusation seem more probable before the People they bind it with a great Oath one wishing to be destroyed by Fire if he said not true the other to be consumed with a grievous sickness the third to loose both his Eyes if they did Lye Narcissus although having his Conscience clear yet not able being but one man to withsland their Accusation bound with such Oathes gave place and removed himself from the Multitude into a solitary Desert by himself where he continued many years in the mean time to them which so willingly and wickedly forswore themselves this happened The first by casualty of one little small sparkle of Fire was burnt with his goods and all his Family The Second was taken with a great sickness from the top to the toe and devoured with the same The Third hearing and seeing the punishment of the other confessed his fault but through great Repentance poured out such tears that he lost both his Eyes and thus was their false perjury punished and Narcissus after long absence returned home again was by this means both cleared of the Fact and received into his Bishoprick again Acts and Mon. 80. An Executioner Antiochus Tormentor and Executioner of extreame torments under Alexander Severus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians upon a young youth called Agapitus of the Age of fifteen years who suffered Martyrdom for not Sacrificing to Idols after he had been assayled with sundry Torments viz. First with whips scourged This Alexander Severus was the beginner of the Fifth Persecution Anno. 195. then hanged by the feet after having hot water poured upon him at last cast to the wild Beasts with all which Torments when he could not be hurt finally with the Sword was beheaded This said Antioclius in the Executing the aforesaid Torments suddenly fell down from his Judicial Seat crying out that all his inward Bowels burned within him and so gave up the Ghost Hen. de Erfordia lib. 6. ch 29. Acts and Mon. 85. The like severity of Gods terrible Judgments is also to be noted in Claudius his President Perfident to Claudius this President and Minister of his Persecutions who was possessed and vexed with a Devil in such sort that he biting off his own Tongue in many small pieces so ended his life Hen. de Erfordia Acts and Mon. 105. CHAP. IV. The Just Judgments of God upon Persecutors in Queen Maryes Reign AFter the death of Queen Mary the bloody work ceased although a stop there was before her Death in London in some measure for as Roger Holland had declared to Bonner that the Lord would shorten their hands of cruelty and as he foretold there was not one burnt in Smithfield for Religion after him for though the vehement zeal of this Queen was such for the setting up of Popery in England as if she intended to establish it forever yet the secret hand of Providence had a regard to his suffering Seed and put a period to her cruelty and it is an evident token that the Religion she endeavoured to settle did not please God although it pleased her since we see the bad effects it brought forth for had it been as godly as it was bloody no doubt the success would have been better and the strict Hand of Gods Judgments would not have been executed upon the bloody Persecutors of such as dissented as evidently appears they were by the many Examples of divine Justice shewed from time to time and the unprosperous success of this Queen in all her affairs are a full assurance the Lord disliked her effusion of so much blood in the matter of Religion neither in all her undertaking had she any good success for though she endeavoured to restore again the Monks and Nuns Abbyes Fryars c. which were partly dissolved in her Fathers time yet she was frustrated in her designs and how unprosperous she was in her State affairs may be read at large in the Chronicle for she lost Callice which had been won by the valour of Edward the Third and marrying with Philip of Spain a Papist by him she had no Issue and though she promised to her self great felicity in him but it proved otherwise for he withdrew first his affection from her and at last his company also and thus the Almighty ordered things but no Admonitions would take place with her to cause her to revoke her bloody Laws nor to stop the Tyranny of these bloody Priests and Bishops but the Servants of God were drawn by heaps as Sheep to the Slaughter and so it continued till by death she was taken away after she had reigned Five Years and Five Moneths
contrary to the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testimament and by that means ye shall guide your People in the true and pure Service of God not regarding in the mean time the cavelling pretences of the Papists which say that such Questions have been already answer'd at General Councils for it is known well enough that no Council hath been lawful since the Popes have usurped the Principallity and Tyranny upon mens Souls but they have made them serve to their Covetousness Ambition and Cruelty and the contrariety which is among those Councils maketh enough for their disproof beside a hundred thousand other absurdities against the Word of God which be in them the true proof for such matters is in the true and holy Scriptures to the which no times nor Age hath any prescription to be alledged against them for by them we receive the Councils founded upon the Word of God and also by the same we reject that Doctrine which is repugnant And if ye do thus Sir God will bless your enterprise he will encrease and confirm your Reign and Empire and your Posterity if otherwise Destruction is at your Gate and unhappy are the People which shall dwell under your Obedience there is no doubt but God will harden your heart as he did Pharaohs and take of the Crown from your head as he did to Jeroboam Nadah Baza Ahab and to many other Kings and give it your Enemies to triumph over you and your Children And if the Emperor Antonyne the meek although he was a Pagan and Idolator seeing himself bewrapt with so many wars ceased the Persecutions which were in his time against the Christians and determined in the end to hear their Cause and Reasons how much more ought you that bear the name of most Christian King to be careful and diligent to cease the Persecutions against the poor Christians seeing they have not troubled nor do trouble in any wise the Sate of your Kingdom and your Affairs Considering also that the Jews are suffered throughout all Christendom although they be mortal Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ which we hold by common accord and consent for our God Redeemer and Saviour and that until you have heard lawfully debated and understand our Reasons taken out of the Holy Scriptures and that your Majesty have judged if we be worthy of such punishments for if we be not overcome by the Word of God the Fire the Sword nor the cruel Torments shall not make us afraid these are Exercises that God has promised his the which he fortold should come in the last times that they should not be troubled when such things came upon them Translated out of the French Book intituled Commentaries of the State of the Church and Publique Weale page 7. Notwithstanding the Letter and warning the King no whit abated his cruel Persecution against the Lords People but rather was the more hardened in heart and inflamed against them pouring out great Threatning against them But the Lord in whose hand the hearts of Kings are caused him to stoop for shortly after in a publick Triumph or Jusling Mountgomery and the King met together so stoutly that in breaking their Spears the King was stricken with a counter blow right in one of his Eyes and the shivers entered into his Head so that his Brains festered and perished and no remedy could be found but he dyed having reigned twelve years three moneths and ten dayes Amongst others it is not to be forgoten the Example of Gods just Scourge upon Sigismundus the Emperor A just Judgment upon Sigismundus the Emperour who after his wrongful condemnation of John Husse and Hierome of Prage nothing afterwards went prosperous with him but all contrary so that he died without issue and in his wars he ever had the worst and not long after Ladis Laus his Daughters son King of Hungary fighting against the Turk was slain in the Field so that in the time of one Generation all the Posterity and Off-spring of this Emperor perished besides this Barbara his Wife came to such ruin by her wicked Lewdness that she became a shame and slander to the name and state of all Queens whereby all Christian Princes may be warned how they defile themselves with the blood of Saints an Martyrs And thus the Reader may see all along throughout the Scriptures and by the record of Antient Histories The Conclusion how God hath avenged the the Cause of his People against all Persecutors for Conscience sake of every Age almost from the beginning unto these Times and now these Examples may be a Warning to the Persecutors of this Age who have made Spoil of the People of God and have the Spoil in their Houses and though such Oppressors may be lifted up because Judgment is not speedily executed yet let such consider their wayes and repent before it be too late for the Lord is at the Door and beholds the Actions of such as grind the face of his People and though he hath long forbearance yet his Judgments will come if there be not repentance in time Return therefore whilst ye have time O ye Persecutors and wicked Men for the day of the Lord is at hand It shall come as a Destruction from the Almighty therefore shall all hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid Pangs and Sorrows shall take hold upon them they shall be in Pain as a Woman that travelleth they shall be amazed one at an other their faces shall be as Flames Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with Wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the Sinners thereof out of it and will punish the World for their Evil and the wicked for their Iniquity and will cause the arrogancy of the Proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the Terrible A Christian Plea AGAINST PERSECUTION For the Cause of CONSCIENCE Grounded Upon Scripture Reason Experience and Testimonies OF Princes and learned Authors Acts 5.38 39. Now I say unto you Refrain from these Men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work be of Men it will come to nought but if it be of God you cannot overthrow it lest happily you be found Fighters against God Printed and Published for the Service of Truth The Contents I. REason against Persecution is because it is Contrary to the Scriptures II. Reason against Persecution for the cause of Conscience is because it is against the Profession and Practice of Famous Princes III. Reason against Persecution is because it is condemned by the antient and the later Writers IV. Reason It s no prejudice to a Kingdom or Common-wealth if Liberty of Conscience be suffered to such as fear God as is or will be manifested iâ— such mens Lives and Conversations as Scripture-Examples Testifie V. Several Testimonies shewing that Conscience ought to be free and not to be imposed upon and no person
Blood was Arguments enough of the imprudence of that way of promoting Religion but since she hath given permission to them c. The great instance is in the differing Temper Government and Success which Margaret of Parma and the Duke of Alva had the clemency of the first had almost extinguished the Flame but when she was removed D. Alva succeeded and mannaged the matter of Religion with Fire and Sword he made the Flame so great that his Religion and his Prince too had both been almost turned out of the Countrey Pellie mediosapientiam quoties vi res agitur said Ennius Wisdom is driven out when the matter is acted by force And therefore the best of men and most glorious of Princes were alwayes ready to give Toleration Eusebeus in his second Book of the life of Constantine reports these words of the Emperor Parem cum fidelibus ij qui errant pacis quietis fruitionem gaudentes accipiant ipsa si quidem communicationis societatis restitutio ad rectam etiam veritat is viam perducere potest nemo cuiquam molestis sit quisque quod animo destinat hoc etiam faciat Let them which err with joy receive the like fruition of Peace and quietness with the Faithful sith the restoring of communication and society may bring them into the right Way of Truth Let none give molestation to any let every one do as he determines in his mind And indeed there is great reason for Princes to give Toleration to disagreeing persons whose Opinions cannot by fair means be altered for if the persons be confident they will serve God according to their perswasions and if they be publickly prohibited they will privately convene and then all those inconveniences and mischiefs which are Arguments against the permission of Conventicles are Arguments for the publick permissions of differing Religions c. they being restrained and made miserable indears the discontented persons mutual and makes more hearty and dangerous confederations King James in his Letters to the States of the United-Provinces dated March 6.1613 thus wrot Ita ut prohibeatis Ministros vestros ne eas disputationes in suggestum aut ad plebem ferant ac districte impertis ut pacem colant se in vicem tolerando in ista opinionum ac sententiarum discrepantia So that you may forbid your Ministers that they bring not those Disputations into the Pulpit or to the People and strictly command that they embrace peace among themselves by Tolerating in that difference of Opinions and Judgments The like Counsel in the divisions of Germany at the first Reformation was thought reasonable by the Emperor Ferdinand and his excellent Son Maximilian for they had observed That Violence did exasperate was unblest unsuccesful and unreasonable and therefore they made Decrees of Toleration And the Duke of Savoy repenting of his War undertaken for Religion against the Piedmontans promised them Toleration and was as good as his word As much is done by the Nobility of Polenia so that the best Princes and the best Bishops gave Toleration and Impunities but it is known that the first Persecution of disagreeing Persons was by the Arrians by Circumcellians and Donatists and from them they of the Church took Example c. And among the Greeks it became a publick and authorized practise till the question of Images grew hot and high for then the Worshippers of Images having taken their example from the Empreis Irene who put her son's eyes out for making an Edict against Images began to be as cruel as they were deceived especially being encouraged by the Pope of Rome who then blew the Coales to some purpose I may upon this occasion give account of this affair in the Church of Rome it is remarkable that till the time of Justinian the Emperor A. D. 525. the Catholicks and Novatians had Churches indifferently permitted even in Rome it self but the Bishops of Rome whose interest was much concerned in it spoke much against it and laboured the eradication of the Novatians and at last when they got power into their hands they served them accordingly but it is observed by Sâ—crates that when the first persecution was made against them at Rome by Pope Innocent the first at the same instant the Goths invaded Itally and became Lords of all it being just in God c. And I have heard it observed as a blessing upon S. Austin who was so merciful to erring Persons as the greatest part of his life to tolerate them and never to indure that they should be given over to the seculer power to be killed that the very night the Vandals set down before his City of Hippo to besiege it he died and went to God being taken from the miseries to come But in the Church of Rome the Popes were the first Preachers of Force and Violence in matters of Opinion and that so zealously that Pope Vigilius suffer'd himself to be imprisoned and handled roughly by the Emperor Justinian rather then he would consent to the restitution and peace of certain disagreeing persons c. The first that preached that Doctrine was dominick the Founder of the Begging Order of Friars The Friars Preachers in memory of which the Inquitision is intrusted only to the Fryars of his order and if there be any force in Dreams or truth in Legends c. This very thing might be signified by his mothers Dream who the night before Dominick was born dreamed she was brought to bed of a huge Dog with a Fire-brand in his mouth sure enough however his Disciples expound the Dream it was a better sign that he should prove a Rabid furious incendiary then any thing else what ever he might be in the other parts of this life in this Doctrine he was not much better as appears in his deportment towards the Abligences against whom he so preached Adeo quidem ut centum hereticorum millia ab octo millibus catholicorum fuse interfecta fuisse probiantur saith one of him and of those who were taken one hundred and eighty were burned to death because they would not abjure their Doctrine this was the first Example of putting erring Persons to death that I find in the Romish Church By this time I hope it will not be thought unreasonable to say He that teaches mercy to erring Persons teaches indifferency in Religion unless so many Fathers and so many Churches and the best of Emperors and all the World till they were abused by Tyranny Popery and Faction did teach indifferency For I have shewn that Christianity doth not punish corporally persons erring Spiritually but indeed Popery doth The Donatists and Circumcelians and Arrians and Itaciani they of old did in the middle Ages the Patrons of Images did and the Papists at this day do and have done ever since they were taught it by their St Dominick Let all Errors be as much and as zealously supprest as may be but let it be done by such means as are