had we feared the same we had never exposed our bodies to this so shamefull and painfull a kinde of death Then he often reiterated these short breathings O God Father everlasting accept the sacrifice of our bodies for thy well beloved Sonne Iesus Christs sake One of the Friers cried Heretike thou liest he is none of thy father the Devill is thy father And thus during these conflicts he bent his eyes to heaven and speaking to his father said Behold for I sée the heavens open and millions of Angels ready prest to receive us rejoycing to sée us thus witnessing the truth in the view of the World Father let us be glad and rejoyce for the joyes of heaven are set open unto us Then said one of the Fryers I sée hell open and millions of Devils present to carry you thither But the Lord who never forsakes any that put their trustin him stirred up the heart and opened the mouth of a poore man who stood among the multitude beholding this spectacle who being moved with compassion cryed aloud Be of good comfort Baudicon stand thou to it thou 〈◊〉 in a good quarrell I am on thy side after which words he departed thence and a way being made for him saved himselfe from danger Fire was forthwith put to the straw and wood which burnt beneath whilest they not shrinking for the paines spake one to another Baudicon often repeating this in his fathers eares Faint not father nor be afraid Yet a very little while and wee shall enter into the heavenly mansions In the end the fire growing hot upon them the last words they were heard to pronounce were Iesus Christ thou Sonne of God into thy hands we commend our spirits And thus these two slept swéetly in the Lord. Within eight dayes after Iane the mother and Martin her sonne were executed in the same City of Lile but of this more hereafter Iane the wife of Robert Oguier and Martin her sonne Martyrs THe wife here followes her husband and accompanies her sonne her conversion is admirable for being severed from him the Friers having seduced her laboured with her to turne her some also out of the right way but he understanding thereof recovers his mother againe and so they both gaue their lives for the truth to the great confusion of their enemies But before we come to describe their happy ends we will as briefely as may be note by the way the great conflicts of spirit which both of them sustained There were sent unto them many of the popish rabble to turne them from their faith Now that this their devillish enterprise might the rather be effected they sundred one of them from the other so as by the politique deuice of a Monke the poore woman began to waver and let goe her first faith At this their enemies rejoyced not a little whilest the poore little flocke of Christ hearing such sad newes were in continuall perplexity but the Lord left them not in this mournfull condition For on a day one of the Monkes resorted to her in the prison counselling her to win her sonne Martin and to draw him from his errors which she promised to doe But when he was come to his Mother and perceiued that she was not onely fallen but also quite turned out of the right way he began with teares to bewayle her miserable estate O Mother saith he what have you done Have you denyed him who hath redéemed you Alas what evill hath he done you that you should requite him with this so great an iniury and dishonour Now I am plunged into that woe which I have most feared Ah good God that I should live to sée this which pierceth me to the very heart His Mother hearing these his pittifull complaints and séeing the teares which her sonne shed for her began againe to renue her strength in the Lord and with teares cryed out O Father of mercies be mercifull unto me miserable sinner and cover my transgression under the righteousnesse of thy blessed Sonne Lord enable me with strength from above to stand to my first confession and make me to abide stedfast therein even unto my last breath It was not long after this her change but the same instruments of Satan who had seduced her came in supposing to finde her in the same minde wherein they left her whom she no sooner espied but with detestation said Avoyd Satan get thee behinde me for henceforth thou hast neither part nor portion in me I will by the help of God stand to my first confession And if I may not signe it with Inke I will seale it with my blood And so from that time this fraile vessell who for a while relented after her recovery grew stronger and stronger The Iudges séeing their constancy delayed not to dispatch them out of the way condemning them to be burned alive and their bodies being reduced to ashes the same to be scattered and dispersed in the aire The mother and the sonne having heard their sentence read in the way as they were going backe againe to prison said now blessed be our God who causeth us thus to triumph over our enemies This is the wished houre our gladsome day is come Let us not then said Martin forget to be thankefull for the honour he doth us in thus conforming us unto the Image of his Sonne Let us remember those who have traced this path before us for this is the high way to the Kingdome of heaven Let us then good Mother goe on boldly out of the Campe with the Son Heb. 13. 13. of God bearing his reproach with all his holy Martyrs for so we shall finde passage into the glorious Kingdome of the everliving God Some of the company hearing but not being able to brooke these words said we sée now thou heretique that thou art wholly possessed body and soule with a divell as was thy father and brother who are both in Hell Martin said Sirs as for your railings and cursings our God will this day turne them into blessings in the sight of himselfe and of all his holy Angels A certaine temporizer said to Martin thou silly See here the sundry â—ights of Satan youth thou sayest thou knowest not what thou art too well conceited of thy selfe and of thy cause Séest thou not all this people here about thée what thinkest thou of them they beléeve not as thou doest and yet I doubt not but they shall be saved But you imagine to doe that which will never come to passe though you pretend never so much that you are in the faith and have the Scriptures for you The good woman hearing this answered Sir Christ Iesus our Lord saith that it is the wide gate and broad way which leades to destruction Mat. 7. 12. and therefore many gooe in thereat but the gate saith he is narrow that leades to life and few How we may know we are in the right way there be that finde it Doe ye
my friends for their love expressed toward me and salute them kindely with an holy kisse in the Lord. Your humble and obedient sonne Iohn Ioris of Asschen Thus were these two witnesses of Iesus Christ executed the fourtéenth of April 1567. ¶ A worthy answer of a constant Martyr called Guy de Brez Anno. Dom. 1567. GUy be Brez a Minister of the Gospell being committed prisoner into the Castle of Tournay was visited by many Ladies Gentlemen onely out of a desire to sée him in regard hee was a man so highly estéemed Some at the first view scoffed others railed on him but others were moved to take pitty and compassion on him Among the rest the Countesse of Ren accompanied with certaine Gentlewomen comming into the prison and at the first entrance beholding the iron chain to which he was fastned Master Guy said she I wonder how you can either eate drinke or sléepe in quiet for were I in your case the very terror thereof would goe nigh to kill me O Madam said he the good cause for which I suffer and that inward peace of conscience wherewith God hath endued me makes me eate and drinke with greater contentment than my enemios can which séeke my life yea so farre off is it that my bonds or chaine doe any way terrifie me or breake off my sléepe that on the contrary I glory and take delight therein estéeming them at an higher rate than chains and rings of gold or any other jewels of price whatsoever for they yéeld me much more profit Yea when I heare the raâ—ing of my chaine me thinkes I heare as it were some swéet instrument of Musicke sounding in mine eares not that such an effect comes méerely from my chaines but in regard I am bound therewith for maintaining the truth of the Gospell ¶ The same Martyr in a Letter to his wife acquaints her with Gods gracious dealing with him in all his assaults SPeaking of his apprehension he shewes how carnall reason began to play its part against the providence of God for saith he these thoughts came througing into my head What meant we to go so many in company together as we did had it not béen for such and such we had never béen discovered nor taken Vnder such like cogitations I lay for a while saith he even in a manner overwhelmed till by the assistance of Gods holy Spirit my minde was raised up to meditate on Gods providence After which my heart began to féel wonderfull rest and contentment saying thus in my selfe O my God the day and houre of my birth was before ordained by thee and ever since thou hast preserved and kept me in great perils and dangers and hitherto delivered me out of them all And if now the houre be come wherin I must passe out of this life into thy kingdom thy holy will be done I cannot escape out of thy hands yea though I could yet Lord thou knowest I would not seeing all my felicity depends upon conforming my will unto thine From these considerations I received no small consolation and therefore deare wife rejoyce with me I pray you and blesse our good God for these his mercies towards me for he doth nothing but that which is equall and right You have béene privy to and acquainted with all the travels crosses and persecutions which have befallen me yea and have your selfe béene partaker with me therein when you accompanied me in my voyages during the time of my exile and now after all these you sée my welbeloved in the Lord how he holdeth forth unto me his hand of providence to drive me home to himselfe into his blessed kingdome I now lead you the way and when his will is you shall follow me thither Our separation shall not be for ever it will not be long ere we be gathered under one head Iesus Christ This world is not the place of our rest no heaven is our home this is but the place of our banishment Let us therefore aspire after our true countrey namely heaven and long to be received into the Mansions of our heavenly father where we shall sée our head and Brother our husband and Saviour Iesus Christ with the noble triumphant assemblies of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and so many millions of Martyrs to whom I hope shortly to be gathered having finished the course of that administration which I have received of the Lord Iesus Wherefore deare wife be you comforted in the meditation of these things Take into your consideration the honour the Lord doth you in giving you a husband who is not only called to be a Minister of Christs Gospel but also so highly advanced of God as to be accounted worthy to partake of the crowne of martyrdome It is an honour which the Angels in heaven are Angels not capable of being Martyrs not capable of I now rejoyce in my sufferings my heart leapeth within me in my afflictions I finde nothing wanting unto mee I am filled with the abundant riches of my God yea so far am I comforted therewith that I have sufficient store not onely for my selfe but to impart thereof also to as many as I have opportunity to speake unto Which bounty and favour I beséech my Eternall Lord God to continue to me his poore prisoner yea I am perswaded that he will perform it unto the end for by good experience I féele that he never forsakes them that trust in him I Gods goodnes to his afflicted children is oft above and beyond their expectation could never have imagined that God would have béene so gracious as he hath béen to me his poore creature I now taste of the fidelity and bounty of Christ my Saviour I am here taught to practise what I have preached unto others Yea let me not be ashamed to confesse that when I heretofore preached I spake but as a Parrat in regard of that which I have now better learned by proofe and experience I have profited more in the schoole-house of this prison than ever I did in all my life before Prisons prove Gods schoole-houses to the faithfull for I have the holy Ghost who is my constant instructor and schoolmaster teaching me how to handle my weapons in this fight of afflictions Satan on the other side who is the sworne enemy of all Gods Elect compasseth me about on every side as a roaring Lyon thinking to devoure me But he who hath said Feare not I have overcome the world puts as it were new courage into Iohn 16. 33. Rom. 16 20. 2 Cor. 12. 9. me and then I sée the Lord bruising Satan under my féet féeling the power of God perfected in my weakenesse And thus the Lord causeth mee one while to féele my infirmity and weakenesse that so I may take knowledge how I am but a poore earthen Vessell even weakenesse it selfe to humble mee that God may have all the glory It is profitable for the godly sometimes to feele their
there be seven or two hée will acknowledge no more then hée list for he had confessed there were but two The chiefe sheriffe demanded of him in these termes whither hée beléeved that the Lord remained upon the Altar flesh body and bone I answer saith Herwin with Saint Steven that the highest dwelleth not in temples made with hands Heaven saith the Lord is my throne and the earth is my footstoole Isai 66. 1. 2. what house will yée then make unto mée and where is the place of my rest Hath not my hand made all these And then tooke occasion to admonish the Iudges which sate there to examine the Doctrine of the Romane Church by the true touchstone which is the holy scripture that so they might discern how opposite and contrary the one is to the other Consider also saith hée what the words of saint Peter import where hée affirmes that we ought to obey God rather then man Yea it is high time for you to thinke upon Act. 4. 19. 5. 29. A godly admonition to Iudges and Magistrates what I say and that seriously also for at the last day it is neither your priests nor your placcards which you thinke to stop our mouths withall that shall any way excuse you then And as for the title of the Romane Catholike Church which you hold out against us I deny not but in the Apostles time and afterwards there was a true Church in Rome as well as in Corinth Galatia among the Philippians and in other churches but When the church of Rome was a true Church after that she fell from the pure word of God and falsified the Sacraments thereof turning ecclesiasticall discipline into auricular confession God hath also forsaken her she ought now no more to bée called a Church of God but rather the Synagogue of Satan As soone as the chiefe Sheriffe who is called the first speaker heard this he commanded him away Having then given sufficient testimony of his Faith before those of Houscot he craved for Iustice either one way or another But they on the contrary urged him to desist from his opinion To which he answered that his faith was not built of Psal 14. an opinion but said he the Lord hath taught me to eschew evill and do good Yea said they but séest thou not how these opinions have troubled the World And also how many of the learneder sort do contradict them Answer So far is it off that the doctrine of the Gospell should be the cause of troubles that it only is the meanes of quieting the troubles debates and strifes which raigne in the world These troubles arise indéed from the malice of men And as touching your learned men you speake of it is impossible for humane wisdome to comprehend the doctrine of God for which cause Christ saith Father I thanke thee that Mat. 11. 25. Luke 10. 21. thou hast hid these secrets from the wise men of the World and hast revealed them to babes Now as the Sergeants conveyed him to prison they counselled him to speake more mildly and then he might doe well enough Before his death he was sorely set upon by certaine Sophisters who alledged to him the sayings of many of the ancient Fathers upon the point of the Lords Supper but he overcame them by holding close the true sense of Christs words In prison he comforted himselfe in singing of Psalmes and spirituall Songs some of which he indited himself The Canons and priests séeing the people flock together to the prison doore to heare him especially upon the Sundayes and holy daies strove by all meanes to put him by his singing They coupled him with two malefactors to be a griefe unto him who obtaining certaine instruments by the helpe of their consorts brake prison and fled Herwin might thus have escaped if he would but fearing his flight might be imputed to the godly Christians in the City he resolved rather to remaine there than to flie His sentence in the meane while comming from the Court he was no sooner advertised of it but hée thanked God for advancing him to so high an honour as to be counted worthy to suffer for his name Testifying the joy he inwardly had by a Letter which he sent to the brethren praying and exhorting them to be constant and to persevere in that Doctrine which they had received from God The fourth day of November betwéene foure and five of the clocke in the morning Herwin was sent for by the Magistrates from prison into the place of Iudgement where by intreatings and goodly promises they urged him to recant and receive their breaden God which was then to bée offered up or at least to confesse that Iesus Christ was there corporally present upon which he should by and by be delivered out of all dangers Now Herwin refusing their offer was bound and brought by force into the Chappell but he in sign of his detestation turned his backe alwayes upon it shutting his eyes and stopping his eares At the elevation of their Host one who was knéeling to it asked him if Iesus Christ was not now betwéene the Priests hands No no said Herwin he is in Heaven at the right hand of his Father Soone after the sentence of death was read against him so was he delivered into the hands of the Tormentor As he passed out of the town-house standing upon the first step viewing the people who waited to sée him Sée here saith he how this wicked World rewards the poore servants of Iesus Christ Whilest I gave my selfe to drunkennesse to playiug at Cards and Dice living in all dissolution and ungodly behaviour I was never in danger of these bands lifting up his hands which were bound I was then counted a good fellow and at that time who but I But Anno 1561. no sooner began I by conversion to aske after a godly life but the world made war upon me and became my enemy persecuting and imprisoning me and now last of all sending me to the place where I must pay my last debt But the servant is no better than his Lord For séeing they persecuted Mat. 10. 24. Iohn 15. 20. him no question they will persecute us Being come to the place where he was to suffer one of the assembly reaching him forth his hand drew nigh unto him comforting him never leaving him till he entred into the Cabbin of wood in which he was to be burnt He then began to sing the thirtieth Psalme of which having sung only the first staffe a Fryer hearing the same hastned towards him not without much difficulty through the throng that he might come néere to interrupt him who knéeling on his knées said Oh Iohn turne there is yet time and space The Martyr sleighting his glosing words turned his back upon him And many there present cryed to the Fryer Turne thou thou hypocrite and thus was he suffered quietly to finish the Psalme The Fryer
to the number of nine or thereabouts with their daughters these Murtherers hearing of it ranne violently in among them thinking to have found a Minister preaching to them but when they saw how they were mistaken they dragged them out by the haire of the head into the middest of the stréet where loading them with abundance of stripes they cast them into the river in which calamity God endued them with such strength and skill being unbound that endeavouring to swimme at length they arrived at an Isle where being seised upon againe by certaine Ferrimen they were stripped naked and then throwne againe into the River and thinking yet to save themselves they were in the end knocked downe by the seditious in the suburbs of Vienna ¶ A pitifull and tragicall spectacle A Certaine poore woman of Tours whose husband they had not long before drowned having an Infant about sixe or seven wéekes old sucking at her breasts and holding by the hand a daughter of hers very beautifull to looke upon of the age of 15. or 16. yeares was by many insolencies haled to the river side where having made her prayer upon her knées the childe sucking at her breast she shifted it there in the sun and after laid it upon the grasse then knéeling downe againe commended it to God Meane while this hellish-rable used many words to turne the yong maiden from her religion some using sore threats others making her many faire promises One of the soldiers being a braver gallant than the rest promised her marriage so as the poore wench stood in a mammering not knowing what to doe Her Mother séeing her wavering earnestly exhorted her to persist in the truth her self being at that instant ready to be plunged into the water The daughter beholding such an outrage crying out used these words all which was afterwards testified by those who were consenting to this murther being also converted themselves by such a rare example of constancy I will said she live and die with my mother whom I know to be a vertuous woman as for your threates and promises I regard them not do with me as you please The Mother was not yet dead when these mercilesse wretches threw in the daughter after her who making towards her Mother and they both embracing each other yéelded up their soules into the hands of God The poore Infant was taken up by a soldier who having kept it a day and a night from the breast laid it the next day in a Church porch whence being taken up and given to a nurse to kéep it would never take the breast after but within two daies it dyed ¶ An history containing the singular constancy of a Christian Woman together with her gracious Answers to her adversaries IN the same City of Tours the death of an honest Matron called Glée is very remarkable This woman having much profited in the knowledge of Gods word was presented before Chavigny before whom she gave a reason of her faith confirmed by testimonies of scripture with such constancy in the presence of certaine Fryers and Priests that in the end they gave her no other answer but this that she was in a damnable estate It séemes so indéed said shée being now in your hands but I have a God that will neither leave nor forsake me for all that Thou hast said they renounced the Faith It is true said she I have renounced your faith which I am able to shew is rejected and accursed of God and therefore deserves not so much as to be called Faith Upon this they committed her to prison where she was againe sollicited to recant to which purpose they sent certaine women unto her into the prison but all in vaine for on the contrary she spake her minde fréely and comforted the prisoners which were in the same prison with her for religion Anno 1562. Now it happened one morning as shee was about to take some bodily refreshing newes was brought her that shee was condemned to be hanged with thrée men also Which newes she received with such joy and rejoicing that the officer had no sooner ended his message but forthwith she knéeling on her knées began to praise and magnifie the name of God in that he had shewed her so much mercy as to deliver her by such a kinde of death out of the troubles of this wretched world as also for that it pleased the Lord to honor her so far as to die for his truth and to weare his livery meaning the halter which the hangman had now put about her necke Then sitting downe at table to breake her fast with the rest of the company giving thanks to God shée exhorted them to be of good courage and to trust unto the end in his frée and only mercy Lastly having sent her children some such small trifles as shée then had about her shée called for a cleane linnen Wastecote making her selfe ready as if shée had béen going to a wedding Being conducted thus with the rest of the prisoners about two of the clocke in the afternoone and passing by Saint Martins Church she was commanded to receive a torch into her hand and to acknowledge shée had offended God and the King Away away said she with it I have neither offended God nor the King according to your meaning nor in respect of the cause for which I suffer I am I confesse a sinnefull woman but I need no such light for helping me to aske forgivenesse of God for my sins past or present use such things your selves who sit and walke in the darknesse of ignorance and error Then one of her kinsfolkes met her in the way and presented unto her view her little children praying her to have compassion on them séeing that by renouncing her religion she might yet preserve her life and sée them provided for Upon this méeting her motherly affection caused her to shed plenty of teares but by and by taking unto her new courage I must needs tell you said she that I love my children dearly but yet neither for love I bear to them or any thing else in this world will I renounce the truth or my God who is and will be a Father unto them to provide better for them than I could have done and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them and so passed on chéerfully without being any further daunted Drawing nigh to the place of execution she called upon God without ceasing lifting her hands up to Heaven Now the men which came with her being ready to suffer when shée saw them about to die silent and not to call on God she exhorted them thereto and began aloud to rehearse the confession of sinnes which begins thus Lord God Almighty and everlasting Father c. and so continuing forth the ordinary prayers reciting also the Lords prayer and the Articles of the Créed shée with much peace and joy in the holy Ghost finished her life ¶ A Note touching the
when his will is he will also deliver mee out of thy hands being more afflicted with the blasphemies which this varlet uttered then with all the torments which she endured on her body He having bemauled her shinnes with the pattents shée wore upon her féet shée told him his cruelty farre excéeded that of the Turkes and Infidels Whereupon he calling her a Huguenot whore told her That these were but the beginnings of her sorrowes so as if she did not disclose unto him her seven hundred pieces of gold hée would draw her chéeks and breasts with Lard and then fasten her to a forme and burne her quicke and after mount her up to the highest stéeple in the City and cast her thence downe headlong Well said she though my body fall never so low that shall not let my soule from being carried up into heaven This Captaine being herewith more inflamed with ire than before séeing that none of these cruelties could shake the faith and constancy of this poore woman he said unto her eat this Sugar taking loame or mortar from off the wall causing her to open her mouth with his dagger and to swallow it downe But not contenting himselfe herewith the villaine forced her to drink a glasse of Vrine which himselfe had made in her presence and then threw the glasse with what remained therein in her face Lastly he caused her to passe along through the troups of souldiers with intention to have had her slaine among them yet compassion moving them to spare her he brought her into his lodging where this inraged Wolfe by strange cruelties would have caused her to lose her life had not some of the inhabitants by giving him ten crownes redéemed her and so conveyed her to her owne house where within a short time after she finished her dayes One buried alive PEter Roch servant to the Lievtenant of Dignes being met withall in the countrey was buried alive they constrained him to dig his owne grave himselfe and so try whether it were large enough or no unto which he was compelled by Bartholomew Chause-grosse and his complices Provence Two women crowned with thornes THe wife of Andrew Renaud being brought through Saint Martins of Castillon was stripped stark naked and resisting such as would have violated her chastity she was whipped outragiously Anno 1566. then wounded with swords crowned with thornes then cast into the river and lastly shot to death with harquebuses Iannenta Calvin of the place of Cella being of the age of eighty yeres brought into the city of Brignole with a crowne of thornes platted upon her head being whipped till the bloud came excéedingly was first stoned and then burned alive Mascon THe Murtherers in this city having seised upon the body of Bonnet Bor in Mascon one of the most noble houses of the same a man of great learning and of an unblameable life who in other places had served in the Ministry twenty yeares having béen ransommed thrée severall times was carried along with a thousand scoffes and frâ—nps smitten with fists through the corners of the stréets with crying That whosoever would heare this devout and holy man preach should come to the slaughterhouse Whither having brought him they buffeted and mocked him two full houres Hée onely requested before hée died that they would permit him to make his prayers to God Whereupon cutting off the one halfe of his nose and one of his eares they said Now pray as long as thou wilt and then wee will send thee to all the Devils Then he knéeled down and lifting up his eies to Heaven prayed with such fervency of spirit that hée caused some of his murtherers to sigh within themselves Then directing his spéech to him who had cut off his nose he said Friend I am here ready to suffer what thou hast yet further to inflict upon me But this I intreat of thee and thy companions to bethinke you well of the outrages committed by you against this poore city for know there is a God before whose Tribunall you must give an account of these your cruelties At these words the bloud issued so fast out at his nose that it hindred him from procéeding on in that hée was about to have said A Captaine passing by cryed to the souldiers Send this wretched man to the Devill Which one of them hearing tooke him by the hand and brought him to the brimme of the river Saone somewhat above the slaughter house pretending to wash and cleanse him from the bloud wherwith his visage was besmeared conducting him to a boat for this purpose into which he was no sooner entred but he there presently turned him over into the river wherein he striving for life and crying to God for mercy these tyrants battered him with stones till he sunke under the water and so died Sée here in part saith the Historiographer the lamentable estate of the poore churches of France during the first troubles which ended with the end of the Duke of Guise the principall actor therein who was slaine at the siege of Orleance not without the immediate hand of God in the yeare 156â— by a poore gentleman whose name was Iohn Poltrot a man very desperate but of small stature and therefore commonly called the little Spaniard who shooting the Duke into the shoulder with a pistoll as he was riding to his tent in an evening uaon a little negge was for the same fact adiudged to be drawne in pieces by foure horses his head to be cut off and his torne body to be burnt to ashes ¶ A very comfortable Letter written by Wouter Oom Prisoner and Martyr in the City of Antwerpe and full of consolation against the feare of persecution directed to a Brother and Sister of his Grace and peace from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen WElbeloved brother and sister whom I love dearely for the truths sake and for your faith in Christ Iesus These are to certifie you that I am in bodily health and enjoy the comfort or a good conscience I praise my Lord God therefore who is able to increase the same more and more by the powerfull operation of his holy spirit Whosoever they be that will forsake this present evill world and become followers of their Captain Christ must make account to méet with many persecutions and afflictions for Christ hath told us aforehand that we should be hated persecuted Mat. 10. 12. and banished out of the world for his names sake And this they will doe saith he because they have neither knowne the father nor Iohn 16. 3. me But be not afraid saith he for I have overcome the world Saint Paul also witnesseth the 2 Tim. 3. 12. same thing saying all that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution And again to you it is given for Iesus Christ not onely to beléeve in him but also to suffer for his sake And Phil. 1. 24. Mat. 5. 11 12.
doth not our Lord Iesus Christ say blessed are you when men persecute you and speake all manner of evill falsly against you for my name sake Rejoice therefore and be glad for great is your reward in heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Iesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. 21. leaving us an example that we should walke in his steps who also endured the crosse and despised Heb. 12 2. the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that Rom. 5 2. state of grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. Wherefore deare brother and sister be not afrayd of the fiery tryall which is now sent amongst us to prove us For what Father loving his childe doth not correct it Heb. 12. Even so doth the Lord chastise those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction wherof all true Christians are partakers then were we bastards and not sons And therefore Salomon saith my sonne despise not the chastening of the Prov. 3. 11 12. Lord neither faint when thou are corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the sonne in whom he delighteth Feare not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the head and we are his members Even as Christ then hath obtained full joy glory by suffering of anguishes and sorrowes so we also according to his example must through Acts 14 21. many tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the new Ierusalem Let us then say Phil. 1. 21. with saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O Rom. 7 24. wretched creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death Sée here how the faithfull have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an eye to that holy City Anno 1562. which hath foundations whose builder and maker Heb. 11. 10. is God Let vs then my beloved chéerefully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our soules by patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Ieremiah both to hope and quietly to Lam. 3. 26. waite for the salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to beare the yoke in his youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his salvation Loe here deare brother and sister what consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy word for us I say whose desire it is to feare the Lord and to trust in his grace and mercy For Psal 37. 39. the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord hée is their strength in the time of trouble Wherfore q giving all diligence let us adde to faith vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse love for if these things be in us and abound they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sonnes sake our Lord Amen Out of my hole December the eleventh 1562. Wouter Oom prisoner for the truth Now because ye may see that this Letter was not without its happy effect hearken to the relation of the History following THere was one Iohn Wolfe of the City of Audenard who because he could no longer inhabite there without either the danger of his life or wounding of his conscience his wife being great with childe and as yet but weake in the knowledge of the Gospell he was forced for these respects to joyne himselfe to the assembly of the Church in Antwerpe where thinking himselfe in safety a neighbour of his owing him ill will accused him to the Margrave about the baptising of his childe Whereupon being then committed and examined where and in whose presence his childe was baptized he without staggering answered that he had it baptised according to the institution of Christ by a Minister set apart to that Office The Margrave not content with this answer often pressed him with sundry threats of the torture to accuse such as he knew But the sharpest combat he endured was from his owne flesh counselling him during his imprisonment for the safegard of his life to dissemble and halt betwéen two opinions The cause was from the inward affection he bore towards his wife and childe being yet but young and of singular beauty in regard whereof many of the congregation expected no other but that he would sinke under this tryall But in the middest of these assaults hée was heard with prayers and sighes to cry mightily to God to bée delivered from this temptation Which prayers of his were heard in due season even then Whither wee ought to fly in time of temptation when in the judgement of man he was supposed to be overcome thereof meanes was made of bringing to his hands consolatory letters as also the said Wouter Dom then prisoner with him comforted him not a little by his letters Whereby in the end he continued so strong in the Lord as also constant in the confession of the truth that in conclusion he received the sentence of death with the aforesaid Wouter After which his wife came unto him and they were permitted to talke together bursting out each of them into such abundance of teares that it would have moved the most stony heart that ever was At parting with a bitter cry hée commended her to Gods mighty protection and his childe to be trained up in the true Religion Soone after hée was drowned in the tub or fat of the prison and the next day hanged upon one of the Gibbets néer unto the City ¶ A relation of the troubles and martyrdome of Christian Quekere Iaques Dionssart and Iean de Salomez of Steenwerk in Flanders To whom God gave such ability to answer their enemies demands as if they had come from persons much more learned Which shewes that God measures out to all the gifts and graces of his holy Spirit according to his good will and pleasure WHilest the persecution continued at this time in sundry places of Flanders under Philip King of Spaine and that many fled into England under the protection of Quéene Elizabeth these thrée above mentioned were of the same number who joyned themselves to the Dutch Church in London having given publique testimony of their faith before all the Congregation In which place they continuod not long but they were constrained upon some speciall occasions to
the Lord but the one to saint Walburgne called the Church of Andenard and the other to their Lady which is within the jurisdiction of the Lord of Pamelle Iohn Tuscaen directed his course towards this Church to performe that which long before he had in his owne thoughts projected Being come into the Quire of the Church in Pamelle beholding there a multitude of People utterly estranged from the true worship of God ready to fall downe and prostitute themselves before a breaden cake forthwith not casting what should be the issue being urged thereto through a zeale of Gods glory drew towards the Priest while he was elevating and shewing the people that which they call the host and with great vehemencie snatched it out of his hands cast it to the ground and brake it all to pieces speaking with a loud voice sée here my Masters your goodly God who you sée is not able to helpe himselfe but is here broken all to pieces How long how long O ye senselesse Priests will you thus defile the holy supper of the Lord shall wee never sée an end of your filthy Idolatries If the authority of the holy scripture can nothing move you yet at length be warned and admonished by this present example that there is not a jot of divinity in this bread séeing it is subject to be thus handled will yee worship a dead Idoll your selves being living men At this so vehement and bold an exhortation accompanied with such constancy all the people there present stood amazed and in such an extasie but yet withall such a noise and bustling throughont the Church that the Curate of the parish who before was in some by-corner there comming towards the Quire met Tuscaen as hee was passing through the prease without any feare or let The Curate saluted him not knowing what he had done much lesse suspecting that he was the cause of all that tumult and stirre for he was his cousin Howbeit Iohn would take no knowledge of his salutation but began to reprove him for deluding and abusing the poore silly people being their overseer for a day will come said he in which you shall render an account to God for them In the hearing of this the Curate called upon the people to lay hold upon the said Iohn Tuscaen as hee was going out of the Church faire and softly So that it had been easie for him to have quite himself out of their fingers if he had but hastned his pace a little because none offered to touch or apprehend him The Curate seeing that delaied not but with all speed got him to the under Bailiffe of Pamelle by whose outcries and importunities the Bailiffe could doe no lesse but goe with him to apprehend the great Heretique As they were making towards him hee shewed no more semblance of escaping then before Then they tooke and imprisoned him without any resistance Dinner being ended he was presented Anno 1567. before the Magistrates of Pamelle to be examined in the presence of the Curate after they had enquired of him who they were that incited and set him on to doe such an outragious act unto the host they asked him what he held the bread in the Masse to be and whether he did not beléeve it was the body of Christ If saith he you consider well what the Angell sayd to the Apostles at his assumption viz. Act. 1. 11. this same Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have séene him goe Where Christ is to bee sought into heaven You may plainely discerne that we are not to séeke him here below After many other questions and answers béeing sent againe to prison he was the second time examined and being asked whether he was himselfe when he did it or distracted Hée answered That he had done it not rashly but upon mature deliberation Béeing further demanded what should move him to commit so hainous an act If this saith he séemeth so strange unto you then I pray you tell me who moved Moses to breake the Tables of stone written with the finger of Exod. 32. 19. God They perceiving that he secretly aimed at their Idolatrie sent him to prison againe The eighth of Iune he was brought betimes in the morning into the judgment Hall to receive their sentence which was to be pronounced against him where two friers Minorites were purposely sent to sée if they could turne him from his constancy to which purpose asking him if he did not beleeve that God was included in the bread which is lifted up in the Masse He answered them by another question namely whether the Potter could make a pot They sayd yes but what was that to the purpose He asked them againe if the pot could make a Potter The good fathers séeing whereabouts he went forthwith left him When he saw he had thus stopped their mouths he thanked God Then the Magistrates of the city went up into the judgement seat and gave sentence against him which was first to have that hand stricken off with which he had taken the Host out of the priests hands and his body to bée burned to ashes which afterward was to be scattered into the river Hearing this sentence hée was very joyfull thanking his Iudges and the Lord of Pamelle But the Bailiffe of Audenard wished him rather to aske forgivenesse of God and of the people for the offence he had commited If I have offended any said hée I aske them forgivenesse Then was he led forth to be executed and as he went he sung in his own mother tongue the Lords praier with such confidence as argued the inward peace of his Conscience in dying in so good a quarrell The tormentor willed him to stretch forth his arme that his hand might be cut off which he did suffering the same with such a patience as if hée had felt no paine And then with his eyes lifted up to heaven he said O Lord God it is for the glory of thy name that I endure these things inable mee now with strength from above that I may finish this sacrifice Forthwith the fire was kindled which made him at the first to shrinke a little but by continuall and ardent prayer to God the violence of the torment was abated and asswaged Now standing in the middest of the flames his body being in a manner halfe consumed hée shewed apparent signes unto the beholders of his invincible courage by holding up as well as hée could his armes on a light fire Thus was this valiant Martyr handled in the presence of multitudes which caused many to cleave the rather to the Doctrine of the Gospell séeing him dye so constantly The River of Escant received his ashes that the Sentence given upon him might be fully accomplished Martin Smetius Martyr Anno 1567. MArtin Smetius being prisoner in the Castle of Vilvourd there came to him a Frier to examine him and with a purpose to turne him
betwéen that evening and the next day There were slaine at that conflict twenty seven persons and among them these which follow Bettino of Azzala sonne of Pietro of age fourty five yéers Perrotta his wife being of the age of fourty Pietro their sonne being of age twelve yéeres Andreino Zopo sonne of Ianotto age fourty Iames sonne of Iohn Domenico Quadernetto age thirty Iohn Monegatti age fifty eight Michaele della Kosa age 38. Iacomena de Burieo age thirty yéeres Iean Moneta age eighty This Woman was oftentimes advised to become a Romane Catholike and to favour her age telling her that if shée would shée should have her life given her but she with great resolution replied God forbid that I who now of long time have had one foote in the grave should come to forsake my Lord Iesus who hath so long time preserved me in the knowledgè and confession of his truth and to put my trust in creatures and to receive in stead of his holy word the traditions of men Upon which words this worthy Matron was instantly slaine Now there is no doubt but in this furious persecution at Bruse and in other places there have béene murdered many good men for the foresaid cause whose names have not been mentioned in this discourse but whosoever they were they have departed with this comfort that they have not suffered as murderers or robbers or malefactors or as busie bodies in those things which belong not to them but as holy Christians who at no hand would worship Images they beleeved that the bloud of Christ hath purged them from all sinne That Christ hath offered one onely sacrifice once for sins that we ought to worship the Lord God alone and onely serve him that wee are saved by grace by the meanes of faith and that not of our selves the same being the gift of God not by workes to the intent none might boast That we ought to worship God in all places holding up cleare hands unto him that every creature of God is good and none to be rejected being used with thanksgiving that mariage is honorable in every sort and condition of persons according to the expresse words of the holy Apostolique Scripture and by reason of this very confession were the inhabitants of Tyrano Teglio Sondro Malenco Berbenno Trahono Morâ—emâ—o Dabino Caspano and Bruso so cruelly persecuted and massacred There was of late time a booke printed in Italy how the pretestants of the abovesaid places should practise to execute upon the Catholiques about the 15. day of August the like which since hath befalne themselves but how divellish a slander and calumny this is may cleerâ—ly be gathered by this that where the protestants of those places are ten the popish Catholiques are a thousand Who then would beleeve that so smal a number should be able to make resistance against so great a multitude and especially against those desperate rebels and outlawd villaines who for their murders formerly committed for their corruptions of the commissaries and transgressions of the commandement of the Magistrate had before beene banished out of the Country being also suspected of sodomy of falsification of money and like ravening wolves being throughly armed entred like a most furious torrent on the sodaine slaughtering the poore naked protestants who suspected no such wrong even in those Churches which before had béen priviledged even among the Barbarous Pagans to the intent that they might put in execution that bloody designe which had béen resolved on about 17. yéeres before according to a Letter intercepted of a principall rebell in this action who is neither afraid nor a shamed to terme the same a holy resolution and an honourable enterprise which it is indéed if to spoile to rob to strangle to massacre to burn to hew in péeces children and women to cast them into fire and water to falsifieÌ„ faith ought to be accounted an attempt of holinesse if it ought to be estéemed a thing honorable and pleasing to God not to suffer the bodies of the dead being buried in the earth and in the Church to rest quietly but to take them up againe and being taken up to handle them in most barbarous manner as very lately had béen done in the Countries of Caspano and Trahone and in other places where the bodies digged out of the ground which before were entire and whole were throwne into rivers and water to be meat for the fishes and having bruised and ground their bones to powder most barbarously to cast them into the fire But here if ever the old tale of Aesop is verified where the poore silly shéepe was accused to have troubled the water of a malitious wolfe although the said shéep dranke below at the foot of the river Therefore it appeareth most clearely every way that the aforesaid persons underwent those sufferings for no other cause but only for the truth of the Gospell even as by the eternall decrée of God the holy Prophets Saint Io Battista the holy Apostles yea even our Lord and head Iesus Christ himselfe and after him those many millions of the elected martyrs in all ages have done before and especially in these miserable last times in Germany France England Scotland Low-countries Bohemia Italie Spaine Portugall c. Which martyrdome they endured willingly rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer blame for the name of Christ Iesus remembring the promise of this our Lord Blessed are they who Mat. 5. 10. are persecuted for righteousnesse sake because the Kingdome of heaven is theirs Blessed are you when others shall revile and persecute you and shall falsely speake all evill of you for my sake Rejoice and triumph for your reward is great in heaven for so have they persecuted the Prophets who were before you Reade to this purpose 1 Pet. 4. Verses 12 13 14 15 16. which words of all good Christians are to bee well pondered and weighed For first by such triall we perish not Secondly we are thereby made conformable to Christ our head Thirdly such sufferings cause unto us greater joy than sorrow Fourthly they are infallible markes that the spirit of God rests upon us Fifthly they manifest to all our unfained love to Christ and his Gospell Sixthly hereby wée have good proofe that the Lord doth correct us not as a severe Iudge but as a most loving and tender hearted Father to whom therefore with his blessed Son and holy Spirit be all glory and honour ascribed in all the Churches of the Saints world without end Amen ⧠SIGNES AND PRODIGIES WHICH HAPPENED BEFORE THE MASSAGRE IN THE VALTOLINE THe Protestants having appointed Gards and Sentinels in the stéeples of the Churches of the Valtoline besides others which were commanded to watch in certaine places to give the signe by fire to the intent that the whole Valley being warned partly by the Becons partly by the sound of the bells might together be ready on the suddaine to take armes for their defence against the Spaniard if he should make any incursion upon the Valley about the Calends of May 1620. in Sondres the foresaid Sentinels reported that in a night as they watched they heard in the Church of Gervase a murmuring as it were of many persons with great earnestnesse and vehemency of arguing and contesting among themselves and from the Church there shined upwards through the stéeple a great brightnesse in so much as the Sentinels lighted their torches and assembled themselves to goe downe into the Church to sée what the matter might be But as they were descending downe the staires their lights were put out and returning afresh to light their torches they were put out againe with greater strength and with much astonishment and trembling and the brightnesse which filled the Church suddenly vanished the weights also of the great Clocke fell downe and they heard about ten knells of a Bell in such manner as it useth to ring to give the alarme the which was heard by very many Likewise in Tyrane there were heard the like knells by the great Bell and the Magistratâ— commanded them suddenly to goe and know the cause but he found that it was not done by the act of men and instantly the servants running from the Belfrey and diligently attending to sée this businesse they discerned a thing like a Cat to descend downe into the place Signes and prodigies heard and séene in the Valtoline after the massacre as hath béen affirmed by divers persons of credit being departed from the said Valley and lying in the Valtolinâ— after the massacré In the Evangelike Protestant Church and principally from Teglio and Tyrane a voice hath béen heard to cry woe woe to you The vengeance of God is upon you for the blood of the innocent Moreover there was heard the Bell of the Evangelike Church of Tyrane to ring even at the same time that the sermon was used to be and in that Church a voice was heard like the voice of Senior Anthonio Basse who sometimes had béen there a Minister and was murdered in the said place as if himselfe had béen preaching in the same place In Londres there was séen to descend an army from the Mountains every way furnished which sight was the cause that many tooke their flight and departed out of Sondres but suddenly this apparition vanished like a cloud The which struck a great terror into the mindes of the people insomuch as many departed out of the Valley as men that feared a castigation and punishment from heaven FINIS
finding kinder entertainment among strangers than in their owne countrey We had perished said he if we had not perished So may we say That did not our naturall life perish here by persecutions we had never been saved in the kingdome of heaven Run we then my brethren with patience the race that is set before us let us not be ashamed with Simon the Cyrenian to carry the reprochfull Crosse of Christ and seeing we must die once let us desire rather to die gloriously for righteousnesse sake than ignominiously by shunning it If Princes had rather die in a breach than in their bed and to lose their life in the field than an eye at tilt or tourney let us imitate them in this our spiritual conflict-earnestly intreating the Lord if it be his blessed will that we may fight and die valiantly in the defence of his Truth and for the honour of his sonne If worldly minded men can and will suffer many hard adventures some for their honour others for their profits and pleasures though but vaine and temporary with what longing should we aspire to that certaine and eternall happinesse rest and glory wherewith all those shall be crowned who fight manfully and constantly for the cause of Christ But the world and worldings smile at this wisedome counting it foolishnesse the flesh also joyning therewith thinks all we have said to be either idle phantasies or meere paradoxes and no marvell for both of them being from the earth can savour nothing but what is earthly as Christ saith Betweene the judgement of the Church and that of the World there is a broad difference when the question is of determining what is true honour profit or pleasure whence it is that in a manner the one scornes that which the other admires and adores So as they never consent in approving or condemning with one voice that which is questioned for the belly hath no eares If therefore we meane to be ruled aright either in the matter of faith or outward manners let us not bee guided therein either by the worlds judgement or yet that of the flesh for the world is poreblinde and the belly as we have said hath no eares Ponder we then these things that so wee may be prepared to obey the will of God let us not wilfully râ—sh into dangers onely if God shall call us forth to suffer purposing thereby to conforme us to our Head and so to accompany that great cloud of witnesses through the narrow way that leads to his kingdome yeeld wee our neckes to beare the sweet and easie yoke of Christ Be it that Satan and his confederates doe persecute the Church of Christ yet hath she an assured hiding place The faithfull may be imprisoned but in the meane while they leave the world in a worse prison viz. shut up under the wrath of God They may be in bonds yet is not that so bad as to lie bound in the bonds of iniquity they are oft shut up in darke and unsavoury places but how can darknesse be grievous to them who are the children of light especially when God shines upon them with the light of his countenance Stinking holes and odious smels cannot so offend and annoy them but that the sweet savour of a good conscience purified by faith surmounts all They may be put into dungeons in the world yet being chosen of God out of the world they have their conversation in heaven Be it that they lose a few commodities here it is but as if they forsook counters to receive gold things terrestriall for celestiall A Christian may suffer but he cannot die he may lose his life but hee cannot lose Christ when he leaves the world he goes to God Wherefore let us then put on the whole armour of God and as good souldiers of Eph. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 23. Rev. 2. 10 Iesus Christ enure our selves to endure hardnesse So shall it come to passe that continuing faithfull in this spirituall Warfare unto the death we shall at length receive the crowne of eternall life THE HISTORY OF FOVRE MARTYRS BVRNT AT LILE IN FLANDERS IN THE YEARE 1556. WHOSE NAMES ARE ROBERT OGVIER AND HIS WIFE BAVDICON AND MARTIN their two Sonnes THe example which is set before us in this so godly a Family may well serve for an entrance to the Continuation of the History of forrein Martyrs in that weâ— may thence learne what those true ornaments are wherewith both parents and their children ought to bee decked and adorned namely with such a light shining forth from the sound knowledge of the Gospell as whereby the Church of God may be edified and confirmed in seeing them to hold the profession of their faith coustantly even unto the death THe City of LILE may Anno 1556. well bee placed in the first ranke of those Cities of Merchandise in the Low-countrey of Flanders Artols and Haynault upon which the Lord hath multiplâ—ed his blessings not so much of worldly good things as of his spirituall graces yea in so abundent measure that even under the tyraumy of Antichrist in the Countries aforenamed few places can be named where the Gospell in that time was more fréely published and preached or with greater zeale received than there For for thrée yeares together the Gospell was secretly taught among them sometime in houses then in woods in fields and in caves of the earth not without the haâ—arding of their dearest life if they had béen discovered yet could not these apparent dangers under such tyranny coole or abate the burning zeale which almost consumed the heart of this people hungring and thirsting after the spirituall food of their soules What was among them preached was accordingly practised workes of mercy and charity were there exercised not onely towards those of the houshold of Faith but even towards them which were without so as many by means hereof were drawn and brought on to the knowledge of Christ They ordained in their assembly certaine Deacons to receive the almes which were given men fearing God being well approved of who went wéekely from house to house to collect the abnes of such as they knew to be faithful admonishing every one how to carry themselves themselves in their vocations and of their duty in contributing towards the reliefe of the poore Saints And thus each one according to his place endevoured to expresse and manifest his faith by the fruits thereof namely good works In a very short space of time the Lord by the Ministry of his Word though preached in secret erected here a flourishing Church so as the Congregation consisted of a competent number of men women and children not onely of the city but out of foure or five Willages besides bordering nigh unto it who came also with an eager appetite to be instructed In the meane while you may conceive that satan and his adherents ceased not to storm and rage hereat not being able long to endure these their holy méetings but
one astonished causing the executioner to finish out the rest of this Tragedy Notes upon the occasion of a sedition at Paris the fifth of March 1559. THe fifth day of March there was a great vprore raised in the church of Saint Innocents in Paris The preachers all the Lent neuer ceased to moue the people to kill all the Lutherans they could méet withall not leaue the execution thereof to the Magistrates Amongst the rest a Minorite who preached in the said Church spent all his Sermons upon that subiect The same day taking his text out of the eight of Saint Iohns Gospel concerning the woman taken in adultery being brought to Iesus Ch he vttered execrable things against the Magistrate shewing that it was no wonder if the Iudges did not cast the first stone at the Lutherans because they themselues were also Lutherans and therefore the people were not to attend them any longer but to rise make open war against them yea upon the chiefest of them which were but suspected to hold that doctrine In this garboile a poore Priest with a brother of his a Captain passing by and thinking by faire language to pacifie the disordered tumult had his foot no sooner out of the Church dore but he was set upon by this blood-thirsty crue who although he asked forgiuenesse in the name of the Saints desiring to be confessed and And thus thinking to martyr the Christians by the prouidence of God it fell on those of their owne side shewed all outward signes of being one of their owne side yet could he of this headlesse beast the multitude obtaine no fauour but was stabbed into the belly with a dagger and fell downe dead And yet they were not satisfied so but the very meanest among them had a blow at him raking with their hands in his wounds and then in Triumph lifting him vp bragged that they had bathed their hands in the blood of a Lutheran The Captain with much adoe getting into the Vicars house they beset the house lest he should escape their fingers And hearing that the magistrate was comming to deliuer him they feared not with one voice to say that they would spare none no not the King himselfe though hée came in his owne person If any more pitifull than the rest vttered but so much as the least word tending to compassion they were cruelly handled on all sides so as many met with hard vsage euen for that Not fully a yeare before this there fell out the like if not a worse spectacle of cruelty in the Church of Saint Eustate For a Doctor of the Sorbonists commonly called the soule of Picardy who in his sermons preached out nothing but fire and fagots incouraged the Parisians to slaughter the Lutheranes making many goodly promises to all such as would vndertake such a bloody designe which was not so soone propounded as accepted of by the people For a poore scholler who out of deuotion was present at the sermon happening upon some accident to laugh at his fellow Pupill an old turnecoate sitting by and observing it cryed out forthwith that a Lutherane mocked the Preacher The people at the sound of this voice began to stir not knowing upon what ground and haling him out of the Church miserably massacred him till they had forced both his eyes out of his head buffeting him with their fists and one among the rest caused his horse to trample upon him thrice Iohn Barbeville of Normandy being questioned by thrée of the Counsell about the sacrament answered that in the holy Supper being administred according to Christs institution hée received by faith the body and blood of the Lord but not after any carnall manner forasmuch as being now ascended into heaven hée shall See here what mock◠gods these be who cōdemne the poore christians not returne thence till he come to iudge the quicke and the dead Upon which article one of the Counsell added this scoffe which ascended into heaven and drew the ladder up after him Upon some occasion they said unto him that he was but a silly asse and therefore could not understand the Scriptures Well saith he be it that I am an asse yet did you never reade that God opened the mouth of the Prophet Balaams Asse A resorting speech well applyed to reprove him for loading him with stripes when he was going to utter his lies against the Children of God If God opened the Asses mouth doe yée now wonder if he opens mine to cause me to speake against the falsehood and lies which you spread abroad against the people of God For as the Asse spake being overchanged with blowes which the false Prophet gave him so now in regard of the heavie burden wherewith in times past you have oppressed me by your traditions I am constrained to speak as I doe Another inquisitor a Monke called Benedict told him that he was come to comfort and instruct him in the truth How can you said Barbeville say you come to instruct me in the truth when your selfe doth weare the habit of a lyar I cannot expect it from you for no man can gather figs of thistles nor grapes of thornes ¶ God so wrought here and the truth so prevailed that though it was plainly confessed yet the Prisoners were delivered Anno 1559. THe court of the parliament of Paris willing to moderate the cruelties used against those of the reformed religion sollicited them what they could to dissemble and to yéeld in some points wherein the well minded of that side were not yet rightly informed but to this their aduice they would by no meanes consent Then they tooke another course and that was simply to examine them touching the manner of eating Christs bodie in the Sacrament without mentioning Transubstantiation or any carnall presence hoping this way to frée them from the crime of sacramentaries upon which point for the most part the sentence of death was pronounced séeing they had heard formerly from the prisoners That the churches of France held how the body of Christ was receiued by the faithfull not in imagination but truly and indéed and that the signes were neither naked nor empty elements but exhibited that whereof they were signes This was propounded to foure yong men who were in the flowre of their age and lying prisoners in the Consciergerie of the palace if it might be to satisfie them Now when this confession was presented to the Court all that were well affected were glad of it in regard it was drawne so favorably some being of opinion that it would work their deliverance Others there were which opposed this proiect and requested they might be examined what they thought of the Masse it being so necessarie an article provided that there might be some moderation in the ordinary course of such interrogations Notwithstanding it was thought that this would rather hinder than further their deliverance yet did the better part persist in their purpose of fréeing them Being
therefore asked again what they thought of the Masse they answered that they would stand to their first confession It was replyed That the Court would rest satisfied with that answer if so be they would now only go to Masse But with one voice they affirmed that they would never yéeld to come there where God was so dishonoured The Court to make it appeare that no advantage should be taken against them for this their answer gave them leave severally to shew their reasons This pleased the prisoners well and therefore they spared not to paint forth the Masse in its lively colours that all might perceive there was cause sufficient why they should detest it First one of them by way of opposition shewed The Masse deciphered in its colours how contrary the Masse was to the Lords supper The second declared it was blasphemy to affirme that there was any other propitiatory sacrifice for sinnes then the blood of Christ The third avouched that if the article of Transubstantiation whereon the Masse depends were allowed Christ his deity and his humanity should be abolished and therefore it must be flat idolatry to worship Almighty God in a corruptible péece of paste The fourth told them that the fruits of the Sacramant could not be received where the Word was not joyned with the signe where one of the signes were withheld or where there was no Communion Thus was the Masse anatomised with the abhominations thereof with all boldnesse so as some of the Iudges were constrained to averre openly that there was a great abuse in it indéed being a manifest wrong done to the institution of Christ as also that the Laity were there deprived of the Cup and the Bread only given the whole being performed in a language which the poore people understood not It was beyond the expectation of all men that so frée a confession would have passed for currant in that place in which whosoever came before them formerly and made the like was condemned to die But now the Truth so prevailed that against all hope and ordinary procéedings in times past yea contrary to the mindes of those which were Gods chiefest enemies the order was this That howsoever sentence of death had béen pronounced against thrée others of this company by the inferiour judges yet these foure should have their lives saved provided that they departed the countrey Foure witnesses of the truth gently entreated by their Iudges within fiftéene daies Which exception though it favoured of some injustice yet was it nothing in comparison of the former cruelties and this banishment turned rather for a benefit to them than an hurt for by this meanes they had liberty to go to such places where God was purely served ¶ The story of Peter Chevet Martyr BEing asked whether he durst affirme that he He was in outward appearance a silly poore man a vinedresser of the age of 60. years and upwards had the spirit of God Yea said he for I am one of Gods children and therefore have the spirit of God given unto me as the earnest of my adoption It is to be feared said some that you will bring your selfe in danger of the law and so be burned Truly said he I doe not thinke to escape better cheape and though you scortch and rost me alive yet will I never renounce Iesus Christ Is it not written He that shall confesse me before men him will I confesse before my Father which is in Mat. 10. 32. heaven c Being asked whether he desired not to be absolved confessed and to receive pardon having stood excommunicate now thrée yeares he answered I confesse my faults every day to my God but where is that goodly absolver that will take upon him to pardon me The Officiall answering said That is even I. Now poore man said Peter it is a question whether thou canst save thy selfe and wilt thou take upon thée then to save others The Officiall finding himselfe galled with this answer threatned him with longer imprisonment Alas alas saith he though I should rot in prison yet shall you still finde me the same man Being come to the place where he was to suffer the Executioner would not take the paines to Hee could say the new Testament by heart was so prompt therein in all his answers that the people who heard him said if hee were suffered to speake hee would convert all the City of Paris helpe him from off the cart but tumbled him downe with his head forward Notwithstanding all this and other cruelties he manfully overcame the same with invincible constancy And when they pulled off his cloathes he was heard to say intelligibly How happy how happy ô how happy am I with his eyes still lifted up to heaven He was burned in the place called Maubert nigh to the city of Paris the 11. of March 1559. ¶ A notable speech uttered by Anne du Burg Counsellor for the King in Parliament in the moneth of Iune An. 1559. AMong the rest there was a Counsellor called Anne du Burg◠a man of singular understanding and knowledge bred and nursed up in the bosome of the Church of Christ This man having rendred thankes to God for mooving the Kings heart to be present at the decision of so waighty a cause as that of religion is and having exhorted him well to consider thereof being the cause of Christ himselfe which of good right ought to be maintained by Princes spake boldly therto as God gave him utterance It is not saith he a matter of small consequence to condemne such as in the middest of the fiery flames call upon the name of Iesus Christ This I doe but note here by the way because the consequence is touched before by Master Iohn Foxe where he mentions the terrible end of such as were persecutors of the truth Only one thing more touching the said Anne du Burg I could not here omit and it is this A certaine woman being prisoner for the same cause right over against him had a little window in her chamber which opened towards that where In the History of the martyrs mention is made of one Peter Arundeau whose cōstancy was so admirable in suffering the extremity of death that it was the meanes to imbolden this worthy counsellor Anne Du Burg with others to suffer for the cause of the Gospell Master du Burg lay from whence either by words or signes when she was not otherwise letted she encouraged him to persevere constantly in the truth by whom he was so comforted that the same du Burg being importuned by some of his friends to recant used these words nay I trow not said he for a woman hath taught me my lesson how I ought to carry my selfe in this businesse to which God hath called me féeling in himselfe as it séemed the force and power of the godly admonitions of this poore woman Whose godly zeale was such as that her story may not as
I thinke be well omitted but fully set downe as I finde it recorded in the volume of the French Martyrs Her name was Margaret Rich who suffered the ninetéenth of August in the place called Maubert not far from the City of Paris in France Christian women saith the Historian behold here the courage and zeale of this Margaret your sister who is set before you for a patterne to unitate she encouraged both great and small who at that same time were prisoners with her Margaret Rich was born in Paris the Wife of Anthony Ricant Bookseller dwelling in Paris in the place called the Mount of Saint Hillary at the signe of the great Quaile This woman was as vertuously disposed as could be shée had gotten some small insight into the mystery of iniquity by meanes of her husband who yet suffered her to observe the superstitions of Popery without urging her any further for he was a man indifferent in the matter of Gods service but yet her conscience gave her that knowing her course to be evill it was not sufficient to forsake that unlesse shée did cleave to the contrary good which leads to life and salvation namely to serve God according to his Word Vnderstanding then that there were godly méetings of good Christians which assembled together in the City shée found the meanes to come in amongst them and profited so well thereby that she resolved in her self never to goe again to the Masse but to die rather At length being hardly used by her husband because of this her sudden change hée threatned her so far as to carry her himselfe to the Masse the next day which was Easter-Sunday rather than that shée should not goe After shée had endured much from this man who would have her to play the dissembler shée to preserve her selfe therefrom being also afraid of her husbands fury upon Easter day withdrew her selfe to a friends house of hers thinking it safer to displease her husband than God to whom shée had dedicated her selfe This day being past because shée would not over-long absent her selfe from her owne home shée determined to returne back againe to him whom God had bound and conjoyned her with though shée could not but foresée the great evills and inconveniences which would follow thereupon in regard of her said husbands crooked disposition Shée came no sooner home but shée was discovered by the Curate of Saint Hillary committed prisoner brought into the Consciergery They asked her where she had kept her Easter she without faining told them she absented herself from home that she might abide a while with some of her loving friends lest shée should be urged to prophane the supper of the Lord as others usually did and therefore had kept the same according to Gods ordinance in the assembly of faithfull devout christians Being asked whether indéed shée had béen present at those secret méetings shée answered yea and estéemed her selfe happy that ever shée came among them And thus being questioned by the Counsell with other prisoners about the Masse purgatory auricular confession and such other points shée fréely told them what shée had learned concerning the same out of Gods word so as the fifth of May she was ordered to be sent to the Bishop or his officiall to sée if by any meanes she might be reclaimed But the officiall prevailing nothing with her because she persisted constant in the profession of the truth he pronounced sentence against her declaring her to be a pertinacious and obstinate heretique yea such a one as was to be redelivered over to the secular power and thence to be sent back to the Consciergery Being brought back into the Court certaine Doctors and others were sent to reason with her yet her faith for all that staggered not but remained victorious notwithstanding all their batteries laid against it Then by the sentence of the Court shée was condemned to be carried in a dung cart to the place called Maubert a gagge to be put into her mouth and there to be burned and consumed to ashes But before she should suffer death she was sentenced to be put to the extraordinary torture to make her confesse whom she knew and was conversant withall and to name the house where shée received the Communion yet did this woman undergo all these her afflictions with incredible joy singing Psalmes and praising God continually she was never séen to shrinke at her imprisonment she daily exhorted the women who were prisoners with her comforted them Such of the Martyrs as went from the Consciergery to suffer death passed by the chamber where shée lay yet was she not disheartened to sée them in the hands of their executioners but cryed to them exhorting them to rejoyce and with patience to beare the reproach of Christ But to returne to the manner of her death after sentence shée was led to the Chappell as the manner is yet shée ceased not all the way to exhort the people and to sing Psalmes till she was put into a Dung-cart to be conveyed to the place of execution The renowne of her constancy was so famous from the beginning of her troubles that no small multitude of people were gathered together in the stréets for the desire they had to behold her God so appointing that the great and more than ordinary graces of his spirit which were in this woman might be manifested before so great a confluence of spectators and eye-witnesses She passed on then as it were triumphing through the middest of this assembly not shewing any signe of the feare of death but with a fresh colour and chéerefull countenance passed on with her eyes lifted up to heaven nor did her gagge so disfigure her but that she shewed an amiable aspect upon all that viewed her So as even the rude and obstinate multitude admired her saying one to another Doe you not sée how this heretike smiles and laughes Comming to the place of her martyrdome they told her if shée would relent shée should be strangled She answered That her resolution was so rightly founded upon the word of God that shée never meant to change And to let them sée that death terrified her not shée began to disrobe her selfe without troubling the hangman at all Being hoised up in the ayre they asked her againe if shée would not accept of the grace which the court offered her to be strangled She gave them a signe that shée would not Then was the fire kindled and so shée yéelded up her soul into the hands of God How one that was naturally deafe helped himselfe IT is recorded of Iohn Beffroy a Lock-smith dwelling in Paris that he had a long time behaved He was exceedingly maligned of his neighbours for his piety but especially because he had a little infant of his baptized secretly then for working upon a light holyday which was the cause of his apprehension death himselfe very religiously never denying his house for Christian méetings what danger
had their refuge to their wonted place of saint Iames Confesse your faults one to another Iames 5. 16. Answer The Apostle would have us to confesse our faults to such as we have wronged by word or déed Also God enjoynes us to reconcile ourselves one with another by such a confession Mat. 6. 12. Mat. 16. 19. if we would obtaine pardon of him Then they alledged that place of saint Mathew That whatsoever they bound on earth was bound in heaven Answer Christ speakes there of Ecclesiasticall discipline which ought to bée observed amongst Christians by admonitions and then by applying the censures according to the doctrine of the Gospell that so obstinate sinners may be cast out of the Church But all the world may sée that you know not what this true discipline of Christ meaneth nor what a right Ministry is in your Churches Quest At least you acknowledge Extreme unction Extreme unction to bée a Sacrament séeing Saint Iames speaks so cléerly of it Answer The anointing that Saint Iames Iames 5. 14. Marke 〈◊〉 13. speakes of is nothing like to your anointings For that was a miraculous anointing for healing of the body and that whilst the gift of healing was usuall in the Church But you anoint such as lye drawing on and doe it for the salvation of their soules It is néedfull I grant to send for the Minister to comfort the sicke and to pray with them and for them but not to besmeare and grease them Quest Well what say you to Confirmation Confirmation is not that a Sacrament Answer In all the Scripture said Iames do I not finde such a thing as your confirmation as you now use it and therefore I know not what it is Here they caused the Register to write Non credit Then came they to the order of priesthood and asked if that were not a Sacrament Answer No no more than the rest I am not 1 Pet. 2. 9. ignorant that S. Peter cals the faithfull a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people nor yet where Saint Iohn saith that Christ hath made us Kings and Priests but what is all this to your Bishops and Priests Rev. 1. 6. Quest What thinkest thou of the Pope Answer I thinke him to be the same that Daniel and Saint Paul foretold he should be For he Anno 1560. shewes himselfe such a one as they have described him to be comming with false signes and lying 2 Thess 2. 9 10. wonders sitting in the Temple of God and exalting himselfe above all that is called God forbidding marriage which God hath ordained and 1 Tim. 4 3. meat which God hath commanded to be received with giving of thankes Question What say you then unto Purgatory Purgatory 1 Iohn 17. Answer We acknowledge none other Purgatory but the blood of Christ which only cleanseth us from all our sinnes Quest Doe not the Saints pray for us and ought we not to pray to them Answer God alone is to be worshipped and Prayer to Saints prayed unto Whilest the Saints were on earth they would not endure to be adored Acts 10. 25 26. Which they then would rather have permitted being clothed with corruption and with naturall desires of being honoured then now when they have put off all carnall and humane affections The Angels themselves would not accept of Divine worship Revelat. 19. 10. and 22. 9. They had many other disputes which Iames could not write for want of paper as he intimated to them of the Church The fourtéenth of August they were examined the third time by Peter Titleman Dean of Renay Inquisitor generall of Flanders whose cruelties and extortions were exercised upon all the faithfull in all the persecutions and deaths which they suffered in the said Countrey This morning was brought before him Iane Solomez of whom he diligently enquired of these of the City of Stéenewerke where she was borne but especially if she knew one Charles Vanderkaw a man renowned among the faithfull there She answered she knew him but he was now dead After he had asked her name he questioned with her especially about the Sacraments yea somewhat concerning the Lords Supper holding her in these discourses about two houres before him To Iames Diensart he propounded no questions but came about him with these flattering spéeches My son you are yong and in the prime of your youth Therefore the Magistrate of this City is very desirous you should be withdrawne from holding this new doctrine that so you might be brought againe into the right way but as I understand you so persist therein that there is no removing of you Iames answered that it could not be called a new doctrine which was built upon the Prophets and Apostles To whom the Inquisitor replyed That Martin Luther was the first that broached it Answer And what say you then to so many learned men which lived before him as Io. Wickliffe Iohn Hus c. and some after him as Calvin Iohn Alasco Martin Micron and others in England France and Friesland And though neither you nor I knew them God knowes them as well as he did the seven thousand of the godly 1 Kin. 19. 28. whom Elias in his dayes was ignorant of The Inquisitor persisting in his old song pressed him with the succession of his Prelates and Bishops Iames put him in minde of another marke of the true Church namely that it was alwaies under persecution and thence inferred that himselfe was a true member thereof The Inquisitor said we are now persecuted in England for now they begin to imprison some of our Priests there Answer It is true that Boner late Bishop of London was committed to prison but not for his good déeds The rest of them have their liberty Now this Inquisitor among other matters willing him to shew what service was due to the Virgine Mary said Is it not written Honour 1 Pet. 2. 17. all men And what honour owe we then to the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ You give her said Iames a goodly honour in bowing the knée before an Image of wood or stone praying thereto as to your God You may be ashamed of such abhominable practises and blasphemies Much other reasonings they had which the said Iames for lacke of paper and leisure could not commit to writing The same day in the afternoon Christian Luckere who was put into prison apart was also presented before this inquisitor and examined upon many Articles In all his answers he shewed much courage and when the other went about to prove that Iesus Christ was corporally present in the Sacraments Christian used sixe or seven strong reasons to the contrary drawne out of the holy Scriptures That it could by no meanes be granted being repugnant to the truth The adversaries perceiving the constancy of these thrée prisoners sought by all meanes to vexe and weaken them First they severed them one from another
this chaine and thus fettered with Irons I doubt not but they have given such a reason of their faith that whosoever shall read their answers and weigh the same without partiality must néeds judge thereof even as wée doe And for my owne part I am ready to make it good before any whom it conceres that the doctrine I now hold and 1. Tim. 6. 3. Deut. 12. 32. teach is according to godlinesse taken out of the pure fountaines of the holy scriptures without adding diminishing or varying any way therefrom Bishop We reade that in all times men have béen wont to shelter themselves under the Title of Gods word in so much that all the old heresies maintained by heretiques have run to this covert so as great héed is to be taken lest under this pretence men rush into errors La Grange I am not ignorant sir hereof in regard that Satan knows how to transform himselfe into an Angel of light thereby to establish his delusions causing darknesse thereby to be taken 2. Cor. 11. 14. Iohn 14. 17. for light But the holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth hath in such wise discovered his jugglings that none are deluded thereby but those who at noone day close their eyes that they may 2 Cor. 4. 4. not behold the light Bishop Doe you thinke that the holy Ghost hath given you such an illumination that the truth should only be revealed to you and to none other La Grange God forbid sir I should have any such thought I am not of the minde of those dreamers who at this day bragge of their having particular revelations of the holy Spirit He means the Anabaptists and their like Eph. 2. 20. But I speake of an ordinary and generall revelation such as is taught us out of the Bible which we call the holy Scriptures according as it is therein declared unto us by the Prophets and Apostles This was the effect of the Bishops first communication with de la Grange after which hée was heard to say twice or thrice to the Kings Commissioners that hée had no will to meddle any further with him Being called for to be examined elsewhere before the said Commissioners Peregrine tooke his leave of the Bishop entreating him to intercede for him that hée might be eased of his irons alledging that the Prison was strong enough and sufficiently garded The second time they met together the Bishop having a prompt memory made a rehearsall of what passed betwéen them the day before and after began thus with the said Peregrine Bishop Séeing that which I hold as touching the Sacrament of the Altar is agréeable to the Scriptures confirmed so long since by the consent of all the ancient fathers wherefore doe you not agrée with us therein Had you rather hold with these Novelists as with Calvin and with the confession of Auspourge Grange Sir I am neither Calvinist nor Papist I am a Christian and what I hold concerning religion is taken out of Christs doctrine who to the only Doctor of his Church What Calvin hath taught conformable to the word of God I am of the same minde with him and whereas you call your Religion the old Religion and ours the new it troubles me not at all since the Father of lies hath long since forged the same to disgrace the truth and to establish and maintaine the multitudes of falshoods and absurdities of your Tenents which you hold For example because Christ in giving his disciples bread in the Sacrament said This is my body thence they would make us beléeve that the bread is become the body of Christ as if the verbe est signified a change of the bread into another substance which is found in no language whatsoever Bishop We maintaine not the Transubstantiation of the bread from this Verbe est knowing that the Hebrews use the Participle of the Present tense in stead of a Verbe but rather from hence because Christ said This is my body La Grange I told * For they had many disputes touching this point which are not here inserted you that Iesus Christ in his Supper gives us that body which was conceived by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the virgin Mary which was crucified dead and buried raised againe the third day and is ascended into heaven yet wee utterly deny that there is any change made of the bread Therefore if you would have us beéeve it let us have some proofe of scripture for it Bish To speake properly the Transubstantiation of the bread cannot be proved by the Word of God and yet we must beléeve it for the reasons above said La Grange Your glorying then that you have the Word of God on your side is as you sée come to nothing And why have you then burned so many of Gods saints for denying that which you cannot maintaine by the scriptures For our parts we should blush to affirme that the substance of bread remaines after the words of consecration if we could not prove the same from the very forme of the institution of the sacrament wherein Christ tooke bread and having given thankes hee brake bread and gave to his Disciples bread and they tooke and did eat bread yea Saint Paul rehearsing 1 Cor. 11. 23 26. 17. the institution calls it bread thrice Bish You know that in the Hebrew Tongue bread is taken for the remainders of what was eaten Paul therefore in that place speakes of those viands which the Corinthians did eate in their Love-feaste reproving their abuse So also howsoever Paul calls it bread there and that in the second of the Acts of the Apostles mention is Act. 〈◊〉 42. made of the breaking of bread all this serves not your turne La Grange I grant that bread is taken in the Scripture in this sence but be it that bread be taken for the meat that was left yet you reade not that the substance was changed into the substance of other meate or lost the property thereof It is certaine that the Scripture useth not this phrase of breaking of bread in the use of the Lords supper for nothing for thereby we are given to understand that it is not a signe onely in appearance or shew but the true substance of bread Bish Let it be what it will wee hold close to the words of Iesus Christ where he saith This is my body and therefore also beéeve what wee speake I care not if I be deceived in this matter nor for bearing reproofe for the same either Vnderstand the words sacramentally and all is wel before God or men for before God himself I will pleade thus Lord thou hast said it and I beleeve it La Grange We rest in the same thing also but withall we have an eie unto Christs meaning and intent which was to establish a sacrament we also receive from his mouth the same words as well as you but sacramentally where the outward signe beares the name
performe my vowes unto the Lord my God and so he was led bound fast to the wherry A certaine Priest who accompanied him presented unto him a wodden crucifix exhorting him to returne and to die in the favour of God reconciling himselfe unto the Church of Rome the holy Spouse of Christ But Ricetto rejecting that Crucifix besought the Priest and those that followed them to come out of the snare of the Devill to cleave to Iesus Christ and to live not according to the flesh but after the spirit for if you doe otherwise said he assure your selves your unbeliefe will bring you into that lake of fire that shall never be quenched For though you confesse with your mouth that you know Iesus Christ yet you not only deny him by your works but you persecute him in his members being seduced and 〈◊〉 by the Pope who is the open enemy of the Sonne of God When they were come nigh to the two castles the Captaine bound his hands now because it was very cold hée called for his cloke which they had taken from him Then said the wherry man fearest thou a little cold What wilt thou do when thou art cast into the Sea Why art thou not carefull to save thy selfe from drowning Doest thou not sée that the poore flea skippes hither and thither to save her life To whom hée answered And I am now flying to escape eternall death Being arrived at the place where he was to suffer the Captaine put a chaine of yron about his middle with a very heavy stone fastened thereto Then Ricetto lifting his eyes to heaven said Father forgive them for they know not what they doe And being laid on the planke hée said Lord Iesus into thy hands I commend my spirit then pulling this weighty stone towards him not waiting till the boats were sundred one from another as in such kind of executions they were wont to doe this holy man slept in the Lord which was no small terrour to the Magistrate in that there was never any that died this kind of death before with so much constancy and resolution ¶ Master Francis Spinola Martyr THe Sunday following Master Francis Spinola of Milaine being about the age sixe and forty yeares was apprehended and brought into the prison called Des cless de dix That of ten keyes where he found poore Francis Sega Two Francis Sega Martyr daies after which as the eight and twentieth day of February Spinola was brought before his Iudges where they delivered into his hands a little Treatise of the Lords Supper of which he fréely confessed he was the author shewing that the opinion which he there maintained was this That the bread and wine were the signes and not the things signified and therefore must not bée adored He was questioned with as touching the power of the Pope prayer to saints and about Purgatory He answered that the Popes power was from man which the Romane Consistory and certaine Princes had given him but that God the Father had given Iesus Christ to be the Mat. 28. 18. Head of the Church and to have all power in heaven and earth What is Peter then or what is Paul He further added that he would not worship nor pray to any other but to God only as it is written The memoirall of the Saints he well approved Luke 4. 8. Iohn 15. 5. as of those who were the true branches ingrafted into the Vine Christ Also for his part he acknowledgeth none other Heb. 1 3. Purgatory but the bloud of Christ as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Hebrews and in the first 1 Iohn 1. 7. Epistle of Iohn Then as Spinola was returned into his prison Francis Sega whom he was ignorant of waited his comming holding a candle in his hand and passing by with his Kéeéeper saluted him by his name whence it came to passe that they two conferred together about the doctrine of the Gospell Now howsoever Sega differed from The consancy of one martyr puts life into another Spinola touching the number of sacraments yet he referred himselfe to the judgement of the true Church of Christ in that behalfe But after that he had learned that Spinola had constantly stood to the defence of the truth he was very joyfull and much comforted saying That God had reserved him for such a time as this to make him partaker with him of so great consolation Hée wrote consolatory letters to Spinola committing his writings into his hands whereof some were preserved and the rest lost by the carelesnesse of a false brother Upon the thrée and twentieth day of February 1567. the Kéepers of the prison told Sega that he was to die within one houre after the shutting in of the evening At the hearing of which newes hée intreated Spinola to pray with him After prayer Sega telling him that his soule was heavy to the death Spinola gave him this answer Feare not for it will not be long before it shall feele those joyes which shall endure for ever Being brought out of his darke dungeon according to the time limited hée tooke his leave of Spinola and the rest of the prisoners As hée was entred into the boat a certaine frier began to perswade him to returne into the right way Sega answered that he was already in the way of our Lord Iesus Christ and passing on he called upon the name of God He séemed not to be much moved at the binding of his hands but was a little amazed at the fastening of his body to the chaine Yet by and by taking unto him a Christian resolution he tooke whatsoever they did unto him patiently Being laid upon the bourd or planke hée commended his soule into the hands of God Anno 1568. and being left of the two boats upon the edges whereof the planke was stayed the one declining this way and the other that way he fell into his spulchre the sea and died patiently Spinola soone after was presented the second time before his Iudges namely the tenth of March where he reproved the Popes Legate with his clergy there present as also the Lords of Venice who sat in judgement upon him because contrary to their consciences they so persecuted the truth of God calling them the offspring of the Pharisées Caiphas and the Gentiles who now As he did the first time hee was convented before them laid he kill Iesus Christ in his members The nine and twentieth of March following hée was the third time brought before them where they asked him if he would not recant his errors He answered that the Doctrine he maintained was not erroneous but the very same truth which Iesus Christ and his holy Apostles taught and preached and for which all the Martyrs as well of old time as now have willingly layd downe their lives and endured the paines of death After all this Spinola became so weake that Spinola begins to waver he determined to strike
at Gand tooke him thence bound him girding and straining him strangely with cords and would néeds have him burned As he was led thither they abused him shamefully with mockes thrusting him forward and striking him cruelly The Captaine of the band gave him a blow over the face with his Gantlet which much disfigured him Finally these tyrants handled him worse then any dog only because his patient and constant carriage of himselfe tormented and enraged them Being come to the place they thrust him into his little Cabbin piled up with fagots and wood and then set fire unto him where he was heard distinctly and plainly to use these words albeit they had gagged him Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Thus this faithfull witnesse of Ieuss Christ dyed quiently and constantly in the Lord April the fourth Anno 1568. ¶ Among these sad relations a little to quicken and refresh the spirit of the reader I will here insert a Letter full of consolations written out of prison to the faithfull by one William Touart Merchant who had his dwelling in the City of Lisle in Flanders THis honourable personage being come to the age of eighty yeares or thereabouts used his house for the space of fourtéene or fiftéene yeares as a Church wherein the assembly in the City of Lisle commonly met Being chased and banished thence in the yeare 1561. he withdrew himself for a while to Tournay whence he was constrained to flie and to goe to Amiens and Moundedier Cities of Picardy that there he might enjoy the pure preaching of the Gospell Afterward returning into his owne countrey he came to reside in the City of Antwerpe where after he had continued many yeares he was at length imprisoned and condenmed to be burned with two others who suffered for the same cause But it pleased God so to dispose of him that he dyed another kinde of death to shew that his chosen servants have to triumph over the same some one way and some another For being plunged into a cisterne or tub full of water he was drowned in prison and then they carried his body out of the City to a place called Berken where the dead bodies of the condemned are laid upon the whéels or crutch Among many letters which he wrote during the time of his imprisonment my author hath selected out this one which here followeth DE are brethren and sisters in Iesus Christ I most humbly thank my good God that he hath so fortified and comforted me by his grace that I féele my selfe more cheared by lying in this darke prison then if I were walking in the open stréets or fields I say this I féele according to the spirit for as touching the flesh what doth it apprehend here but stinking vapors and smoke Wherefore my beloved if it so fall out that you be apprehended for the name of Iesus Christ feare not the prison nor those that have power to kill the body for having done that they can goe no further Be yée not afraid then séeing it is the reward which our good Captaine Iesus Christ hath promised to all his faithfull soldiers and servants He who turnes his backe in this conflict goes by the losse but whosoever fights manfully obtaines in the end the crowne not a crowne of gold but of glory immortall We here lay downe Rev. 2. 10. a fading life filled with griefes and troubles to change the some for a life everlasting we put off the ragges of this mortall flesh to be clothed with robes immortall we forsake a loathsome life for joy and felicity eternall ought any gaine or exchange to be compared with this O swéet and happy Martyrdome how dost thou dignifie and enrich us in despite of the world devill and our owne flesh And which of us now can complaine séeing our Soveraigne Lord and Master hath Anno 1569. so expressely foretold it to all his followers will any man come after me saith he Let him then Mat. 16 24. take up his crosse and follow me Let us beare Oh let us then beare the crosse chéerefully and with ioyfulnesse that we may be received in the presence of his heavenly Father for it is not only Phil. 1 21. 1 Tim. 2. 12. given us to beleeve in Christ but also to suffer for his sake and if we suffer with him then wée shall also raigne with him Oh that wée could admire his bounty who no sooner imployes us in his worke but hath the wages ready in his hand wherewith to recompence Iohn 16. 20. Heb 12. 1. us Your sorrow saith he shall be turned into joy Let us then cast off every weight that presseth downe and whatsoever else that stands in our way to heaven-ward be if father mother Mat. 19 29. Mat. 13 45 46. brother sisters husband childe yea and our own life also Let us with the wise Merchant man sell all that with him we may purchase that pretious pearle How happy doe I estéeme them who are called to suffer and leave their life for confessing the name of Iesus Christ For the eternall Son of God will confesse their names before his heavenly Mar. 10. 23. Luke 12. 8. Father and his holy Angels They shall be clad with white robes and shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of Heaven filled with gladnesse in the presence of the Lambe They shal eat of the fruit of the trée of life which is in the midst of the Rev. 27. Paradise of God Let us fixe the eyes of our minds upon these so great pretious promises of Iesus Christ which he hath made to all those which persevere in well doing unto the end O how happy shall wée be when we are delivered from these bodies of death to live for ever with our God Let us continually pray then with the Disciples Lord increase Luke 15. 7. our faith O deare brethren remember mée alwayes in your prayers who am bound here in the Heb. 13. 3. bonds of Antichrist Remember those also who are in bonds as if you were bound with them pray Pet. 4. 5 I say without ceasing for our adversary the Devill is alwayes compassing us about with his fetches to cause our hearts to faint And you are not ignorant what a potent enemy our owne flesh Gal. 5. 17. Phil. 1. 6. is unto us But I confidently beléeve that our good God who hath begun this good worke in me will perfect the same even unto the day of Christ Fare ye well It was strange to see what spectacles of dead bodies saline by the bloudy Inquisition were to be gazed on in a manner in every place especially in the Cities of Tournay and of the Valencians in regard of the multitudes of beléevers both of men and women who had long languished in sundry prisons in great misery and necessities Now that we may not forget what fell out in the beginning of this yeare 1569. thus it happened In the City
as now we may cry out with saint Paul O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory She was often admonished by him to make confession of her sinnes before God shewing that bodily diseases tended to the dissolution of nature and that death was the wages of sinne declaring Rom 6. 23. moreover that by this her chastisement she might discerne what she had deserved if God should now enter into iudgement with her not onely in regard of the fall of our first Parents in which guilt Rom. 5. 12. she was enwrapped as well as others but also by her owne personall sinnes séeing the best of men or women in the world are in themselves but poore miserable and wretched offendors yea if the Lord should punish us according to our demerits we could expect nothing at his hands but eternall death and condemnation At these words she began with her hands and eies lifted up to heaven to acknowledge that her Psal 19. â— sinnes which she had committed against the Lord were innumerable and therefore more then she was able to reckon up But yet she hoped that God for Christs sake in whom she put her whole affiance would be mercifull unto her From the later clause of her spéech the Minister tooke occasion to declare at large upon what ground she was to expect the fruit of this mercy of God in Christ séeing the whole have no need Mar. 2. 17. of Phisitian but they that are sicke and therfore Christ saith in that place Hee came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance And that he is ready to fill the hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. whereas in the meane while he sends the rich empty away Of all which said he you ought so much the rather to be perswaded in your conscience by how much the more the holy spirit witnesseth to your spirit that you are the childe of God Crying in you Abba Father For what is Rom. 8. 15. What faith is faith else but a firme trust and assurance of the good will of God manifested towards us in his blessed sonne Now the Minister fearing he might some way offend her by his overlong discourse held his peace the rather because the Physitians thought that a long continued spéech might bee hurtfull unto her but she on the contrary earnestly requested him not to forbeare speaking unto her about these matters of life and eternall salvation adding that she wow felt the want of it in regard that since her comming to Paris shee had béen somewhat remisse in hearing such exhortations out of the word of God And therefore I am now the more glad saith she to receive comfort out of it in this my so great extremity The Minister then endeavoured to set before her the happinesse of heaven and what those joyes Psal 16. 11. were which the faithfull there possesse in the presence of God which when the scriptures intend to discover unto us they onely tell us that the eie 1 Cor. 259. hath not seene nor hath the eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what these things are which God hath prepared for them that love him To which purpose he used this simllitude as if a King minding greatly to honor Simile some noble persome noble personage should bring him to his court and there shew him his state and attendance his Treasures with all his most precious Iewels even so saith he will the Lord one day reveale to all his elect and faithfull people his magniâ—cence and glory with all the treasures of his Kingdome after he hath gathered them home to himselfe decking and adorning them with light incorruption and immortality This happiness therefore being so great her highnesse he said ought to be the lesse carefull about the leaving of this transitory life seeing that for an earthly kingdome which she was now to forgoe she should inherit an heavenly and for temporall good things which vanish and come to nothing in the using she should for even enjoy those that were eterenall and everlasting For her faith being now firmely setled upon our Lord Iesus Christ she might be suffered to obtaine eternall salvation by him on which words he tooke occasion to direct his speech in more particualar manner unto her saying Madame doe you verily beleeve that Iesus Christ come into the world to save you and doe you expect the full forgivenesse of all your sinnes by the shedding of his bloud for you To which she readily answered she did believing that he was her only Saviour and Mediator looking for salvation from none other knowing that he hath abundantly satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world and therefore was assured that God for his sake according to his gracious promises in him would have mercy upon her Thus you have in part the goodly speeches which passed from this religious Lady in the beginning of her sicknesse all which was within the space of three or foure daies Howsoever before that and since also she ceased not to continue the same her fruitfull and comfortable communications now and then sending forth most affectionate slighings to God as a testimony of that hope and desire Anno 1567. she had in enjoying his presence often uttering these words O my God in thy good time deliver me from this body of death and from the miseries of this present life that I may no more offend thee and that I may attain to that felicity which thou in thy Word hast promised me Neither did she manifest her pious affection by these her words onely but therewithall shewed a joyfull and resolute countenance as the vehemency of her sicknesse could beare which gave sufficient proofe to all that beheld her that the feare of death could not drive her from the stedfastnesse of her Faith When she had finished these her consolatory spéeches they usually went to prayer intreating the Lord that he would arme her with constant patience and have mercy upon her Which praier it shall not be altogether impertinent to insert in this place serving as a forme of praier upon the like occasion ¶ The Prayer O Lord our God we confesse hee before thy Divine Majesty that wee are altogether unworthy of thy infinite mercies by reason of our manifold iniquities and that we are so farre off from deserving to be heard of thée in our requests that we are rather worthie thou shouldest reject both our persons and our sutes but séeing it hath pleased thée to make us a gracious promise of hearing and granting our requests we humbly beséech thee fréely to forgive all our offences and to cover them under the obedience and righteousnesse of thy deare Sonne that through him our selves and poore services may be well pleasing before thee For Lord we acknowledge that all our afflictions are measured out unto us by thine hand who art a most just Iudge in regard we have every way provoked
thee to wrath by our infinite sinnings against thee yea by our rebellions which now testifie against us For alas Lord our life hath no way béen answerable to that perfect obedience which thou in thy holy Law justly requirest at our hands which we from day to day do transgresse and therefore doe here cast downe our selves at this time before thy glorious presence unfeignedly acknowledging our misery and wretchednesse from the very bottome of our hearts Yet Lord mercy is with thee and because thou art our father therefore thou desirest not the death of sinners but rather that they should convert and live For this cause we now fall downe before the throne of thy grace with confidence of obtaining thy wonted mercy which thou hast promised to such as call upon thee in truth beséeching thee which art the Father of mercies to haue compassion on all such whom thou hast humbled under thy mighty hand by any of thy rods and chastisements but more especially this thy servant the Quéene who lieth here before thee sicke of a dangerous disease that as thou hast righteously afflicted her for her sinnes which she also doth with us acknowledge so it would please thee in pardoning them all unto her for thy beloved sone sake to grant that she may profit by this thy correcting hand for the time to come Above all give her a swéet sense yea a full assurance of thy eternall loves that so she may with the greater patience take downe this bitter potion ministred unto her from thy hand and that the sole desire of enjoying thy presence may cause her to forget all worldly greatnes and magnificence knowing that they are nothing in respect of the glory which is now set before her Endure her also with méekenesse of minde to beare the tediousnesse of her affliction for howsoever the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weake yea full of resisting and unbeliefe that so receiving all things from thee as from as father she may the more willingly submit her will unto thine And because O good God thou hast made her hitherto an happy instrument for the advancement of thy glory and the defence of thy poore afflicted people we pray thee if it may stand with thy good pleasure restore her to health againe that so the excellent work which thou hast by her means begun may not be left unperfect but by vertue of this her deliverance she may with renewed forces undertake the same in better sort than ever heretofore especially for the well educating and training up the children which thou hast given her But Lord if thou have a purpose now to call her home to thy selfe who are we that we should contradict thy holy will onely we pray thee that thou wouldst confirme her more and more in the knowledge of thy blessed Gospell and thereby also in the certainty of her salvation which thou hast given her by faith in thy sonne Jesus Christ that thus she may not cease to sanctifie and call upon thy holy name unto her last breath And as touching our selves who are here by thy good providence gathered together about her being in bodily health give us to know the uncertainty and brevity of our life that so according to our duty we may behold the same in this mirrour which thou hast set before us as knowing that even the greatest in the world are subject to the same calamities as well as the small that so our chiefe care may be to imploy the remainder of our time to thy honor and service all which we craâ—e of thee in the name of Jesus Christ thy son our only Mediator and Advocate Amen Thus we have as néere as we could gathered the summe of the prayer During which she ceased not with hands and eies stedfastly lifted up to heaven to fetch many déep sighes especially when mention was made of that mercy of God in Christ which he extendeth towards poore sinners So as there was not any there present that might not evidently perceive that her heart and affections were joyned to the prayer which we pronounced in her presence And while she thus lay she still continued in her godly resolution to depart hence that shee might be with Christ taking great delight in the holy and Christian exhortations which were usually made unto her by many godly and learned men who came in to visit her to whom shee also manifested no small testimony of that faith and hope which she had in God touching the salvation of her soule by her holy and Christian spéeches which for brevities sake are here omitted Yea albeit the Lord exercised her much with the sense of her inward disease yet could you not at any time discerne any spéech lavouring of discontentment or impatience to procéed out of her mouth nay scaâ—sely a groane which not only those of her owne family but many others can testifie even the Quéene Mother with others also who now and then came in to see her But if at any time she felt any refreshings from the violence of her disease there being no malady so vehement which hath not some intermission and breathing time she manifested to all her willingnesse to obtaine the recovery of her former health refusing to that end no good meanes prescribed for her by the learned Physitians Againe when she perceived her sicknesse to encrease upon her and that she grew worse and worse she was no whit appalled thereat but shewed her selfe to be armed with an invincible Anno 1568. constancy to undergooe the utmost that death could doe against her preparing her selfe willingly for that last conflict Moreover séeing her Ladies and Gentlewomen wéeping about her bed she would forthwith rebuke them saying I pray you wéep not for me forasmuch as you sée God doth now by this sicknesse call me hence to enjoy a better life and to enter in at the desired haven towards which this fraile vessel of mine hath for a long time béene stéering only she shewed her selfe somewhat grieved that she lacked opportunity to reward them and many more of her family and train which had done her faithful service as she could have wished excusing her selfe with these words unto them that it was not for want of good will but by being overtaken and so prevented by this her unexpected sicknesse But saith shée I will not faile to give order concerning the same to my uttermost ability In the end féeling her strength to decay more and more she gave order to have her last will and testament made wherin she above all wished that her children might have but the grace to honor and feare the Lord exhorting them constantly to continue in the profession of the Gospell in which they had béen trained up from their youth ordaining especially that her daughter the Princesse should be educated and instructed therein by the foure Ladies which she had appointed and brought with her out of Bearne for that end and purpose And being come