present so admired him that their eies were no lesse thorowly occupied in beholding him thē their eares gaue place to the hearing of his prayers At his departing the chāber hee made in like sort a prayer in which hee vehemently desired of God that his wordes might not bee spoken in vaine ¶ His behauiour at his death MR. Bradford cōming to the stake fell flat vpon his face praying the space of one minute of an hower the Sheriffe willed him to make an end because the presse was great at that word standing vpon his feet he tooke a Fagot in his hand and kissed it and so likewise the Stake so putting off his rayment he went to the Stake holding vp his hands and casting vp his countenance to heaven sayd thus O England Englād repēt thee of thy sins repent thee of thy sins c. To the young man that suffered with him hee sayd Be of good comfort Brother for we shall haue a merry Supper with the Lord this night and spake no more wordes that any man heard but jmbracing the Reeds sayd thus Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth vnto life eternall and fewe there be that find it M. William Tims WIlliam Tims being convented before Bonner Winchester Tims said the Bishops thou hast a good fresh spirit it were well if thou had'st learning to thy spirit Yea my Lords sayd TIMS and it were well also that as you bee Learned men so yee had a good Spirit to your learning Bishop Latimer REuerend LATIMER writes thus to Bishop RIDLEY Lo Sir I haue blotted your papers and play'd the foole egregiously but so I thought it better then not to fulfill your request at this time Pardon me and pray for me pray for me pray for me I say For I am sometimes so scarefull that I could creepe into a mouse hole Sometimes God doth visit me againe with his Comforts So he is comming and going comming and going to teach me to know mine owne infirmitie that I might thanke him who is worthy least I should rob him of his glorie as many doe and almost all the world fare yee well ¶ The 3 requests which Father Latimer was wont to make THe first was that as GOD had appointed him to be a preacher of his word so also he would giue him grace to stand to his doctrine vnto the death and that he might giue his heart blood for the same The second was that GOD of his mercie would restore his Gospell to Enggland once againe and these words once againe once againe hee did so inculcate and beat into the eares of the Lord as though hee had seene god face to face and would haue no nay His third request was for the Lady ELIZABETH our late Soueraigne whō in his prayer hee was wont to name euen with teares begged of God that shee might liue to be a comfort to this comfortlesse Realme Bishop Ridley RIDLEY writes thus in a Letter to Bradford wee looke euery day to be called on I weene I am the weakest many waies of our company and yet I thanke our Lord God and heauenly Father through Christ that since I heard of our deere Brother ROGERS departing and his stout Confession of Christ and his truth euen vnto death mine heart blessed be God reioyced so in it that since that time I say I never felt any lumpishnesse nor heauinesse of heart as I grant I haue felt sometimes before O good Brother Bradford blessed bee God for thee and blessed be the time that euer I knew thee Iohn Rogers MAISTER ROGERS that Morning hee should be burned being in a sound sleepe was hardly awaked with much shogging whē the keepers wife came sodainely vp to giue him warning of his burning At length beeing awaked and bid to make hast Nay then sayd hee and if it be so I shall not need to tye my points The Sunday before hee suffred hee dranke to M. HOOPER being then in a Chamber vnderneath him in Newgate and bad them commend him to him and to tell him that there was never little fellow would better sticke to a man then he would sticke to him supposing they should haue beene burned together Laurence Saunders MR. SAVNDERS at the time of his first examination before STEVEN GARDINER reporto his bed-fellow that lay with him the night following that in the time of his examination he was so wonderfully comforted that not onely in his spirit but also in body hee receiued a certaine tast of that holy Communion of Saints whilst a most pleasant refreshing issued from euery part and member of his body vnto the seat of the heart and from thence did ebbe and flow to fro vnto all the parts againe In a Letter to his Wife faine would this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth imbrace Oh Lord how loth is this loytring sluggard to passe foorth into Gods path It fancieth forsooth much feare of fraybugs and were it not for the force of Faith which pulleth it forwards by the raines of Gods most sweet promise and hope which pricketh on behind great aduenture there would be of fainting by the way But blessed euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly Father of ours who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouchsafed to shine in our hearts by the light of his knowledge in the face of Iesus Christ. His Wife comming to visit him in prison was forbidden to enter the prison by reason whereof the keeper tooke the little babe shee had in her armes and caried him to his Father LAVRENCE SAVNDERS seeing him reioyced greatly saying that hee esteemed more of such a boy then if 2000 pound should be giuen him And to the standers by which praysed the goodlinesse of the child he sayd what man fearing God would not loose this life presently rather then by preserving it heere hee should adiudge this boy to be a bastard and his wife an Whore and him-sefe an Whoremonger yea were there no other cause why a man of my estate should loose his life yet who would not giue it to avouch this child to be legitimate and his mariage to be lawfull and holy Beeing come to the stake where hee was burned hee fell prostrate to the groūd and prayed And rysing vppe againe hee tooke the stake in his armes to which he should be chained and kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ Welcome euerlasting life Robert Glouer Gen. MR. GLOVER a day or twoo before hee should bee burnt felt his heart so lumpish and heavy that hee found in himselfe no aptnes not willingnesse to die but rather a dulnesse of Spiritfull of much discomfort to beare the bitter Crosse of Martyrdome ready now to bee layd vppon him Wherevpon fearing in himselfe least the Lord had vtterly withdrawen his wonted favour from him he made his moane to one AVGVSTINE BERNHERE his deere friend signifying vnto him how earnestly hee had praied vnto the Lord and yet could receiue
pleased then most Gratious Lady for the matter belongeth vnto you to receiue vnder your favorable protectiō this Mirrour or memorial of the Martyrs who living had the protection of Angels and when the Lord shall haue perfourmed to your Grace all the good that hee hath promised and of all loyall hearts is earnestly expected it shall then bee no offence vnto your Princely mind that you haue so doone That great GOD who by his Omni-presence filleth Heaven and Earth with his Glorie fill and replenish your Graces heart with all the gifts and graces of his blessed Spirit which may beautifie and adorne your person in the sight of God and Man in this life and heereafter Crowne you with jmmortall Glorie for ever and ever in his Kingdome of Glory Amen Your Graces most humbly devoted In all humble and dutifull affection CLEM COTTON THE MIRROR OF the Martyrs ¶ In a short view liuely expressing and shewing the force of their Faith the feruencie of their Love the wisedome of their Sayings the patience of their Suffrings their Constancy Comforts and sweet meditations in the middest of all their Conflicts ¶ With their Prayers and preparation for their last farewell Bishop Hooper THE Godly Bishop HOOPER being brought vnto the place where he should suffer seeing a Pardon lying vpon a stoole to be tendered vnto him if he would recant cryed to them that stood by If you loue my soule away with it If you loue my soule away with it A blind Boye being suffered to come vnto him after much entreaty to conferre with him M r. HOOPER hearing his talke the water stood in his eyes Ah poore Boy sayd he GOD hath taken from thee the sight of thy bodilie eyes for what cause he best knoweth but hee hath giuen thee another sight much more pretious for he hath endued thy soule with the eye of knowledge and faith GOD giue thee grace that thou loose not that sight for thē should'st thou be blind both in body and Soule The day before his Martyrdome he spent the most of the day in prayer vnlesse any were licenced to speake with him amongst the which S r. Anthony Kingston was one who being brought into his Chāber found him at prayer and at the first view of him burst foorth into teares M r. HOOPER at the first blush knew him not Then sayd S r ANTHONY why my Lord know you not me an old friend of yours Anthony Kingston Yes M r. Kingston I know you well sayd M r. HOOPER and I am glad to see you in good health doe praise GOD for it KINGSTON But I am sorie to see you in this case for as I vnderstand you are come hither to die But alas consider that life is sweet and death is bitter Therefore seeing life may be had desire to liue for life hereafter may do good HOOPER Indeed it is very true M. Kingston I am come hither to die and to end this life heere because I will not gainesay the former truth I haue heeretofore taught in this Diocesse amongst you and I thanke you for your friendly counsaile though not so friendly as I could haue wished it Life indeed is sweet and death is bitter but alas cōsider that the death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet Therefore for the desire loue I haue to the one the feare and terror I haue of th' other I do not so much regard this death nor esteeme this life but haue setled my selfe through the strength of Gods Spirit patiently to passe through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me rather then to deny Gods word and truth The night before he suffred his desire was to go to bed that night betimes saiing that he had many things to thinke on and so did at 5 of the clock and slept one sleepe soundly and bestowed the rest of the night after in prayer Being got vp in the morning hee desired that none should come vnto him that hee might bee solitary till the hower of his death Bishop Ridley WOrthie Bishoppe RIDLEY going to his burning at Oxford looking backe espyed M r. LATIMER coming after to whome he sayd Oh be ye there yea sayd Father LATIMER haue after as fast as I can Bejng come to the stake he ranne to M r. LATIMER jmbraced him and kissed him and as they that stood neere reported comforted him saying Bee of good comfort Brother for GOD will either asswage the furie of the fire or else strengthen vs to abide it Being at the stake he held vp both his hands to Heaven and sayd Oh heauenly Father I giue thee most heartie thankes that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee euen vnto death A Fagot being brought which was kindled with fire and laid downe at M. RIDLEYS feet Father LATIMER spake on this manner to him Be of good comfort M. RIDLEY and playe the man wee shall by Gods grace light such a Candle this day in ENGLAND as I trust shall neuer be put out By reason the fire was ill made M. RIDLEY continued long in his torments in so much as he often cryed I cannot burne I cannot burne for Christs sake let the fire come to mee Lord haue mercie vpon mee let the fire come to me I cannot burne M. Iohn Philpot. THE valiant servant of Christ M. Iohn Philpot having the newes of his death brought him by one of the Sheriffes men that hee must the next day bee burned at a stake sayd I am ready God grant me strength and a ioyfull resurrection And so went to his chamber and powred out his spirit vnto the Lord giving him most heartie thankes that had made him worthy to suffer for his truth As hee was entring into Smithfield the passage was somewhat foule and twoo Officers tooke him vp to beare him to the stake Thē he sayd merilie What will ye make me a Pope I am content to go to my iourneys end on foote But first comming into Smithfield hee kneeled downe there saying these words I will paye my vowes in thee O Smithfield Iohn Bradford HOly BRADFORD having newes brought him in great haste by the Keepers wife of the Counter that hee should be burned the next day and that his Chayne was a buying with that put off his Cap and lifting vp his eyes to Heaven said I thanke God for it I haue long looked for this time and therefore it commeth not to me now sodainlie but as a thing expected euery houre the Lord make me worthy thereof After which he went alone and prayed secretly a long time A little before they carried him from the Counter to Newgate he made a notable prayer of his farewell with such plentie of teares and aboundance of the spirit of praier that it ravished the minds of the hearers Also when he shifted himselfe with a cleane shirt that was made for his burning hee made such a prayer of the wedding Garment that some there
price Oh wretched sinner that I am not thankfull vnto this my Father who hath vouchsafed mee woorthy to bee a vessell vnto his honour But O Lord now accept my thankes though they proceed out of a not enough circumcised heart Salute all that loue vs in the truth Gods blessing bee with you alwayes Amen Euen now towards the offring vp of a burnt Sacrifice O my CHRIST helpe or else I perish Bishop Hooper ¶ Out of a Letter consolatory which he writ to certain godly Brethren taken in Bow Church-yard at prayer and layd in the Counter in Bread-streete REmember what lookers on you haue to see and behold you in your fight God and all his holy Angels who are ready alwaies to take you vp into Heaven if you be slaine in his fight Also you haue standing at your backes all the multitude of the faithfull who shal take courage strength and desire to follow such noble and valiant Christians as you be Be not afrayd of your adversaries for he that is in you is stronger then hee that is in them Shrinke not although it be paine to you your paines be not now so great as hereafter your joyes shall bee Read the comfortable Chapters to the Rom. 8 10.15 Heb. 11.12 And vppon your knees thanke God that ever you were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Read the second of Lukes Gospell and there you shall see how the Sheapheards that watched vppon their Sheepe all night as soone as they heard that Christ was borne at Bethlem by by they went to see him They did not reason or debate with themselues who should keepe the Wolfe from the sheep in the mean time but did as they were commanded and committed their Sheepe vnto him whose pleasure they obayed So let vs now wee bee called commit all other things to him that calleth vs. Hee will take heede that all things shall be well He will helpe the Husband hee will comfort the Wife Hee will guide the Seruants hee will keepe the house hee will preserue the goods Yea rather then faile if it should lye vndone he will wash the Dishes and rocke the Cradle Cast therefore all your care vppon him for he careth for you ¶ Out of another Letter of M r. HOOPERS to his friends perswading them to constancy IT was an easie thing to hold with Christ whiles the Prince and the World held with him but now the world hateth him it is the true tryal who be his In the name and in the vertue theÌ„ of his holie spirit prepare your selues to adversity constancy Let vs not run away when it is most time to fight Remember none shall bee crowned but such as fight manfully You must now turne all your cogitatiâ—ns from the perill you see and marke the felicitie that followeth the perill either victorie of your enemies in this World or else a surrender for euer of your right in the inheritance to come Beware of beholding to much the felicite or miserie of this world for the consideration and too earnest loue or feare of either of them draweth from God Thinke with your selues the felicitie of the world is good but yet none otherwise then it standeth with the fauor of God It is to be kept but yet so farre forth as by keeping of it wee loose not God It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here but yet so that we tarrie not therwithall in Gods displeasure and to dwell hereafter with Deuils in fire euerlasting There is nothing vnder God but may bee kept so that God being aboue all things we haue be not lost Of Aduersity iudge the same Long imprisonment is painfull but yet libertie vppon euill conditions is more painfull The prisons stincke but yet not so much as sweet houses whereas the feare and true honour of God lacketh losse of goods is great but losse of Gods grace and fauour is greater I must bee alone and solitarie it is better to bee alone and haue God with mee then to bee in company with the wicked and want his presence I am a poore simple creature and cannot tell how to answere before such a great sort of Noble and learned wen it is better to make answere before the pompe and pride of wicked men then to stand naked in the sight of all heaven and Earth before the iust GOD at the latter day I shall die then by the hands of the cruell man hee is blessed that looseth his life full of miseries and findeth the life of eternall ioyes It is paine and griefe to depart from life and friends but yet not so much as to depart from grace and Heauen it selfe Felicitie nor adversitie then can apreare to be great if it be wayed with the joyes or paine of the life to come ¶ The last will and testament of Doctor Rowland Taylor I Say to my wife and to my Children the Lord gaue you vnto mee and the Lord hath taken me from you and you from mee blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleeue they are blessed that dye in the Lord. God careth for sparrowes and for the haires of our heads I haue euer found him more faithfull and fauorable then is any Father or husband Trust yee therefore in him by the meanes of our deere Sauiour Christs merits beleeue loue feare and obay him pray to him for hee hath promised to helpe Count me not dead for I shall certainely liue and neuer die I goe before you and you shall follow after to our long home I goe to the rest of my childreÌ„ Susan George Ellen Robert Zacharie I haue bequeathed you to the onely omnipotent I say to my deare friends of HADLEY and to all other which haue heard me preach that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine for the which I pray you thanke God with me for after my small tallent I haue declared to you those lessons I gathered out of Gods blessed booke the Bible If I therefore or an Angell from Heaven should preach vnto you any other Gospell then that ye haue received Gods great curse vppon that preacher Beware for gods sake that ye deny not God neither decline from the woord of Faith least GOD decline from you and so ye doe everlastingly perish For Gods sake beware of Poperie for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie yet the same is in vanitie and Antichristianitie and not in Christs faith and veritie Beware of the sin against the holy Ghost now after such a light opened so plainlie and simplie truelie thorowlie and generally to all England The Lord grant all men his good and holy spirit increase of his wisdome contemning this wicked world heartie desire to bee with God the heavenly company through Iesus Christ our onely Mediatour advocate righteousnes life sanctification and onelie hope Amen Amen pray pray Rowland Taylor departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternall salvation I thanke God my
certaine all the haires of your head are numbred Be certain your good Father hath appointed your bounds over which the devill dare not looke Commit your selfe to him hee is hath been and will bee your keeper Let Christ be your marke and scope to prick at Let him be your patterne to worke by Let him be your ensample to follow giue him as your heart so your hand as your mind so your tongue as your Faith so your feet And let his word be your Candle to goe before you in al matters of Religion Blessed is he that Walketh not to these Popish praiers nor standeth at them nor sitteth at them glorifie God both in soule and body ¶ Fifteene short sentences left by Robert Smith Martyr to ANNE SMITH his wife 1 SEEke first to loue God deere wife with your whole heart and then it shall be easie for you to loue your neighbour 2 Be friendly to all creatures but especially to your owne Soule 3 Be alwaies an enemie to the Deuill the world but chiefely to your owne flesh 4 In hearing of good things ioyne the eares of your head and heart together 5 Seeke vnitie and quietnesse with all men but specially with your conscience for it will not easily be pacified 6 Loue all men but specially your enemies 7 Hate the sinnes that are past but especially those to come 8 Be as ready to further your enemie as hee is to hinder you that yee may bee the child of God 9 Defile not that which Christ hath cleansed least his blood bee layd to your charge 10 Remember that god hath hedged in your tongue with the teeth and lippes that it might speake vnder correction 11 Be ready at all times to looke to your brothers eye but especially to your owne eye For he that warneth an other of that hee himselfe is faultie giueth his neighbour the cleere Wine and himselfe the dregges 12 Beware of riches and worldly honor for without vnderstanding prayer and fasting it is a snare like to consuming fier of which if a man take a little it will warme him but if too much it will consume him 13 Shew mercie to the Saints for Christs sake Christ shall reward you for the Saints sake 14 Among all other prisoners visit your owne Soule for it is inclosed in a perillous prison 15 If you loue GOD hate euill c. Your Husband RO SMITH If yee will meet with me againe Forsake not Christ for any paine CERTAINE deuout Prayers which some of the godly Martyrs made at the hower of their death ¶ The Prayer which M r. HOOPER Bishop of Glocester made at his death LORD sayd he I am Hell but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sincke of sinne but thou art a gracious GOD and a merciful Saviour and Redeemer Haue mercie therefore vppon me most miserable and wretched offender after thy great mercie and according to thine jnestimable goodnes thou art assended into Heaven receiue me Hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equall glory with the Father For well thou knowest Lord wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked doe persecute this thy poore seruant not for my sinnes and transgressions committed against thee but because I will not allow of their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the deniall of the knowledge of thy truth wherwith it did please thee by thy holy spirit to jnstruct mee the which with as much diligence as a poore wretch might being called thereto I haue set forth to thy glory And well thou seest my Lord God what terrible paynes and cruel torments be here prepared for thy poore Creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to beare or patiently to passe But all things that are jmpossible with man with thee are possible Therefore strengthen me of thy goodnesse that in the fire I breake not the bounds of patience or else asswage the terrour of the paines as shall seeme most to thy glory Heere the party who heard thus much of his prayer beeing espied of the Maior was commaunded away and could be suffred to heare no more ¶ The Prayer of Doctor CRANMER Archbishop of Canterburie when it was thought he would haue made his Recantation O Father of Heauen O Sonne of GOD redeemer of the world O holy Ghost three persons and one GOD haue mercy vppon me most wretched Caytiffe and miserable sinner I haue offended both against Heauen and Earth more then my tongue can expresse Whether then may I goe or whether should I flee To heauen I am ashamed to lift vppe mine eyes and in Earth I find no place of refuge or succour To thee therefore o Lord do I runne to thee do I humble my selfe saying O Lord my GOD my sinnes be great but yet haue Mercie vppon mee for thy great Mercie The great mistery that God became man was not wroght for small or few offences Thou didst not giue thy Sonne O Heauenly Father vnto death for little sinnes onely but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as I doe heere at this present Wherfore haue mercie vppon mee ô GOD whose property it is always to haue mercie haue mercie vpon mee ô Lord for thy great mercie I craue nothing for mine owne merits but for thy names sake that it may be hallowed thereby and for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christs sake And now therefore O our Father c. His repentance for subscription vttered a little before his death And now I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that ever I did or sayd in my whole life and that is the setting abroad of a writing contrarie to the truth which now I heere renownce refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in mine heart and written for feare of death and to saue life if it might be and that is all such bils and papers which I haue written or signed with mine hand since my degradatiō wherein I haue written many things vntrue And for as much as my hand offeded in writing cōtrary to my heart mine hand shal be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall first be burned which accordingly he did For being at the stake whē the fire began to flame hee put his right hand vnto it which hee held so stedfast and jmmoueable saving that once with the same hand hee wiped his face that all men might see his hand burned before it touched his body ¶ The Prayer of Steven Knight made vppon his knees at his death O Lord Iesus Christ for whose loue I willingly leaue this life and desire rather the bitter death of the Crosse with the losse of all earthly things then to abide the blaspheaming of thy most holy name or to obay men in breaking thy holy Commandemēt Thou seest oh
Lord that where I might liue in worldly wealth to worshippe a false God and honour thine enemy I choose rather the torment of the body and losse of this my life and haue counted all things but vild dust and dunge that I might winne thee which death is dearer vnto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Such loue oh Lord hast thou layd vppe within my breast that I hunger for thee as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soile Send thy holy Comforter O Lord to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth which is empty of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest Oh Lord that I am but dust and able to doe nothing that is good Therefore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodnesse and loue thou hast bidden me to this banket accounted me worthy to drinke of thine owne cup amongst thine elect even so giue me strength Oh Lord against this thine element which as to my sight it is most yrksome and terrible so to my mind it may at thy commandent as an obedient servant bee sweet and pleasant that through the strength of thy holy spirit I may passe through the rage of this fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for this mortall receiue an jmmortall and for this corruptible may put on jncorruption Accept this burnt offring O Lord not for the sacrifice but for thy deare Sonnes sake my Saviour For whose testimonie I offer this free-will offring with all my heart and with all my soule O heauenly Father forgiue mee my sinnes as I forgiue all the world O sweet Son of God my sauiour spread thy wings ouer me O blessed Holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I come hither to dye conduct me into euerlasting life Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit Amen ¶ A Prayer which Master George Marsh vsed daily to say O LORD Iesus Christ which art the onely Phisition of wounded consciences wee miserable sinners trusting in thy gracious goodnesse doe briefly open to thee the evill tree of our hearts with all the rootes boughes leaues knots and snags all which thou knowest for thou throughly perceiuest as well th'jnward lusts doubtings and denyings of thy prouidence as these grosse outward sinnes which wee commit in words deeds Wherefore wee beseech thee according to the little measure we haue receaued we being farre vnable and vnapt to praye that thou wouldest mercifully circumcise our stonye hearts and for these old hearts create within vs and replenish vs with a new spirit water and moysten vs with the juice of heauenly grace and Wels of spirituall waters whereby the jnward venome and noisome juice of the flesh may be dryed vp and custome of the old man changed and our hearts alwayes bringing forth Thornes and Bryars to be burned with fire frō hence forth may beare spirituall fruits in righteousnes and holinesse vnto life euerlasting Amen Beloued among other exercises I doe daily on my knees vse this confession of sinnes willing and exhorting you to doe the same and daily to acknowledge vnfainedly to God your vnbeliefe vnthankfulnes and disobedience against him This shall you doe if you will diligently consider and looke vppon your selues first in the pure glasse of Gods Commandements there see your jnward euils filthines and vncleanesse and so learne to vanquish the same that is to wit to fall into hearty displeasure against sinne and thereby be provoked to long after Christ. For we truely are sinners but he is just and the justifier of all them that belieue in him If wee hunger and thirst after righteousnesse let vs resort to his table for he is a liberall feast-maker Hee will set before vs his own holy body which was giuē for vs to be out meat and his pretious bloud which was shed for vs and for many for remission of sinnes to be our drinke He biddeth willeth calleth for guests which hunger and thirst Come sayth he all yee that are laden and labour vnto mee and I will refresh coole and ease you and you shall find rest vnto your soules ¶ A Prayer of Nicholas Sheterden before his death O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in heauen and earth maker of all things visible and jnvisible I am thy creature worke of thine hands Lord looke vpon mee and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded men for thy lawes sake yea for thy Law it selfe is now trodden vnderfoote and mens jnventions exalted aboue it and for that cause do I and many of thy creatures refuse the glory praise and commodities of this life and do chose to suffer adversitie and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy word for the hopes sake that is layd vppe in store For Lord thou knowest if wee would but seeme to please men in things contrarie to thy word wee might by thy permission enioy these comodities as other men do as Wife Children goods and friends which all I acknowledge to be thy gifts given vnto the end I shold serve thee And now Lord that the world will not suffer mee to enioy them except I offend thy Lawes behold I giue vnto thee my whole Spirit Soule and body And lo I leaue heere all the pleasures of this life and doe now leaue th' vse of them for the hopes sake of eternall life purchased in Christs blood and promised to all that fight on his side and are content to suffer with him for his truth whēsoever the world and the Deuill shall persecute the same O Father I presume not to come heere to thee trusting in mine owne righteousnes No but in the onely merits of thy Sonne my Saviour For the which excellent gift of Salvation I cannot worthilye prayse thee neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee in comparison of our bodies mortified and obedient to thy wil. And now Lord whatsoever rebellion hath been or is found in my members against thy will yet doe I heere giue vnto thee my body to the death rather then I will vse any strange worshipping which I beseech thee accept at my hands for a pure sacrifice Let this torment be to me the last enemie destroyed even death the end of miserie and the beginning of all joy peace and solace And when the time of the resurrection commeth let me enjoy againe these mēbers then glorified which now be spoyled and consumed by the fier O Lord Iesus receiue my spirit into thine hands Amen George Tankerfield GEorge Tankerfield sitting before a fier a little before his death at ST ALBANS after he had put off his hose and shooes stretched out his legge to the flame and when it had touched his foot he quickly withdrew his leg shewing how the flesh did perswade him one way and the spirit an other The flesh sayd ô thou foole wilt thou burne and needst not The spirit sayd be not afrayd this burning is nothing to eternall fier The flesh
I beseech thee that I may neither bee too much puffed vppe with prosperity neither to much pressed downe with adversity least I beeing too full should denye thee my God or being too low brought should despaire blaspheme thee my Lord and Saviour O mercifull God consider my miserie best knowne to thee and bee thou now vnto mee a strong Tower of defence I humbly require thee Suffer me not to bee tempted aboue my power but either be thou a deliuerer to mee out of this great misery or else giue me grace patiently to beare thy heauy hand and sharpe correction It was tâ—y right hand that deliuered the poore people of Israell out of the haÌ„ds of Pharaoh which for the space of Fortie yeares did oppresse and keepe theÌ„ in bondage Let it therefore seeme good to thy fatherly goodnesse to deliuer me sorrowfull wretch for whome thy Sonne Christ shedde his pretious bloud on the Crosse out of this miserable captiuitie and bondage wherein I now am How long wilt thou bee absent for ever Oh Lord hast thou forgotten to bee gracious and hast thou shut vppe thy loving kindnesse in displeasure wilt thou bee no more entreated Is thy mercy clean gone for ever and thy promise come vtterly to an end for evermore Why doest thou make so long tarrying Shall I despaire of thy mercy O God farre be that from me I am thy workemanship created in Christ Iesus giue mee grace therfore to tarrie thy leisure and patiently to beare thy workes assuredly knowing that as thou caust so thou wilt deliuer me when it shal please thee nothing doubting or mistrusting thy goodness towards me for thou knowest better what is good for me then I doe therefore doe with mee in all things what thou wilt Onelie in the meane time arme me I beseech thee with thy armor that I may stand fast my loines being girt about with veritie having on the breast-plate of righteousnes and shodde with the shoes prepared in the Gospell of peace aboue all things taking vnto me the shield of Faith wherewith I may be able to quench al the fiery darts of the devil and taking the helmet of Hope and the sword of the Spirit which is thy most holy word praying alwaies with all manner of Prayer and Supplication that I may referre my selfe wholly to thy will abyding thy pleasure and comforting my selfe in those troubles that it shall please thee to send seeing such troubles be profitable for mee and seeing I am assuredly perswaded that it cannot but bee well all that thou dooest Heare mee ô mercifull Father for his sake whome thou would'st should bee a sacrifice for my sinnes to whome with thee and the holy Ghost bee all honour and glorie Amen ¶ A Prayer of the Lord Cromwell which he at the houre of his death O Lord Iesu which art the onely health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in thee I wretched sinner do submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will beejng sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed vnto thy mercie willingly now I leaue this fraile and wicked flesh in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise raise it vp restore it to me at the day of the resurrection of the just I beseech thee most mercifull Lord Iesus Christ that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations and defend mee with the buckler of thy mercie against al the assaults of Satan I see and acknowledge that ther is in my selfe no hope of Salvation but all my hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes I haue no merits nor good works which I may alleadge before thee of sinnes and evill works alas I see a great heape but yet thorow thy mercie I trust to be in the nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ to whom thou wilt not jmpute their sins but wilt accept me for just and righteous and to bee th'inheritor of everlasting life Thou mercifull Lord wastborn for my sake thou didst suffer both hunger thirst for my sake thou didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and workes thou wroughtest for my sake Thou suffred'st most greeuous paines and torments for my sake finally thou gavest thy most precious body and blood to be shed vppon the Crosse for my sake Now most merciful Saviour Let all these things profit mee that thou freely hast doone for mee Let thy blood clense wash away the spots and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnesse hide and couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merits of thy passion and blood shedding bee a satisfaction for my sinnes Giue me Lord thy grace that the faith of my salvation in thy blood waver not but may be ever firme and constant that the hope of thy mercie and life everlasting never decay in me that loue may not bee cold in mee Finally that the weakenes of my flesh bee not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me mercifull Sauiour that when death hath shut vp the eies of my body and hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet the eyes of my Soule may still behold and looke vppon thee and my heart may still cry and say vnto thee Lord Iesu into thine hands I commed my Soule Lord receiue my spirit Amen ¶ The Prayer that Martin Luther sayd at his death MY Heavenly Father and eternall mercifull GOD thou hast manifested to mee thy deere son our Lord Iesus Christ. I haue taught him I haue knowne him I loue him as my life my health and my redemption whome the wicked haue persecuted maligned and with jniurie afflicted Draw my soule to thee After this hee sayd I commend my spirit into thine hands thou hast redeemed mee ô GOD of truth God so loved the world c. Anne Askew ¶ The Prayer of Anne Askew O Lord I haue more enemies then there bee haires on my head yet Lord let them never overcome mee with vaine words but fight thou Lord in my stead for on thee cast I my care With all the spight they can jmagine they fall vppon me which am thy poore creature Yet sweet Lord let me not set by them which are against mee for in thee is my whole delight And Lord I heartely desire of thee that thou wilt of thy mercifull goodnesse forgiue them that violence which they doe and haue done to me OpeÌ„ also their blind hearts that they may heereafter do that thing in thy sight which is only acceptable before thee and to set foorth thy veritie aright without all fantasies of sinnefull men So be it O Lord so be it By me Anne Askew William Flower ¶ The Prayer and confession which William Flower made at his death OH Eternall God most mightie and mercifull Father who hast sent down thy sonne vppon the earth to saue mee and all mankind who ascended vp into heaven againe and left his blood heere vppon the earth behind him for the redemption of our sinnes haue mercie