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
will never resume it againe Christ hath now set me frée I will be no longer of the Order of the slaves of Satan One of the Magistrates of Bruges conferring with him promised to procure his deliverance if he would yéeld but a little and if his fryers coate displeased him he would get him a dispensatton from the Pope to forbeare the wearing of it and provide him a Canonship Sir said Charles I give you many thankes for your good will and these your kinde offers would to God I could accept of them without offending his Maiesty you offer me a Canonship that I might live quietly and in security but know you sir That rest is That is not worthy the name of rest which is procured with offence of conscience A judgement of God upon a persecutor no true rest and quietnsse which is obtained against the peace of a good conscience A few dayes after his execution one of them who had his hand déepest in procuring his cruell death died himselfe in such terror and horror of conscience that it gave sufficient testimony to those of Brugoes that they had put to death an Innocent and that God was highly offended with those that had persecuted him ¶ Philibert Hamelin of Tournay Minister and Martyr was there executed in the yeere 1557. WHilest he remained prisoner some of his friends dealt with him to breake prison and offered him meanes tending thereto But he on the contrary having resolved to give his life for so just a quarrell as he maintained refused saying I esteeme it altogether unbeseeming for a Preachers must be no breakers of prisons man that is called to preach Gods Word to others to run away and breake prison for fear of danger but rather to maintaine the Truth taught even in the midst of the flaming fire After sentence of death was passed upon him by the court whereby he knew he had not long to live yet did he eat his dinner with the rest of the prisoners as joyfully as though he had béen in no A good conscience is a continuall feast danger speaking unto them of the happinesse of eternall life comforting all that sate at table with him in the Consciergery That none might hear what he said at the place of execution the trumpets were caused to be sounded continually yet might it be séene both by his gestures and chéerefulnesse of his countenance that they could not let him from speaking to God ¶ Archambant Seraphon Martyr in the yeere 1557. BEing demanded what he thought of the Pope and his authority he answered I think verily A practise of the Papists that same is he of whom Saint Paul speakes in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chapter the second Which words he being willed to signe with his hand Yea yea sir said he I am now ready to signe it with my blood rather than with Inke Hee reports in a Letter written to his wife The Martyrs ready to scale the truth with their blood A Iaylor of a Lyon became a Lamb. and friends that whereas this Iaylor was wont to carry himselfe as sternly towards him as a Lyon roaring alwaies in such wise upon him that all the prisoners were amased at it the Lord had now so mollified his heart that he became as méek as a Lambe declaring how he would come and visite him himselfe in his prison and as well as he was able comforted him saying Take no care God will assist you nor shall it be so ill with you as you thinke for For what doe your enemies say Alas he is but a silly pedler who passing along this way broached his opinions to none that also which he holds concerning the same he keepes to himselfe therefore be of good cheere Sir said he I praise God I am of good comfort being ready to receive whatsoever it shall please him to appoint If life life if death death be it One thing I had like to have omitted concerning him which yet is worth the noting namely this This Archambant in a letter to his wife puts An exhortation to get the Psalmes without booke his brethren in minde to learn Davids Psalms My brethren saith he I exhort you in the Name of God that you would learne yea learne the Psalmes without booke whilest you have time and leasure for when you shall be cast into dark prisons I say when God shall call you to suffer for his sake you shall then have no booke with you whether of a small or great Print to sée what part succeeds another which I now utter to my great griefe and shame for if I should tell you I lacked forewarning long agoe you can beare witnesse to the contrary Nor doe I know now what to doe but even to humble my selfe before the Lord crying unto him Mercy mercy Lord have mercy upon me Blessed and happy are they who are carefull to get knowledge and faith as oyle into their vessels before the Bridegroome come When he looked on his hands he was wont to say ô flesh thou must suffer and be turned into ashes untill the last day Ieffery Vergale Martyr in the yeare 1557. He was burned at Turin the last of December STanding upon a stoole at the stake the executioner according to the custome prayed him to forgive him his death Ieffery answered him I not onely forgive thee but those also who first imprisoned me at Burges yea those that brought me to this City and have condemned me to this death Be not afraid doe thine office my death shall not be unprofitable The death of the Martys is not without fruit Nicolas Ieuville Martyr in the yeere 1557. who with two others mentioned hereafter were burned in the place called Mawbert without Paris in France THis godly Martyr being condenmed to be burned alive and his tongue to be cut out the Tormentor being there present offered to put the halter about his necke but he repulsed him twice appealing from the Sentence But because he was pressed upon to receive it the third time and thinking his appeale would not take place he took it saying Praysed be God for I am now counted worthy to be one of the heavenly Order Two innocents condemned to suffer death the one of them being called Henry the Taylor THis Henry reioyced at the hearing of the These two were burnt at Antwerpe The Martyrs willingly give their necks to the blocke but left the punishment to their persecutors sentence read saying This is the day we have long expected and therefore give our selves willingly to die but as for the punishment my masters that we leave to you yet we pray that God would pardon you this injustice At which spéeches the Magistrates turned away their faces not willing to heare it but Adrian who was the other Martyr told them boldly That God would require the blood of the iust at their hands whom they daily put to death The next day being appointed for their
was in his body And thus yée have heard the godly life and blessed end of this constant martyr ¶ Martin Bayart Claude du Flot with Io. Dantricourt borne in the Countrey of Artois and Noel Tournemine of Hering neere Seclin Martyrs 1566. YOu may easily discerne by the former Histories that the cruelties exercised against the Faithfull in Flanders nothing diminished the increasing of them for the innocent bloud thus shed was a meanes to bring many ignorant soules to the knowledge of the Truth These foure above named dwelling in the City of Lisle walked in the feare of the Lord with zeale according to knowledge as the event well manifested There was a Iesuit in the said City who had a servant that was cousin to one of the Martyrs with whom they laboured not without some perill first to shew him the odiousnesse of that sect and then to instruct him in the doctrine of the Gospell To which purpose they lent him a booke containing good instructions drawne out of the holy Scriptures The silly fellow not considering the hurt that might follow shewed it soone after to his Master The false Prophet by and by knew that this booke was not forged upon his anvile and therefore diligently enquired of his man where he had it Now that he might with the more expedition attaine his desire he gave him a piece of seven stivers telling him he should do well to bring him to the knowledge of them from whom he had received it which was not hard to doe in regard they all foure wrought upon their Trade which was to dresse sayes in an honest widowes house who professed the same Religion with them The Iesuite comming to the knowledge hereof failed not according to their guise to reveale it to the Magistrate Now lest he might be suspected to be the betrayer of them the Fox withdrew himselfe the same time out of the City whilst on a saturday morning about two of the clocke these foure were apprehended and imprisoned by the Magistrate It fell out the same day that certain writings were set up upon the Towne-house against the horrible tyranny of the Spanish Inquisition which was then intended to be brought in and executed throughout the Low-Countries which no doubt was the meanes wherby the Magistrates were the rather incensed against the prisoners But forasmuch as they were not found guilty of having any hand in this businesse they were onely examined about matters concerning their Faith To which they answered with such Anno 1566. courage and constancy without varying or wavering that the Iailour wondred how they could answer the Iudges so directly and pertinently as it were with one consent being notwithstanding severed one from another in the prison The second of March 1566. they were condemned for heretiques by the Provost of the City to which they replyed that if they were Heretiques then Gods word must néeds be heresie which could not be and therefore they fréely protested before all that they were Christians and held nothing but that which was agréeable to the word of God They were asked if they would submit themselves to the will of the Magistrates They answered they would submit themselves to the will of God Then was sentence of death forthwith pronounced upon them which was that they should be burned alive before the Towne-house When they were brought out of Prison to be executed Noels father came and embraced him and kissing him said Art thou led my son in this sort unto death This is nothing Father said hée for now am I going to life And howsoever Noel wept in going up to the Scaffold séeing his father so dissolved into teares yet recovering himselfe and being armed with new courage he cryed O yée Priests if we would have gone to your Masse we néeded not to have béen here but Iesus Christ never commanded nor instituted any such thing The Priests standing at the foot of the scaffold laboured to make the people beéeve they were Heretiques and that their faith was the faith of devills because they rejected the Sacraments But to that one of them answered that their Faith was nothing like to that of devills and as touching the Sacraments they held so many as Christ ordained Then said Martin suffer us to die in peace for we are in the right way and are going to Iesus Christ hinder us not in this our journey with these and the like spéeches the Priests mouthes were stopped not daring to come up upon the Scaffold as they were wont to doe Iohn Dauticourt comming up recited the articles of the Créed adding somewhat by way of exposition upon every Article Those who knew him before his imprisonment marvelled to heare him speake so judiciously The executioner thinking to please his Masters offered to gag him but the patient promised to hold his peace Yet being straitly fastened to the stake by the necke he said to the people O my friends were it for speaking wickedly that they commanded me to be silent it were somewhat but I cannot be permitted to speake unto you the word of God and with a loud voice said Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or anguish O Lord we are delivered to death for thy sake and are appointed as sheepe for the slaughter But let us be of good cheere my brethren for wee shall be more than conquerours through him that loved us The other thrée on their parts cryed and said Mat. 7. 14. This this is the way that leads to life this is the strait way by which we must enter thereinto as Christ our Lord hath taught us Noel likewise said Enter you my brethren and whilest I am alive pray for me for after death prayers prevaile not When all of them were fastened to their stakes and covered with fagots with fire ready to set thereto they began with one voice to sing the first part of the seven and twentieth Psalme and after that the song of Simeon to the end after which the fire began to be kindled in the middest whereof they were heard to cry ten or twelve times to the Lord especially Iohn and Noel with loud voices calling and saying Lord receive us this day unto mercy and unto thy kingdome And thus ceasing to cry any more they yéelded up their soules into the hands of God This constancy of theirs procéeding from the worke of Gods Spirit was not without singular fruit for the inlarging of the Church for many being touched therewith went home thence as if they had gone from a powerfull sermon ¶ Francis D' Alost in Flanders Martyr in the yeare 1566. THis yong man being by his trade a Cutler during the time of his ignorance frequented the Court much and tooke great delight in the vanity of this world which gat him much respect of many but chiefly among those of the Romish Religion namely Priests and Monkes who willingly conversed with him taking much contentment in his carriage and course
from the Faith But Smetius being a man learned and of a quick understanding remained constant which so confounded his opposite that hée went away with shame The Fryer invented a recantation to which it was reported that Smetius had subscribed But an Elder of the Church whose name was Cornelius Specox comming to the knowledge thereof by the helpe of friends got a sight of the said Recantation Who in the presence of divers friends conferring a certaine Letter which Smetius had put his name unto with that writing found it in nothing to agree therewith and therefore the recantation to bée méerely counterfeited The eighth of February being Saturday Smetius having his feete tied under an horses belly on which he was set was thus brought to Vilvourd to the * Hee was apprehended by his Provost with 20. horsemen as he was preaching at Malives When Smetins saw them he exhorted the congregation to be quiet for they are come said he to take me but the assembly was by and by scattered Provost who himselfe was afterwards hanged for his villanies His Sergeants passing immediatly along with him through Malives went towards Malladery of Wallen where finding a ladder set up to an oake they hanged him thereon Smetius being on the Ladder used these words Lord forgive them for they know not what they doe And then singing certaine verses of a Psalme he yéelded up his soule into the hands of the Lord. ¶ Master Iohn Goris and Ioris of Asschen Martyrs Anno 1567. IOhn Goris Chirurgion borne in Audenard travelling towards Gaud was betrayed by two spies who signified the same to the Bayliffe himselfe also going the same way whither Goris was travelling him The Bailiffe hirsting after the bloud of this poore innocent rid on till hee had overtaken him asking him whether hée went I am going said Goris to the Parish of Nazaret And I purpose also said the Bayliffe to goe thither wee will beare you company Having passed on thus a little way the Bayliffe thinking himselfe sure of Goris began to lay hands upon him Goris séeing that leaped over a ditch and got into a little wood The wood was presently beset with Countrey people and being there apprehended he was carried to Audenard as a shéep to the slaughter where he was committed to prison They layed many things to his charge which they were not able to prove Being examined the second time upon divers articles hee answered thereunto with such wisedome that the Counsell admired how a man of so meane account could defend his cause in so good a manner But after they came to question with him concerning matters of Religion now I see saith he that you seek my bloud The night following hee was overtaken with By this we see that man stands not by his owne strength such an apprehension of the feare of death that for saving his life hee was almost resolved to deny the truth But by the assistance of Gods holy spirit calling his thoughts together hee instantly and ardently besought the Lord to deliver him out of this temptation that by the power of his grace he might overcome the infirmity of his flesh which prayer of faith the Lord had such respect unto that from that time he manifestly resisted all Satans assaults and maintained the truth Though I fall saith the Church yet I shall arise Mâ—ch 7. 8. Act. 7 60. unto his last breath Having received sentence he was nothing appalled thereat but like the holy Martyr S. Stephen prayed God that he would not lay his death to their charge Comming to the place where he was to be executed casting himselfe downe prostrate he made his prayer to God in which prayer albeit he sought the Lord to forgive his Enemies yet added he this withall I am perswaded that God being a just Iudge will not leave their sinne unpunished Which prediction fell out not long after for the Bailife who apprehended him rejoyced in standing by whilst the martyr was executed was not long after shot with a harquebuse whereof he presently died like a wretch After Goris was thus executed they brought forth his fellow prisoner called Ioris of Asschen who the same day suffered the same kind of death that is to say he was hanged upon a gibbet which death he endured for the name of Christ with like constancy as did the former Which courage of his he thus manifested to his parents and friends in a letter written to them a little before his death ¶ A Letter written by Ioris of Asschen to his Parents and Friends a little before the time of his Martyrdome MOst deare Father and Mother Sister and Brother I write here unto you comfortable newes namely that in all my life I never saw any day so pleasing to me as this is in which the Lord hath counted me worthy to be one of his Champions and to suffer for his holy Name For which I give him most humble and hearty thanks I also thanke you much good Father and Mother that in all my distresses you have beene beneficiall and helpfull unto me and carefull for me for which the Lord aboundantly reward you in his kingdome Rejoyce with me I pray you that God hath now called me to such a glorious and welcome marriage day Oh how precious in the sight of the Lord our God is the death of his Martyrs Deare friends two Priests yea and some of the Magistrates also have sought to terrifie me with many threats thinking to turne me aside from my holy profession but the Lord of his great mercy hath given me his grace to withstand them all for I plainly told them I was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ but would be willing and ready to die in the defence thereof following my Lord and Master Iesus Christ thorow all afflictions to be made partaker with him at the last of his eternall joyes in his celestiall Tabernacle Wherefore if God shal cal any of you forth to suffer ought for his Names sake beare the same I beseech you with meeknesse and patience not declining from the Truth for feare or favour to the right hand or to the left but feare him rather who is able to cast soule and body into hell The time which God hath lent us to converse in this world is but short and therefore let us begin to abandon the love thereof with all things that are therein betimes that so we may be ready to follow the call of God Deare Father and Mother I doe take my last farewell of you untill we meet together againe in the Kingdome of heaven where we shall partake of that joy which shall last for ever all sorrowes teares and griefes being wiped away Be ye not therefore grieved I pray you but be patient for the affliction which is befalne me is most acceptable unto me for which also I blesse and praise the Lord. The Lord prosper you in all your wayes to his glory and your good Thanke all
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
the pulley with his head they will him yet then to confesse if he obey they presently let him down if not then they let him hang in this condition untill he have answered their demands Now after he hath hung thus without making any confession they let him downe to redouble on his féet the former weight And then pulling him up againe threaten him to hang till he there die if hée declare not to them that which they aske of him commanding the Tormentor to let him hang a long while in the aire that through the heavinesse of the weight which hangs at his feet all his members and joynts be stretched out beyond measure When the Patient through extremity of torment which he endures cryes out they in like sort cry as loud as they can that he should now confesse what he knowes if not then they let him fall For when they perceive he continues constant then they command the officer to let goe the Cord which is as soone done as spoken yet not wholly and altogether to the mid way but to a certain stop which hinders his falling to the ground by reason whereof he receives such a sudden checke that there is neither nerve muscle sinew nor joynt in the arms or legs nor in the whole body which are not with extreame torture disjoynted and displaced so as being thus stopped in his fall in the mid way his body is pittifully and miserably stretched out But yet this sufficeth not For then if through their importunity he will confesse nothing they augment the weight the third time and thus in a manner being as good as dead cause him to bée pulled up to which cruelty they adde railing and reviling spéeches calling him dog and heretike who being obstinate conceals the truth from them and therefore deserves to be left dying there If the poore creature in regard of his intolerable agony cryeth unto Iesus Christ to helpe him and to have mercy upon him as all such doe as suffer for the truth then they scoffe and mocke him saying Iesus Christ Iesus Christ let this Iesus Christ Impious blasphemiest alone a while and tell us what that Iesus Christ is thou callest upon Confesse to us that which we demand of thée the which testifies to their faces how odious and hatefull a thing it is unto them to heare such as suffer in the quarrell of Christ to call upon his name If the sorrowfull wretch desire to be let downe promising to confesse and to tell them somewhat they will for all that torment him againe For having paused a little then they tell him that is not all and so continue threatning him with the Strappado as before This hellish torture beginneth at nine of the clocke and lasts till noone or one of the clocke and when they please to make an end then they aske of the Tormentor if he have his other Engines ready which they doe to strike the greater terror into the bruised and martyred Patient whom they now have in their hands He answers be hath them not there then they command him to fit and prepare them against the next day and not to faile we will sée say they whether we can fetch the whole truth out of this fellow or no. And at their going out they comfort the desolate soule thus This shall suffice for this time but looke betweene this and to morrow thou advisest thy selfe well what thou oughtest to confesse otherwise thou art like to die on the torture nor think to escape by what thou hast endured for that is but as a bed of Roses in regard of the torment which is to come Being gone the 〈◊〉 indevours to set together the joynts of the Patients legges and armes as well as he can Then his clothes being put on he is brought againe into his prison and if he be not able to goe then hée is carried thither and sometimes this help proves a vexation unto him in that they churlishly hale him by his armes and legges The Iaylour also in scorne askes of him if he néed a Chirurgion now if they meane to torture him no more then he is called for two or thrée dayes after and as he passeth from the prison they make him come nigh the doore where he was tortured where the Tormentor presents himselfe before him in all points as hath formerly béen related that at this very sight the prisoner in his passage might be put in minde of what he had but a while since suffered When he is come before them there he findes the Inquisitor the Register with others set in their seates attending for him where according to the guise they adjure him to speak the truth If at that time they can draw nothing out of him they send him to prison againe But if he happen to disclose ought serving their turne then they ply him hard to utter all and thereupon make him turne thence to the torture hoping thereby to get something more out of him If they purpose to exercise this their cruelty with all extremity upon the same Patient they send for him the third day whilest his sinews and joynts are in the prime of their paine and so renew their horrible threats unto him to reveale Anno 1560. his heresies and those which had formerly mentioned and who they be that are of his opinion otherwise he must prepare himself for the torture wherein if he any way miscarry in his body or if death it selfe doe follow the fault shall be his and not theirs If he continue unmovable in his mind they cause the Iaylor to bring him to the place of torture and there they sitting in their Tribunall command him to be stripped naked and then tormented as you have formerly heard Besides as an addition therto they tie his thighs hamstrings together with a small cord forcing the same so with pieces of wood that the said cords do eate into his very flesh in which extremity they leave him for some thrée or foure houres or as they please plying him the while with infinite threats and derisions which is all the comfort they minister to him in this his miserable condition They have yet another kinde of torment which Iustices in other places exercise upon such as are the most notorious offendors whereof this holy Tribunall make use as fitting well to their cruell humour They call it the Burno which is a planke of timber made hollow in forme of a gutter or trough wherein a man may lie on his back now just where the back bone should repose it selfe there is a round péece of wood lying overthwart kéeping up the backe from resting in the bottome of the hollow place so as it giveth no rest to him that is tormented thereon Now this trough is so framed that the héeles of him who is put therein lie much higher than his head Being put into this case or coffin his legges armes and thighes are bound hard with small cords which
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
out his hand to receive you unto him Are you are you willing to goe unto him Yes I assure you saith she most willing and much more willing than to linger here below in this world where I see nothing but vanity The minister not willing to continue longer in this kinde of discourse asked if she were pleased that they should goe to prayer declaring that godly personages there present would willingly joyne their desires with hers To which she consenting the said Minister prayed by her a good space whilest this pious Lady manifested her ardent affection to call upon God When prayer was ended the Minister discerning in her the undoubted testimonies of her repentance and of the sorrow she conceived for the offences which she had committed against God together with the assured confidence which shée had in his mercies as a Minister of the Gospell amd Embassadour of the Son of God by the authority dispensed to him having committed to him the word of reconciliation he assured her in his name that all her sins were forgiven her of 1 Cor. 5. God and that they should never come into account before his judgement Seat yea that she should no more dount thereof then if the Sonne of God from heaven should say unto her Daughter thy sins are forgiven thee And to the end that troubled consciences might the better be quieted Christ hath used these words speaking to his Ministers saying Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted Mat. 16. 14. and whose sins ye unloose they are unloosed The reason is because the word which they pronounce is not the word of a mortall man but of the immortall God being of no lesse weight than if himselfe uttered the same Then he asked of her Majesty if he accepted of so gracious a Message which assured her of the frée pardon of all her sins Yea I doe saith shee and make no doubt thereof Not long after these exhortations the Admirall comming in and with him another Minister shée also gave care to him for a good space together whose discourse tended to prepare her for death as he had done who had spoken to her immediatly before who having finished his spéech prayed also with her and for her which she heard with great attention and affection Then she requested that these two ministers might stay with her all night in her Chamber and that they would in no wise leave her The greater part of this night was spent in holy admonitions which these two ministers gave to this gracious Lady and Princesse one after another Besides these admonitions she commanding that some Chapters of the holy Scripture which were pertinent for her condition should be read unto her one of the Ministers read in her hearing certaine Chapters out of the Gospell of Saint Iohn namely from the fouretéenth to the seventéenth After he had read to her these Chapters he went to prayer which being ended the Quéene desired to take some rest but it was not long ere she commanded them to reade again whereupon the other Minister having made choise of certaine Psalmes of David full of ardent and affectionate prayers suiting to this Princesses present affliction he read them unto her and for a conclusion read the one and thirtieth Psalme Psal 31. 5. where the Prophet among other things doth there commend his spirit into the hands of God because saith he thou hast redéemed me O Lord God of truth The Quéene willed them to pray with her again and thus as I have said was the most part of the night spent in such vertuous exercises namely in exhortation in reading the holy Scripture and in prayer during all which time the ministers never discerned in any of her spéeches or behaviour the least impatiency Nay whereas some dayes before she fell sick she shewed how affectionately she was bent to provide things most magnificent for the day of her Sons marriage according as the State of so great an alliance required it was admirable to observe that after thâ—s sicknesse had seized upon her God wrought in her such aforgetfulnesse and neglect of all such matters that she never made shew of having so much as a thought thereof This night being thus passed and spent by this noble Queene she persevering in the expressions of like pious actions and ardency of Faith the next day in the morning betwéen eight and nine of the clocke she departed this life to take possession of a far better life swéetly yéelding up her spirit into the hands of God the ninth of Iune 1572. the sixth day after she fell sick in the 44. yeare of her age She had her perfect spéech alwaies even to the houre of her death shewing not only the stayednesse and soundnesse of her judgement which ever in times past she had in her care about the salvation of her soule but in her other worldly affaires also Now to avoide all jealousies and suspitions of her being wronged by poyson or otherwise in this matter of her so sudden sickenesse her body was opened by sundry expert and learned Doctors of Physick and Chirurgery with all exquisite diligence who found her heart and liver very sound and untouched her lungs only excepted which long before on the right side had béen very ill affected by reason of an extraordinary hardnesse which they had contracted and withall a great imposthume which so far as man could judge they concluded was the cause of her death But they had no command given them to open the braine and therefore finding somewhat out of frame in her body they delivered their opinions only concerning the same Thus you have with as much brevity as I could and as the merit of the thing required the true report of the manner of this vertuous Princesses sicknesse and death thus ar related unto you only my request is saith my Author that if any have a more perfect and particular knowledge of the excellent parts wherewith the Lord had adorned and beautified her they would not suffer the same to be buried in silence but to cause it to sée the light that on the one side it may serve as an example to posterity and on the other side that we may learne to blesse God for her piety and constancy ¶ An Introduction first into that which Anno 1572. leads to the death of the Admirall of France Then to the massacre at paris and so in some other Cities And first what moved the Admirall to come to Paris AFter the death of the Quéene certaine Princes were sollicited by the King to give their attendance at Paris for the folemnising the mariage of the Prince of Navarre now made king by the death of his mother according to the ceremonies which were thereto appertaining Among the rest letters were directed to the Admirall by the King himselfe to come to this marriage which were delivered unto him by Cavagues wherein the King assured him be would not tarry long after him Willing
upon the swords and armes of the murtherers their sléeves being tucked up which something hindered their procéeding after they had drinke wine their still they meant to returne and make themselves dranke with blood also which that they might shed the more fréely they tooke with them Butchers great axes wherewith they smite downe their Oxen and in the presence of this honest Atturney felled these poore prisoners one after another who called upon God and crying so loud for mercy that all the City in a manner rung thereof This massacre lasted from nine of the Clock at night till it was midnight And for as much as there yet remained many prisoners alive they deferred this their bloody businesse till the next day But this may suffice to have béen said as touching this massacre at Meaux in Brie passe wée on now to the City of Troys in Champaigne and there take notice as it were by the way what cruelties were executed in that place ¶ Persecution of the Faithfull at Troys in Champaigne NEwes comming to Troys of the Massacre executed at Paris the greater part of the Iudges and Officers of the King were sent to the Bailiffe of Troys with commandement diligently to make scarch for all those of the Religion from house to house and to imprison as many as they could méet withall In this city there was a Merchant called Peter Belin a man of a turbulent nature This Belin was at the massacre in Paris on S. Bartholomews day from whence he was sent with Letters from the King dated the eight and twentieth of August to the Maior and Sheriffes of Troys to cause all these persecutions to cease and the prisoners to be set at liberty On the third of September he came to Troys with these two letters which had béen first published in Paris with commandement to deliver them to the foresaid Magistrates to be proclaimed there also But at the first entrance into the City he began to enquire that all might heare him whether they had not executed the Huguenots there as they had done in Parts which was his language thorow the stréets till he came home But even some of the Papists who were not so cruelly minded demanded of Belin the contents of the K. letters whereof they had some inkling before But he like a Bedlam swelling with choler sware that whosoever said they contained any thing tending to varification lyed Hasting therefore to the Bailiffes house at Troys after he had delivered him the packet and buzzed somewhat in his eare he put him on to sée this execution done Now that the same might passe the better for currant the help of the Executioner of Troys was requested whose name was Charles Yet he shewing himself more just and humane than the rest peremptorily refused to have his hand in an act tending to so great cruelty answering that it was contrary to his office to execute any man before sentence of death had first béen pronounced by the Magistrate If they had such sentence to shew against any of the prisoners he was ready to doe justice otherwise he would not presume without a warrant to bereave any man of his life and so with these words he returned home to his house Now albeit this answer procéeding from such a kinde of person whose office and custome it was to shed blood might somewhat have asswaged and taken off the edge of the most barbarous Tyger in the world yet the Bailiffe sleighting it was the further enraged Upon this he sent for one of the Iaylors of the prison who kept those of the religion but he being sicke of a Tertian Ague Martin de Bures was sent to know his pleasure The Bailiffe telling him at large what Belin had signified to him in private as also that on a sudden all the prisoners of the Religion must bée put to death that so the place might be purged of them This he said you must not faile to doe But said the Bailiffe that the blood may not run into the stréets you shall cause a trench to be digged in the middest of the prison and at the two ends thereof set certaine vessels to receive the same But this de Bures for some considerations as namely thinking the Kings Letters whereof he had had some intelligence might be proclauned made no hast to performe his charge acquainting no man with ought that had passed betwéene the Bafliffe and hâ—m no not Perennet the Kéeper who then lay sick in his bed The next day being Tuesday which was the fourth of September the Bailiffe came into the prison about seven or eight of the Clock and calling for Perennet asked of him with a smile Perennet is it done Perennet knowing nothing either more or lesse asked of him what Then saith the Bailiffe Why are not the Prisoners dispatched and thereupon was ready with his dagger to have stabbed him But comming a little better to himselfe he told Perennet what his purpose was and now he was to behave himselfe concerning the execution thereof willing him by all meanes not to forget to make the said Trench At which words this Perennet standing amased though otherwise he was a fellow forward enough of himselfe to commit any outrages against the Protestants certified the Bailiffe that such an inhumane act could not be committed over to him fearing lest in time to come Iustice might be followed against him by the Parents or Allyes of the Prisoners No no said the Bailiffe feare not I will stand betwéene you and all harmes Others of the Iustices have consented thereto besides my selfe and would you have better security than that Within a while after the Iaylor comming into the court of the prison where the prisoners were abroad recreating themselves caused every one to resort to his cabbin or hole because said he the Bailiffe will come by and by to sée whether the Kéepers have done as he commanded them which they did Then began these poore shéep to feare they were destinated to the slaughter and therefore went presently to prayer Perennet instantly called his companions about him reporting to them what the Bailiffe had given him in charge Then they all tooke an oath to execute the same but approaching nigh to the Prisoners they were so surprised with feare and their hearts so failed them that they stood gasing one upon another having no courage to act such a barbarous cruelty and so returned to the Iaylors lodge whence they came without doing any thing But in stead of laying this to heart as an advertisement and warning piece sent them from above as if of set purpose they meant to resist against the checks of their owne consciences and so kick against the prickes they sent to the Taverne for sixtéene pints of the best wine Troys measure with shéepes tongues and other viands and intoxicating their braines with wine they drew a list or Catalogue of all the prisoners which they delivered to Nicholas Martin one of their