Kent in the same month And on the 22d of the same month at Lewis in Sussex was burned Dirick Carver who was a man of small learning yet blessed by God with temporal Riches which yet was no hindrance to him in professing the Gospel tho after he was imprisoned the Ravenous Harpies left little for his wife and children After he had been several times before the Bishop and his confession read to him he owned it and being asked if he would recant or stand to the same he replyed That he would stand to his confessions for your doctrine is Poyson and Sorcery and if Christ were here said he you would put him to a worse Death than he was put to before You say you can make a god you can make a Pudding as well Your Ceremonies in the Church are full of poyson and beggerly rudiments auricular confession is contrary to Gods Word with divers others the like which made the Bishop hasten his condemnation When he came to the Town of Lewis in order to his burning the people called upon him beseeching God to strengthen him in the Faith of Jâ—sus Christ He thanked them and prayed unto God that he of his mercy would strengthen them in the like Faith When he came to the stake he kneeled down and made his prayers After he had done they took his book and threw it into the pitch'd barrel And assoon as he had stript himself he went into the barrel prepared for him himself and taking up his book he flung it among the people but the Sheriff commanded them in the Queens name on pain of Death to throw it in again that it might be burnt Then the blessed Martyr lifting up his voice said Brethren and Sisters witness all of you that I am come here this day to seal with my blood Christ's Gospel because I know it is truth It has been here truly preached but now is not Because I will not deny God's Gospel and be obedient to Man's Laws I am Condemned to dye As many of you as believe upon the Father Son and holy Spirit unto everlasting Life see you do the works appertaining to the same And as many of you as believe on the Pope of Rome you believe to your utter Cond mnation except the great mercy of God help you Immediately the Sheriff said If thou dost not believe on the Pope thou art damned both body and Soul Speak to thy God said he that â—e may deliver thee now or else strike me down to the example of the People But the Martyr reply'd the Lord forgive you your sayings Then with a loud voyce he said to the people Dear Brethren I ask you all to forgive me if I have offended any of you in word or in deed Then he prayed and said O Lord my God thou hast written He that will not forsake Wife Children House and all that ever he hath and take up thy Cross and follow thee is not worthy of thee But Lord thou knowest I have forsaken all to come unto thee Lord have mercy upon me for to thee I commend my Spirit and my Soul rejoyceth in thee When the fire was put to him he gave a spring up into the flame and cryed O Lord have mercy upon me and so ended his Life Stening and Iveson Martyrs On the 23d of the same month was also burnt at Stening another named John Launder of God-Stone in the County of Surry one of the same Town a Carpenter named Thomas Iveson was burnt in the same month at Chichester And on the 2d of August one James Abbies a young man being by the Bishop of Norwich wrought upon him to recant and gave him mony which so burthened his Conscience that he could have no rest till he had carried the Bishop his mony and owned his opinions for which on the day aforesaid he was burnt at Bury Greater and hotter the persecution grew dayly and they began now to be flesh'd in blood tho nothing satiated but still greedy of more On the 8th day of August the same year one Mr. Denly a Gentleman was Martyred at Vxbridge having been Condemned by the bloody Butcher Bonner When fire was put to him he fell a singing a psalm which Doctor Story a Popish persecutor hearing he bid one of the Sheriffs Officers fling a fagot in his face to stop his mouth which the fellow did and hit him so full in the face that the blood ran down upon which Mr. Denly was silent clapping both his Hands upon his face Then said the Popish Doctor to the fellow Thou hast marr'd a good old song At last the holy Martyr spreading his hands abroad in the midst of the flames sung again and so yeilded up his spirit into the Hands of God rejoycing On the 28th of the same month in the same place one Patrick Packington condemned by Bonner was burnt being urged to recant he told them no their Church was the Church of Satan and he would never turn to it At the same time one John Newman was Condemned by Bonner and burnt at Saffron Walden for that he argued against the bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament they told him tho he could not see it with his bodily eyes yet it was there under the forms of Bread and wine and that the Bread and Wine was only a Quality or Accident to whom the Martyr reply'd that if they could shew him a Quality or Accident without a Subsâ—â—nce hâ— would believe them not else Besides he used this Argument so them That if the Body of Christ were really and Bodily in the Sacrament then whosoever received the Sacrament received also the Body But the wicked receiving the Sacrament receive not the Body of Christ Therefore the Body of Christ is not really in the Sacrament Tho they knew not how to answer this they knew how to burn him for his opinion which they did endeavouring to convince him with Fire and faggot This man was a Pewterer by trade Much about the same time one Richard Hook was burnt at Chichester in Sassex for the same cause About the latter end of August Six more whose names were William Coker Wiâ—â—iam Hopper Henry Lawrence Richard Collier Richard Wright and William Steer were all burnt together in one fire at Canterbury for the Gospels sake by the Papists unmercifull Tyranny Elizabeth Warren Widdow and others Martyred Towards the latter end of A gust also Elizabeth Warren the widdow of John Warren the Upholster who was Martyr'd before was burnt at Stratford Bow being persecuted by her Kinsman Dr. Story who was so Zealous as not to spare his own kindred for the cause of the Popish Church The chief Article against her was that of the real presence which she Constantly deny'd for being urged to recant she told them she never would do what they could for said she If Christ be in an error then I am in an error upon â—hâ—ch she was Condemned and suffered as above said George Tankerfeild
going home in the Gravesend Barge chanced into the company of a Priest in the same Barge and sitting too near the proud and surly Priest the Priest asked him if he knew him not that he sat upon his cloaths John Brown told him he did not know him nor what he was I tell thee then said the other that I am a Priest What Sir said John Brown are you a Parson or Vicar or a Ladies Chaplain No quoth he again I am a Soul Priest I sing for a Soul Do you so Sir said the other that is well done But I pray Sir said he where do you find the soul when you say Mass I cannot tell reply'd the Priest Then said the other where do you leave it when mass is done I cannot tell thee said the Priest If you can tell neither where you find it nor where you leave it when your Mass is done said John Brown how do you know how you save it Go thy waies said the Priest thou art an Heretick and I will be even with thee As he was for nor long after John Brown not thinking any thing was surprised in his own house set on horse back and his feet tyed like a Felon under the horses Belly and so carried to Canterbury and there was kept from Low Sunday till the Fryday before Easter his wife and family not knowing what was become of him There he was most cruelly handled by the Bishops Warham and Fisher as he related himself to his own Wife before his Death and the Soles of his feet being set upon hot coals till they were burned to the bones so that he could not set them to the Ground to make him as he said to deny his Lord which he resolved not to do and so indured their torments and being condemned to be burnt at his own Town of Ashford whither he was carried and the night before he was burnt set all night in the stocks where his Wife came to him whom he exhorted to continue as she had began in the fear of God and to bring up her children vertuously in the fear of God And the next day being Whit-Sunday even this godly Martyr was burnt and standing at the stake with his hands lifted up he prayed thus O Lord I yield me to thy grace Grant me mercy for my trespass Let never the Fiend my Soul chace Lord I will bow and thou shalt beat Let never my Soul come in hell's heat Into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord of Truth One Chilton the Bayliff seeing his Children at the fire bid them fling them in too for they would spring up Hereticks from his Ashes This was the end of this Martyr burnt 1517. The Horrid Murther of Mr. Hun in the Lollards Tower The next we shall briefly treat of is one Richard Hun Merchant Tailor of London esteemed a very worthy man This man had a child at nurse in Middlesex in the Parish of St. Mary Matsilon which dyed on occasion of which there fellout a quarrel between the said Rich. Hun and Thomas Dryfield the Parson of the Parish about a Mortuary which he claimed very unjustly and sued Mr. Hun in the Spiritual Court but Mr. Hun by advice of Councel took out a writ of Premunire against Tho. Dryfield this enraging the whole horners nest of Priests hanging together thought it not to be endured that a Lay man should thus be able to withstand the power of Priest-hood though in his own just defence and fearing if they should suffer this Priest to be condemned at Hunt Suit there would be a way opened for the rest of the Laity to follow the example Therefore to put a stop to this and to be revenged on him they contrive to exhibite certain Articles against him and accuse him of Heresie before the Bishop who thereupon apprehended him and committed him to the Lollards Tower at Paul's So that none of his Friends were suffer'd to come at him And from thence by the instigation of Dr. Horsey a cruel persecuter and the Bishops Chancellour he was had before the Bishop at his manour House at Fulham where he was examined and certain Articles laid to his charge That he had taught and published that Tythes were not ordained as due by God but by the Covetousness of Priests That the Bishops and Priests were the Scribes and Pharises that crucified Christ That they were only preachers and praters but no doers of Gods word That he should say he would defend the opinions of Joan Barker that was forced to abjure That he should say the Bishop and his Officers deserved punishment rather than the aforesaid Joan Barker Lastly that he kept Heretical Books damned by the Law such as the Apccalips in English The Epistles and Gospels in English Wickliffs damnable works and the like To which he gave in his Answers and was after his examination sent back to the Lollards Tower under the charge of Charles Joseph the Sumner and John Spalding the Bell ringer by the means of these two wicked fellows the bloody Papists brought about their design of Murthering this Man for about two nights after his last commitment he was found hanged on a Beam in the aforesaid Tower Spalding after the Murther got himself our of the way and left the Keys of the Prison with one of his companions to deliver to the Sumners Boy who usually carried Mr. Hun his Meat The Boy going into the Prison about 10 of the Clock in the Morning on the 4th of December with two others found Mr. Hun hanging with his face to the wall who being astonished went and informed the Chancellor being then at Church after his Contrivance who went with certain of his Colleagues to the Prison and finding him hanged after their usual manner he caused it to be blazed abroad that he had hanged himself But for all that the People suspected more truly the contrary and that they had murthered him Whereupon a Contention arose between the Bishop who took his Clergys part and averr'd he had murthered himself and the Citizens who lay'd his Death to the charge of the Bishops Officers And causing the Coroner to sit upon view of his body and according to Law to chuse an Inquest and to give their Verdict vexed the Bishop and Papists so much that the Bishop proceeded ex Officio as in case of Heresie against the dead person supposing that if he were condemn'd of Heresie that they durst not find it but that he had murthered himself whereupon they objected several new matters against him too long to relate whether true or false it matters not for they were such as a good man might not be ashamed to own These Articles they cause to be proclaimed at Pauls Cross the Sunday following and according to certain rules and prescripts of the Bishop a Solemn process was framed against the dead for whom none dareing to appear sentence was pronounced against the dead carcase for Heresie and the
him coming after him O are you there said he yes said Mr. Latimer I am coming after you as fast as I Can. When they both came to the stake Bishop Ridly holding up both his hands and looking towards heaven prayed and seeing Mr. Latimer come he ran to him and embraced him and Kissed him saying Be of good heart Brother for God will either asswage the fury of the Flame or else streâ—gthen us to abide it With that he Kneeled down at the Stake Kissing it and then fell to prayer and Mr. Latimer behind him both earnestly calling upon God After they arose and talked a little while together when Dr. Smith who in King Ed. days had renounced Popery now embracing it preached to the people on this Text Tho I give my Body to be burnt c. inveighing very much against the opinions of the Lutherans after he had done both Dr. Ridly and Mr. Latimer had a desire to have reply'd to what he had said but as soon as they began to open their mouths some ran to them and stop'd them telling them unless they would recant they should not be suffered to speak Gods will be done then said Bishop Ridly but so long as I have breath in my body I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known truth Then he said with a loud voyce I Commit our cause to Almighty God who will indifferently Judg all Then Mr. Latimer said what is hid shall be revealed They were then Commanded to make themselves ready which they did and were both Chained to the Stake and Dr. Rilleys brother-in-law brought each a Bag of Gunpowder to tye about them which they accepted of as sent them from God Dr. Ridley stripped himself and gave away his things among his friends there being great striving to have some remembrance from this good Man but Mr. Latimer suffered himself to be strip'd by the officers haveing nothing worth bestowing Dr. Ridly being now at the stake prayed saying holding up both his hands O heavenly Father I give thee most hearty thanks for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee even unto Death I beseech the O Lord have mercy upon this Realm of England and deliver the same from all her Enemies Then he made a Request to the Lord Williams to intreat the Queen to be good to several poor people to whom he had let Leases that they mought injoy them which he promised to do but Bishop Bonner like a wretch took them all from them Then fire was put to them when Mr. Latimer said be of good comfort Mr. Ridly and play the Man we shall this day light such a Candle by God's Grace in England as I trust shall never be put out Dr. Ridly when he saw the flame approach him he cryed out In manus tuas Domine commendo Spiritum meum Domine recipe Spiritum meum that is Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit O Lord receive my Spirit which latter part he often repeated in English Mr. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side O Father of Heaven receive my Soul Who receiving the flame as it were imbracing it soon dyed with little or no Pain But Bishop Ridly by reason of the fire being ill made endured great torment having all his lower parts burnt before his upper were touched so that he was heard to cry to them often for the Lords sake to put the fire to him I cannot burn and then crying out Lord have mercy upon me he Continued a long time and all one side of him remained untouch'd till aâ—â—â—â—st tâ—â— Gâ—â—â—oweâ—cr â—â—â—k firâ— after which he wâ—◠〈◊〉 seâ—n to move â—y more And this was the eâ—â—â—â—th sâ—â— two â—oly Martyrs Blessed Bishops for the Gospel of Christ's sake by the hands of persecuting Papisis and by the Religion â—hen established by Law The Death of pâ—â—seâ—â—ting Gardner Wit in a wâ—ilt afâ—â—r the B oody persecuting Pâ—â—lâ—â— Stephâ—â— Gâ—â—dâ—â— dyed for that day the last mentioned Mâ—rtyâ—s were put to death tho the Duke of No â—â—hfolk and other persons of Quality came to dine with him he would not go to dâ—nner till 3 or 4 of the Clock expecting to hear of the Death of these wâ—mâ—n and assâ—on as his man riâ—â—â—g post had brâ—â—ght him word of it he began to be merry and sat down to dinner but was emmediately struck with the hand of God the first but â—e put â—nto his mouth being carried from the Table Continuing for â—5 days in great Torments nor being able to evacuate Naturâ— any way and his Tongue that had so often blaspherâ—ed God swollen and black lolling out of his mouth till he dyed Tho he weâ—e dead yet persecution Continued and the Devil found Instruments to do his Work For in the Month of November three flour Champions of Jesus Christ suffer'd in one Fire in Canterbury viz Jâ—hn wâ—bb Gentleman George Roâ—er and Gâ—egory Parke being all condemned to the fire by the Bishop of Dover and Nicâ—oâ—as Harspfield As they went to the plâ—ce of their Martyrdom they sung Psalms two of them were will striâ—ken in years but Râ—per was a younger man of a fresh Complexion going all â—ith whi e Linnen and their gowns upon it They all shewâ—d great Constancy but Râ—per especially who coming to the place leâ—ped for Joy and whâ—n fiâ—e waâ— put to hâ—m he streatched out both his Aâ—ms into â—â—e â—lâ—mes standing like a Cross unmevable and so continued never stirring them till they were both burnt â—ff and afterwards his Body to Ashes Several dyed in Prison in the â—â—llards Tower through the bâ—â—â—arity of the Papists and were Cast into t he open fields for doggs and swine to tear with command that none 〈…〉 hâ—m yet by night some were â—ound to be â—o Câ—â—â—table as to fling Eartâ— over thâ—m Archdeacon Philpot burnt in Smithfield The next 〈…〉 mâ—â—tâ—â—â— Wâ—â—â—â—ought to the stâ—ke by thâ—se blood sâ—â—kâ—â—â— wâ— Mr Jâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Archdeacon â—f Wincâ—â—â—â— â—â—e wâ—â— tâ—e 〈…〉 Gentâ—emaâ—â—f 〈◊〉 goâ—d fâ—â—mâ—ly in 〈…〉 brought up in Nâ—â—â— Coâ—â—cagâ— in Oxâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 died thâ— Civil â—â—ws 6 or 7 yeaâ—s wâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—ral Arts 〈◊〉 â—â—ence and â—spâ—â—â—ly 〈…〉 in which he profiteâ— and more 〈…〉 Hebrew He wâ—s of a preâ—anâ—â—â—â—t 〈…〉 and resolution fervent in Religioâ— â—ree from 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tery and hypocrisie and hated â—â—ssiâ—â—ulatiâ—n Fâ—â—m Oxford he went to travel to improve himself going thorow Italy and other parts where he increaâ—â—d his knowledg and lost nor as many do good m nners and Love to God Returning into England he was made Arcâ—dâ—acon of Winchester in King Edwâ—rds days under the Bishop Dr. Poinet who had succeeded Gardner But â—fter that Queen Mary came in and caused a Convocation of Prelates to Assemble about Religion this good man believing they might there speak freely he manfully maintained the cause of the Gospel against all its Adversaries for which he was afterwards â—â—pâ—â—ioned and after a twelve months time or more w s had to be examined before Bâ—shop Gardner
ENGLAND'S Remembrancer Setting forth The beginning of Papal Tyrannies bloody Persecutions Plots and inhuman Butcheries exercised on the Professors of the Gospel in England dissenting from the Church of Rome WITH An account of all or most of the Martyrs that were put to death by the cruel Papists in this Kingdom until the Reformation in the Reign of King Edw. 6. and Queen Elizabeth ALSO The first rise of the Writ de Heretico comburendo For Burning of Hereticks Well worth all Protestants perusal that they may unite as one Man against the Hierarchy of the bloodthirsty See of ROME Religio timor Dei solus est qui custodit hominum inter se societatem Lactant. LONDON Printed for E. Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhill 1682. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Protestant Reader FOR such I suppose thee to be who will take the pains to read over these Collections or take a view of this little Tract called Englands Remembrancer wherein we have set forth without any partiality the bloody Persecutions of that Antichristian Church of Rome so we may well call her since Persecution is a certain Mark of the Beast and whatever particular Church takes up that Weapon so far deviates from the true Catholick Church of Christ as it makes use of it being absolutely contradictory to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles The Protestants of the Church of England laid the Foundation of their Reformation with the blood of many Martyrs suffering Death and torments for their Opinions They were all Dissenters from the Church of Rome and they have sufficiently blamed as they justly ought their horrid Persecution for Conscience sake seeking by compulsion to put their heavy yoaks on the necks of others and yet they had Law on their side and their Religion was then established by the Laws of the Land however I think there is no Protestant but doth justly call the putting to death tormenting imprisoning and ruining so many Men and Women for their Opinions Persecution and tho the Church of England hath not law to put any to Death yet no question there may be many so blindly Zealous as would do as much as the Papists have done before them and therefore let them not be angry if that Spirit which some have of late shewed against Dissenters be called Persecution tho they have Laws of their side But this is nothing our dread and fear proceed from a farther prospect of the great hopes the Papists have of once more Establishing their Idolatrous Religion and truly though we believe that God in his mercy may deliver this poor Nation from so great a Scourge yet we cannot say that the Hopes of the Papists are in vain since we our selves do not slackly endeavour to bring ruine on our selves and to be helpful in promoting their designs being ready to set Protestants together by the Ears reviling persecuting and troubling one another insomuch that many have shewn that they had rather join with the Papists than admit of any other Protestant Dissenter to live unmolested and to enjoy their peace opinions and Conscience This Spirit of late blown up by secret boutsers raging as it does makes the subtle Popish Clergy laugh in their Sleeves and begin to believe they need not the help of any damnable and murthering Plot since they perceive we are framing Plots and Designs against our selves and if they let us alone shall readily by our animosities make way for the setting up their Church in this Kingdom which they with all their hellish Artifices could never do Divide impera divide reign is a known Maxim and we are doing that our selves as fast as we can for them At this time therefore I thought there could be nothing more necessary to all sorts of Protestants of what denomination soever than the beholding as in a little mirror the horrid and bloody Persecutions of those of the Romish Church in England when they had power in this Nation and by this Pocket Remembrancer you may be able to perceive to what horrid Tyranny all Professors of the true Gospel of Christ must submit themselves giving their Bodies to be burnt imprisoned tormented and abused or else against their Consciences become Idolaters and damn their Souls Alas there are no Arguments to be used against these men when armed with the Sword of Power what they have done they still do where they reign and will most certainly do the same again if not in a greater and more bloody manner as soon as they should have established their Dominion by the help of a Popish King You therefore who are negligent and careless and act as if you were asleep or are indifferent what Religion is uppermost and you also who are so hot and zealous for persecuting all those who dissent from you and you likewise for such there be who are ready to shake hands with the Papists pleading for them and account them harmless and loyal or at least better than Protestant Dissenters all of you I say read this little Book of their Tyrannies and as sure as Truth you shall feel the Scourge and Scorpionian sting of these men and must draw in their iron Yoak unless you will act against your Consciences the very same Tragedies that were acted before under Popish and bigotted Kings upon others shall be then acted over again upon you your Wives and Children upon your Goods Lives Friends Kindred and Estates Fires will again be inkindled in all quarters of this Land the Tyranny and Cruelty of the Inquisition shall sit upon you the Priest shall Lord it over you and of Freemen you shall become slaves ignorance and superstition shall put down knowledge and Religion by Authority On the other side you who are true professors of the Gospel of Christ may make use of this Remembrancer in which you will behold the great patience meekness of such whom God honoured with Martyrdom and suffering in his Cause that if ever the like persecution be permitted by the Judgment of Heaven in this Nation for our manifold sins and debaucheries which flow thorow the Land and for the Spirit of Rage and Persecution of one another that hath lately gone forth in some measure I say you may be prepared by these examples of holy dying men how to behave your selves and to believe that God will give to such as rely upon him extraordinary Comforts and supports in their Afflictions It may also serve to stir up those lukewarm Protestants who run with the stream or have not heard of or else soon forget the Persecutions and Tyrannies of the Romish Church to have an aversion and horrour to such men and such a Religion as will cut their throats if ever established by Law among us You have here an Epitomy of all Mr. Fox's 3 great Volumes which few can purchase and fewer have time to read therefore I have collected for the Protestant Reader briefly the most material stories of the whole which are
to you to burn you In that said Mr. Hooper thou dost nothing offend me God forgive thee thy sins and do thy office Then the reeds being put about him he took them in his Arms and Kissed them giving order how they should be placed presently fire was ordered to be put to him but by reason the faggots were green and also very few they put this holy man to intollerable torments and the wind being also strong blew the flame from him so that he was only scorched by the fire Then they fetch'd some dry faggots and made a new fire but all the reeds being gone they burnt his neither parts and never reach'd his upper parts only scorch'd and Shriffled his Skin and burnt his hair All which time this holy Martyr was heard to pray as one without pain O Jesus the son of David have mercy upon me and receive my soul After this second fire was spent he wiped his eyes with his hands and beholding the People he said with an indifferent loud voyce For God's Love good People let me have more fire and all the while his neither paris were burning Then they made a 3d fire more extream than the other then the bladders of Gunpowder broke which did not much good by reason the wind was so Violent then he prayed with a loud voyce Lord Jesus have mercy upon me Lord Jesus receive my Spirit these were the last words he was heard to speak but when his lipps and mouth were black as a Coal and his tongue swelled they were perceived to move till his lips were quire burnt away Then he knocked his breast with his hands till one of his Arms fell off and then he knocked it still with the other whilst water fat and blood fryed out at his fingers ends at last they renewed the fire when bending his body over the hoop of Iron he yeilded up his Spirit On the same day that this last mentioned holy Martyr suffered at Gloucester Dr. Rowland Taylor the Constant Martyr of Jesus Christ in the behalf of his Gospel was burnt at Hadley in suffolk where he had been the Parson all the Reign of King Edward the 6th and upon the bringing in of Popery under Queen Mary he was disturbed at his own Church thrust out and Popish Mass Celebrated before his Face but he endeavouring all he could to hinder it complaint being made to Gardner Chancellor and Bishop of Winchester he sent for Dr. Taylor by his Letters missive to come before him at London which he readily obey'd But his friends knowing the Cruelty of that persecutor advised him to fly and save his Life but he utterly refused it saying Tho he knew they had neither Justice or Equity on their side and that he looked for nothing at his Popish Adversaries hands but Imprisonment or Cruel dearn yet since he knew his cause to be good and Righteous and Truth upon his side he would not flinch but appear and be willing to dye in so good a cause for that he was satisfied in his Conscience that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome led them to Idolatry Superstition Errors Hypocrisy and Lies After he came to London He was examined before the cruel Chancellor who called him Knave Villain Fool and such like unchristian expressions for which the Doctor humbly reproved him and seeing he could not make him turn to his Idolatry he sent him prisoner to the Kings Bench where he lay almost two years At his going away from the Bishop he kneeled down on the floor and lifting up both his hands with a loud voyce he say'd From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable errors Idolatries and abominations Good Lord deliver us When in prison he so preached to the rest of the prisoners there and used such godly exhortations and discourses leading also so strict and holy a life that he wrought upon many and converted them from their Superstitious errors He was also very Charitable while he had it relieving others tho he had a Wife and 9 Children but they soon deprived him of his benefice so that he had nothing to support him but the charity of good people which with Gods providence he found sufficient Several examinations he had before the Bishops where he strenuously maintained his positions for the Clergies Marriage and against the Corporeal presence of Christ in the Sacrament but at last they overcame him with their Temporal Weapon persecuting power backt by Statute Law and by it they Condemned him with Mr. Bradford and others to death as Hereticks to be burnt alive After this sentence he was degraded by Bishop Bonner in prison and they were compelled by main force to put on their Popish Trinkets upon his back he refuseing to do it himself and after they had notch'd his Hair and pair'd orscrap'd his fingers ends and with all their foppish Ceremonies stript him of his Popish habiliments when the Bishop should have struck him on the Breast with his staff seeing the sturdiness of the Doctor who was a portly bigg man Bonner was afraid and omitted that last Ceremony lest the Dr. should have struck him again The next day after this his degradation which is like the last unction for the burial at two of the Clock in the morning the Sheriffs took him and delivered him to his Guards who were to Conduct him to Hadley to be burnt there at which he rejoyced being willing to seal the Doctrine he had there preached with his blood His Wife fearing they would have him away by night for they feared daylight and the people she watched all night with two Children in the Porch of St. Buttolphs Church near Algate which way she knew he must pass and about 3 of the Clock it being very dark she heard the noise of the guard at which she ran out to her husband where was such a moaning and pathetick greeting or rather separation that the Sheriffs wept but forced her to depart and led him to the sign of the Woolsack where he was put on horseback with a hood over his face a place made for his Eyes to look out at and a slit for his Mouth that he might breath After this manner they carried him along that he might not be known all which he patiently suffered When he was come to Suffolk many of the Gentry and Justices of the peace met him of his friends and acquaintance all endeavouring to perswade him to save his Life by Recantation offering him not only pardon for his Life but great promotions even a Bishoprick But this good and constant professor of the Gospel strengthned by Gods holy Spirit refused all those Temptations coming to Hadley he rode thorow the Town where the poor people were assembled with grievous Moans and Tears Kneeling down and with lifted up hands prayed to God to strengthen him to whom he sayd That he had preached to them Gods Word the Truth and that he was now come to seal it
his own house where he kept him 4 Months not suffering any of his friends to come near him or to give him any relief and where he suffer'd great hardships the Porter was commanded to take notice of any that came but to enquire after him and to give theiâ— names to the Bishop so that many were afraid of being brought into trouble for asking after him From the Bishop he was had before the Earl of Darby who examined him after which perceiving he was not able to bring him to his bent he committed him to another prison being a cold windy stone house without bed to lye on only a few Canvas lent Cloathes where he continâ—ed in this manner for some time seeing no man but the keeper who brought him meat and drink After this he was again examin'd before the said Earl yet Mr. Marsh very prudently and warily answered their intrapping questions concerning the Sacrament saying he believed Christ present in the Sacrament which so inraged them seeing he would give no other answer that they sent him to Lancaster Goal where he was put among the Felons and 3 times caused to hold up his hand at the bar with bolts upon his Leggs tho they had nothing to object against him He used to preach and exhort the prisoners for which he was threatned and reproved and the Bishop coming to Lancaster caused him to be more straitly kept and cruelly handled several times was he had before the Bishop and examined and Articles were put in against him one of which was that among other most damnable and Schismatical Heresies he had said that the Church and Doctrine taught and set forth in King Edwards time was the true Church and that the Church of Rome was not the true and Catholick Church At last the Bishop read the sentence of Condemnation against him and after he had done now said he I will pray for thee no more than for a dog But I will pray for you said the holy Martyr He was then delivered to the Sheriffs who put him into an hole or dark dungeon where none were suffered to come at him or speak to him When the time came of his execution he was led forth to the place being without the City of Westchester and being come to the Stake a black Box was shewed him in which they said there was the Queens pardon if he would recant He told them that he had no desire to dye and would accept of her Graces mercy being her true Leige man but if he could not have it without such Conditions which tended to pluck him from God he would not receive it After that he began to speak to the people but the Sheriffs told him there must be no Sermoning there so afraid were they of hearing the Truth upon which Mr. Marsh Kneeling down sell to prayer which done he stript himself to his shirt and so was chained to the post and the faggots put about him Over his head they had placed a firkin with pitch and Tar and by reason the wind blew hard and the fire did not dispatch him but melting the pitch it fell upon him and put him to intollerable torment notwithstanding he bore it patiently standing a long time without moveing haveing all his flesh so broyled and puffed up that they thought he had been dead when on a sudden spreading his hands abroad he cryed out aloud Father of Heaven have mercy upon me and so yielded up his Spirit into the hands of the Lord All the people saying he dyed with admirable patience and was a Martyr He was burnt in April 1555. The story of William Flower Martyr at Westminster On the 24th day of April the same year one William Flower was Martyred in the Church yard of St. Margarets Westminster where it seems in his zeal he had struck a Priest that had been saying mass and had wounded him for which he himself was afterwards troubled but said he had such an impulse then upon him that he could not forbear tho he confessed it was not according to the Doctrine of Christ to smite any man He knew the fact would bring his Life into jeopardy and he was prepared for it being resolved not to deny the Gospel he had professed This William Flower lived then at Lambeth haveing a Wife and children tho he was bred first a Monk of Ely till his eyes being enlightned by the Gospel he left that life and became a Secular Priest preaching in divers places at last marrying he studyed physick and taught School in several places when at last living at Lambeth his zeal against Idolatry carryed him forth too furiously for which he was had before Bishop Bonner who sent him prisoner to the Gate house where after some time he was again brought before the Bishop who sought all ways to make him recant his opinions but in vain for he resolutely told him That the Heavens should assoon fall as he recant his opinions but for his assault of the Priest he was sorry and submitted himself to his Lordship and the punishment he would inflict But this would not serve the Bishop turn for after several Articles exhibited against him and witnesses produced he was condemned degraded and delivered over to the secular power to be burnt On the 24th of April aforesaid he was brought to the place of his execution in St. Margarets Church-yard where after he had prayed audibly and servently he desired all People to forgive him and all that he had any ways offended for he forgave all the World This done his right hand was first fastned to the Stake and Cut off at which they could not perceive that he so much â—s shrunk only a little moved his shoulders Then being fastned to the Stake fire was set to him which burning about him he cryed with a loud voyce O son of God have mercy upon me O Son of God receive my soul three times till his Speech was taken from him then lifting up his stump and his other Arm he stood his lips moving till he was stricken down to the ground where he lay with the neither parts of his body burnt and the upper only scorched for want of fire his lips still being seen to move till they dispatched him Mr. Cardmaker and Mr. Warren burnt in Smithfeild you see scarce a day passes without burning and destroying Gods people in one place or other for on the 30th of May following one Mr. Cardmaker who had been an observant Fryer before the dissolution of the Abbies and afterwards a Prehend in the Church of Wells and after that in the time of King Edwards he married and was a Minister being made Reader at St. Pauls which very much incensed the Papists against him and one Mr. John Warren an Upholster in London were both burnt in one fire in Smithfeild Assoon as the tyde turned Mr. Cardmaker was clapt into Newgate and assoon as popery was setled and they had got the Act for their purpose in putting
fire was kindled and begun to take hold of their Bodys they lifted up their hands towards Heaven and quietly and chearfully as if they felt no pain cry'd Lord Jesus Strengthen us Lord Jesus assist us Lord Jesus receive our Souls And thus they all ended their Lives without any strugling only Julius when that all people thought him dead being almost burnt to pieces he was on a sudden seen as if awaked out of a sleep to move his tongue and Jaws and heard to pronounce softly the name of Jesus and so being burnt to Ashes yeilded to God his soul Three burnt in Garnsey with a child which came out of the Mothers belly I did not intend to mention any out of England that were Martyr'd but these in Garnsey being our Kings subjects and the Example profoundly Barbarous I could not refrain mentioning it On the 18th of July this year Katherin Cawches Guillemine Gilbert her daughter and Perotine Massey another daughter were burnt together in one fire for the Gospel the Mother in the midst between her two daughters and the youngest Perotine being big with Child the fire seising on the belly of the Martyr it burst on a sudden and the Child sprung out alive thorow the flames being a fine boy and was taken and lay'd on the grass but the wicked bayliff caused it to be flung into the fire again and to be burnt with the Mother for an Heretick So that this Infant was baptised in its own blood was born and dy'd a Martyr About the same time 3 more were burnt at Greenstead in Sussex 2 men and 1 woman their names were Thomas Dungate John Foreman and Mother Tree Not long before a poor Simple man named Thomas Moor was burnt at Leicester for saying he believed his Maker to be in Heaven and not on the Altar On the 22d of August following Joan Waste a blind woman suffered in Darby And on the 8th of September following Edward Sharp an aged and devout person was Martyrd at Bristow And on 25th another who was a Carpenter suffered in the same place On the 24th of the said September 4 more received Martyrdom at Mayfield in Sussex two of their names were John Hart Thomas Ravensdale the one was a Shoemaker the other a Currier Also one John Horn and a woman about the same time were burnt at Wâ—tten Vnder-Hedge in Glocestershire On the 11th of October a Shoo-maker suffered at Northampton With several others who dyed in prisons in several places that are not mentioned Five were starv'd to Death in November in Canterbury Castle who were condemned to be burnt Their names were John Clark Dunsten Chittenden William Forster Alice Pothins and John Arches Dear Protestant Reader I doubt thou art almost tyred with the Continuance of these tragical Histories I shall therefore hast to a conclusion God not permitting any long Reign to this bloody persecuting Queen We are now come the year 1557 in the beginning of which Cardinal Pool visits the University of Cambridg where he causes on the 9th of Jan. the bones of the famous Bucer and Paulus Phagius professors of the Gospel to be taken up and with a solemn procession to be publickly burnt with all their Books Thus devillishly mallicious are these Papists that they will not let men lye in quiet in their Graves At Oxford this Cardinal in his visitation did the like by Peter Martyrs wife whose bones he caused to be taken up and despitefully buried in a dunghill About the 15th of this Month of January 6 men were burned at Canterbury in one fire their names were Kemp Waterer Powling Lowick Hudson and Hai. Two more Stephens and Philpot at Wye and on the 16th one Final and Bradbridg were burnt together at Ashford in the same county In February following as if the Magistrates and Bishops were slack in â—estroying Gods people whom they called Hereticks a new bloody Commission is sent abroad and new Inquisitors are made to torment and burn the professors of the Gospel And not long after out of Essex that fruitful place of holy Martyrs were sent to London from Colchester no less than 22 persons at one time men and women all bound with ropes one to another and so guarded up to London after a strange manner On the 12th of April 5 were burned in Smithfield whose names were Thomas Loseby Henry Ramsey Thomas Thirtel Margaret Hide and Agnes Stanly In May following 3 others viz Morant Gratwait and King were burnt in Southwark On June the 18th 5 women and 2 men were burnt at Maidstone in Kent their names were Joan Bradbridg Joan Mannings Elizabeth a blind maid Walter Appleby and Petronel his wife Edmund Allin and Katherine his wife On the 30th of the same month were burnt at Canterbury 3 men and 4 women I shall but name them John Fishcock Nicholas White Nicholas Pardo Barbara Final a Widdow the wife or Widdow of Bradbride formerly mentioned and Mariyt'd the wife of one Wilson and the wife of Benden All these suffered for the Gospel The horrible usage of these poor Creatures in the Bishops Prison is unspeakable where they lay upon straw and had but 3 farthings a day apiece allowed them a halfpeny for Bread and a farthing for bear on which God enabled them to Live On the 22th of June no less than ten Martyrs suffered together in one fire at Lewis in Sussex their names were Richard Woodman George Stevens W. Mainnard Alexander Hosman his servant Thomasin Wood his maid Margâ—ry Morris James Morris her Son Deâ—is Burgis The wife of Ashden and of Groves On the 13th of July Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper were burnt at Norwich on the 2d of August suffered no less than ten Martyrs at Colchester Six in the Morning 4 in the afternoon Their names were Bongeor Purcas Benold Agnis Silverside Helen Eâ—rine Eliz. Folks In the afternoon were burnt W. Munt and Alice his wife Râ—se Allin their daughter and John Johnson When Munt and his wife were taken the woman being sick in bed desired her daughter to fetch her some drink and as she was passing thorow the room one Tyrril of the race of that Tyrril who Murthered King Edward the 5th met her and bid her to give her Father and Mother good Counsel to whom the maid repyled Sir they have a better instructor than I am For the holy Ghost doth reach them who will not suffer them to err Thou naughty huswise said Tyrril art thou of that mind 't is time to look to such Hereticks That which you call heresie replyed Rose is the true Worship of the living God Then Gossip said this persecutor I perceive you will burn for company with the rest not for companies sake but for Christ's sake who I hope in his Mercy will enable me to bear it if I am compelled thereto returned the Maid to him again with that this cruel Tyrril took the candle which she had in her hand burning and held the back of her hand over it