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
by the will of my heavenly Father humbly thanking his Majesty in that hée is pleased to honor me so farre as to suffer any thing for his holy name Let us pray unto him that he would grant unto me the gift of perseverance Then looking upon the said Minister who wept This Merlin was miracylously delivered in the massacre of Paris over him Oh Master Merlin saith he what will not you comfort me Yes sir said he for wherein may you take greater comfort then in calling to mind how greatly God hath alwaies honored you in estéeining you worthy to suffer rebuke for his names sake and true religion The Admirall replied alas if God should deale with me according to my deserts he might have put mée to worse forments then these But blessed be his holy name in that he is pleased to take pity on mée his poore and unworthy servant Be of good chéere sir then said another unto him for séeing God hath spared your more noble part whole you have cause therein to magniste his goodnes In these wounds you have received from God a testimony of his love rather then of his displeasure séeing hée hath preserved your head and understanding safe Then said Merlin sir you doe well in turning your thoughts away from him who hath committed this outrage upon you in looking onely unto God for no doubt it is his hand that hath smitten you therefore for the present cease to thinke on the malefector I assure you said the Admirall I doe fréely forgive him from the bottome of my heart and those also that are his abettors being fully perswaded that none of them all could have done me the least hurt no though with violent hands they had put me to death For what is death it selfe in Gods children but an assured passage to an eternall rest and life Now as the said Minister declared how the evils which happen to the children of God in this present life doe often incite and quicken them up to poure out their prayers into the bosome of the Almighty the Admirall presently with a loud voice and ardent affection prayed thus ¶ The admirals godly and devout Prayer LOrd God and heavenly father have pity upon The admirals godly and debout prayer me for thy goodnesse and mercies sake remember not Lord the sinnes of my life past nor the offences which I have committed against thée for if thou narrowly marke our sinnes the loosenes of our behaviour and distoyalties in transgressing thy holy commandements Lord who shall stand who is able to beare the weight of thy displeasure I renounce all Idoll Gods I acknowledge thée to be the onely true God and worship thée alone O Eternall Father in thine Eternall some Iesus Christ I beséech thée for his sake that thou wouldest give unto mée thy holy spirit and therewithall the gift of patience I put my trust in thy frée mercy for therein consists the stay and prop of all my hope whether I die now at this present or live for the time to come Behold Lord here I am doe with me as it pleaseth thée having this confidence in thée that if I now depart hence thou wilt receive me into the blessed rest of thy kingdome If it please thée to lengthen out my daies here on earth O heavenly Father give me grace that I may spend the residue thereof in setting forth the glory of thy holy name and in maintaining to the utmost of my power thy pure worship and service Amen Having ended this prayer Merlin asked him The Ministers pray with him if it pleased him that the Ministers of Christ should now pray with him and for him To whom hée said yes with all my heart I pray you begion Whilest Merlin pronounced the prayer applying the same to the present occasion the Admirall with his eles looking up to heaven expressed the ardency of his affection in consenting thereunto Prayer being ended Merlin began to propound unto the Admirall the examples of the Martyrs shewing that from Abel to Abraham and consequently hitherto whosoever carried themselves in any degrée of faithfulnesse in the house of God felt at one time or other the smart of afflictions in divers kinds The Admirall answered that when hée called to minde the sufferings of the Patriarchs and Martyrs it much comforted him and helped him somewhat to allay the fartnesse of his afflicted estate The King of Naverre and the Prince of Conde having bitterly bewayled this outrags committed upon the Admirall as you heard before about two of the clocke in the afternoone the King accompanied The King Queene Mother came to visit the Admirall with the Quéene MOther his Brother and other of the Lords went to visite the Admirall The King with teares séemed to be excéeding sorry for that which was come to passe promising him with one blasphemous oath upon another to revenge the fact no lesse than if it had béen committed upon his owne person praying him to come and take up his lodging with him in the louvre for his greater security and safety Wherupon the Admirall after some discourse made to the King in secret gave him most humble thankes for so great a favour as to visite him in his owne person Upon the motion made by the King Mazilles his chiefe Physitian was called demanding of him whither the Admirall might safely be removed thence into the Louvre or no His Answer to the King was that it could not be done without danger Some of the Admirals friends thought if fitting to request a guard of souldiers to be assigned by the King unto him for his better security The King answered he liked well of that device being fully determined to provide for the admirals safety as his owne and would preserve him no lesse then the apply of his eie After this the King called for the bullet of brasse wherewith the Admirall was hurt that he might sée it asking whither hée was not put to great paine when his finger was cut off as likewise touching the dressing of his arme Now as Cornaton shewed the bullet having his sléeve all bloudy because he was appointed to hold the Admirals arme while it was in dressing the King asked if that were of the Admirals bloud and whither so much bloud issued out of his wounds adding after Cornatons answer he never saw man in his life shew greater constancy and magnanimity of spirit then the Admirall did Then was the Quéene Mother desirous to sée the Bullet saying I am glad the bullet is taken out for I remember when the Duke of Guise was killed before Orleance the Phisitian told me that if the Bullet were gotten out there was no danger of death though it were poysoned Then Cornaton answered we have foreséene that Madame for being carefull to prevent that danger the 〈…〉 him 〈…〉 the poison if 〈◊〉 any such thing should be Some good hopes of the Admirals recovery The Saturday before the Admirall was 〈◊〉 he
conscience As touching his carriage and behaviour if it pleased him he said to make enquiry thereof among the Merchants of Ast they could all resolve him as touching his honest dealing who also hee knew would witnesse with him that hee had wronged none in all that time hee had conversed among them And inasmuch as he was a Merchant traffiquing in and about his lawfull calling he ought to be dismissed and to be no further molested For if it were lawfull for Iewes and Turkes to trade in Faires and Markets and to use commerce throughout Piemont that favor ought much more to be permitted unto him who was a Christian And as touching the matter of Religion whereabout he was accused he medled not at all therewith for his owne particular but had questions propounded to him concerning the same by others in which regard leave was granted him to answer and to yéeld a reason of his faith in any place to any whomsoever they were that should aske what he thought of the same yea liberty was granted even by his Excellency to those of the Valleyes of Vandoyes to answer any man to a question demanded provided that hee procéeded not to teach and instruct others The Bishop regarded none of these allegations but commanded he should be put into prison The next day the Bishops Secretary came to visite Copin testifying how much good will hee bore him advising him as a friend that if he acknowledged not his fault he was in great danger of his life Copin answered that his life was in the hands Psal 89. 47 48. of God and that he would never séeke to save it to the prejudice of Gods glory also that he had not above two or thrée turnes to fetch here in this world before he arrived in heaven and therefore prayed God so to assist him by his grace that hee might never leave the strait way which leadeth thereto A few dayes after hee was examined by a Monke who was an Inquisitor in the presence of the Bishop who vexed him a long while with his sugred discourse and by faire words endeavoured to draw him to abjure his Religion But Copin resisted him still by the holy Scriptures shewing that if he should now be ashamed of Christ Mat. 8. 38. and deny him Christ might justly be ashamed of him and utterly deny him before his heavenly father The Monke finished his dispute with this dogged farewell Away thou cursed Lutherane thou shalt goe to all the Devils in hell and when thou commest to be tormented amongst those uncleane spirits then wilt thou remember these holy admonitions which wee have tendred unto thee for the saving of thy soule but thou haddest rather goe to hell than to reconcile thy selfe to thy holy Mother the Church It is not long since said Copin that I was reconciled to the true Church After many violent assaults they gave way for his wife to come unto him and with her one of his sons promising them to set him at liberty to goe home with them if hee would make amends for his fault committed by acknowledging the same They gave his son and wife leave to this purpose to stay supper with him in prison during which time he used many exhorâ—ations tending to patience albeit the wife should depart to her house without an husband or the child without his father for be you well assured said her that God will be a better husband and a father unto you than ever I was or can be For his owne part he said he was not bound to love wife or children more then Christ besides they had cause to rejoyce and to think him happy that God would honor him so farre as to beare witnesse to his truth with the losse of his life and hoped hee said that God would be so favorable to him as to support him under any torments he was to endure for his glories sake In conclusion hee commended his sonne and one daughter to his wives care which God had given them in the married estate charging her againe and againe to sée them brought up vertuously and in the feare of God He charged his sonne to obey his mother so should he be made partaker of the promised blessing He intreated them both to pray for him that God would fortifie him against all temptations And thus having blessed his son and taken leave of his wife they were conducted out of the prison and he shut up as hee was before The woman and her son were dissolved into teares sighing and crying out that it would have moved the stoniest heart to compassion but this holy man not contenting himselfe with that hee had said to them by word of mouth writ unto his wife this Letter ensuing the originall whereof she hath exhibited to us written and signed with the hand of the said Copin the inscription thus following ¶ To my wel-beloved wife Susanna Copin from the Tower of Lucerna DEare yoke-fellow I received much consolation by your comming to this place and by so much the more as it was beyond my expectation and I suppose you also were not a little comforted that you had such an opportunity offered you as to sup with me the last night being Saturday the fiftéenth of September 1601. I know not well what they aymed at in permitting you so to doe But God ordereth all these things But as farre as I can ghesse it shall be the last time that ever we shall sup together in this life and therefore pray to God that hee will not cease to be a comfort unto you Trust you still in him for hee hath promised never to leave nor forsake those that put their trust in him God hath endued you with wisedome governe your owne family in such sort that our children Samuel and Martha may be obedient unto you whom in the name and authority of God I command that they obey you for so the blessing of Almighty God shall light upon them Deare wife be not over pensive for mee for Anno 1605. if God hath ordained me now to attaine unto the end of my race and that I must render into the hands of the Almighty my soule which so long time he hath lent me my hope is that of his holy and divine mercy he will receive it into his Kingdome for his owne beloved Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord through whom I beléeve that my sinnes are forgiven for the onely merit of his holy death and passion Also my praier is that he will assist me by the power of his holy spirit unto my last breath Be fervent in praier and in all other parts of Gods worship and service for this is the way to true blessednesse Take no care about sending any thing unto me for these thrée wéeks and then I pray you send me some money if you thinke good to give the Iaylor and somewhat more for mine owne necessaries if it please God I live so long Also I pray you call
both killed with one shot proceeding from powder and discouraged hereby from any further resistance in respect Catesby himself Rookwood Grant and divers others of greatest account among them were thereby made unable for defence but also wonderfully strucken with amasement in their guilty consciences calling to memory how God had justly punished them with that same instrument which they should have used for the effectuating of so great a sin according to the old Latine saying In quo peccamus in eodem plectimur as they presently sée the wonderfull power of Gods Iustice upon guilty consciences did all fall downe upon their knées praying God to pardon them for their bloody enterprise and thereafter giving over any further debate opened the gate suffered the Sheriffes people to rush in furiously among them and desperately sought their own present destruction the thrée specials of them joyning backes together Catesby Percy and Winter whereof two with one shot Catesby and Percy were slaine and the third Winter taken and saved alive And thus these resolute and high aspiring Catholiques who dreamed of no lesse then the destruction of Kings and Kingdomes and promised to themselves no lower estate then the government of great and ancient Monarchies were miserably defeated and quite overthrowne in an instant falling in the pit which they had prepared for others and so fulfilling that sentence which his Majesty did in a manner prophecy of them in his Oration to the Parliament some presently slaine others deadly wounded strippped of their clothes left lying miserably naked and so dying rather of cold than of the danger of their wounds and the rest that either were whole or but lightly hurt taken and led prisoners by the Sheriffe the ordinary Minister of Iustice to the Gaole the ordinary place even of the basest malefactors where they remained till their sending up to London being mèt with a huge confluence of people of all sorts desirous to sée them as the rarest sort of Monsters fooles to laugh at them women and children to wonder all the common people to gaze the wiser sort to satisfie their curiosity in séeing the outward cases of so unheard of a villany and generally all sorts of people to satiate and fill their eyes with the sight of them whom in their hearts they so far admired and detested serving so for a fearefull and publique spectacle of Gods flerce wrath and just indignation ¶ Anno III. Iacobi Regis An Act for a publique thankesgiving to Almighty God every yeare on the fifth day of November FOrasmuch as Almighty God hath in all ages shewed his power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church and in the protection of religious Kings and States and that no nation of the earth hath béen blessed with greater benefits then this kingdome now enjoyeth having the true and frée profession of the Gospell under our most soveraigne Lord King Iames the most great learned and religious King that ever raigned therein enriched with a most hopefull and plentifull progeny procéeding out of his royall loynes promising continuance of this happinesse and profession to all posterity the which many malignant and devillish Papists Iesuites and Seminary Priests much envying and fearing conspired most horibly when the Kings most excellent Majesty the Quéene the Prince and all the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons should have béen assembled in the upper house of Parliament upon the fifth day of November in the yeare of our Lord 1605. suddenly to have blowne up the said whole house with Gun-powder an invention so inhumane barbarous and cruell as the like was never before heard of as was as some of the principall conspirators confesse purposely devised and concluded to be done in the said house that where sundry necessary and religious Lawes for preservation of the Church and State were made which they falsely and slanderously terme cruell Lawes enacted against them and their religion both place and persons should be all destroyed and blowne up at once which would have turned to the utter ruine of this whole kingdome had it not pleased Almighty God by inspiring the Kings most excellent Majestie with a Divine spirit to interpret some darke phrases of a letter shewed to his Majestie above and beyond all ordinary construction thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason not many houres before the appointed time for the execution thereof Therefore the Kings most excellent Majestie the Lords spirituall and temporall and all his Majesties faithfull and loving subjects do most justly acknowledge this great and infinite blessing to have procéeded méerly from God his great mercy and to his most holy name doe ascribe all honor glory and praise And to the end this unfeigned thankfulnesse may never be forgotten but be had in a perpetuall remembrance that all ages to come may yéeld praises to his Divine Majesty for the same and have in memory this joyfull day of deliverance Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same That all and singular Ministers in every Cathedrall and Parish Church or other usuall place for Common prayer within this Realm of England and the dominions of the same shall alwaies upon the fifth day of November say Morning prayer and give unto Almighty God thankes for this most happy Deliverance and that all and every person and persons inhabiting within this realme of England and the dominions of the same shall alwaies upon that day diligently and faithfully resort to the Parish Church or Chappell where the said morning Prayer Preaching or other service of God shall be used and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the said prayers preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministred And because all and every person may be put in minde of this duty and be the better prepared to the said holy service Be it enacted by authority aforesaid that every Minister shall give warning to his Partshioners publiquely in the Church at morning Prayer the Sunday before every such fifth day of November for the due observation of the said day And that after morning Prayer or preaching on the said fifth day of November they reade distinctly and plainly this present Act. God save the King ¶ A Prayer and Thankesgiving for the Anno 1611 happy deliverance of his Majesty the Queene the Prince and the States of Parliament c. ALmighty God who hast in all ages shewed thy power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverances of thy Church and in the protection of righteous and religious Kings and States professing thy holy and eternall truth against the wicked conspiraâ—ies and malicious practises of all the enemies thereof we yéeld unto thée from the very ground of our hearts all possible praise and thankes for thy wonderfull and mighty deliverance of our gracious Soveraigne K.
conscience the holy spirit of God seeing us cast downe and humbled sets before our eies Gods mercy in Christ Whose bloud applyed by faith purgeth and heales the wound which is made therein This done he will carry such an hand over us as shall withhold us from vice and draw us on to the love of vertue And thus we see how the Lord doth by little and little correct our sinnefull disposition by exercising us with manifold afflictions whereby the whilest hee provides for his owne glory Let us therewith consider his admirable bounty seeing thus he covers our shame for whereas he might justly cause us to suffer for our sinnes which we have committed against his Majesty he in stead thereof turns it to suffering for his truth and holy names sake putting this honourable Title as a veile over us to shadow our nakednesse For first he alters the nature of the punishment which is due unto us for our misdeeds into an assured hope of recompensing all our labour and travell we undergoe for righteous causes And in the second place he turnes the dishonour which we ought to receive as a token of the vengeance which he might to our ignominy execute upon us into an immortall Trophee of Honour wherewith wee are crowned in the presence of God and of his Angels Thirdly hereby he graciously provides for the peace of our consciences which in stead of sorrow and griefe wherewith they might be wounded for guilt of sinne on the contrary do sensibly rejoice and glory in these sufferings for the name of Christ And fourthly in the midst of all these joyes and most singular consolations yet the conscience for all that ceaseth not to retain a scruple or dramme of Rubarb mingled herewith to purge out now and then some corrupt humors and by persecutions to put us in mind of our sinnes committed against the Lord in times past But yet he so tempers and moderates these his drugges and that in so exquisite and artificiall a manner that while he humbleth us with his left hand hee supporteth us with his right hand if he causeth griefe by and by he comforts us in smiting he heals us in which mixture and tempering of things so much diffring in nature and quality consists the salvation of our soules Even as the skilfull and expert Physitian by measuring out an equall and just proportion of contrary drugs meeting with our corrupt humors provides for the safety of our bodies We see that an hot or dry Summer or a faire Spring time brings many diseases therwith Sâ—mile and how fast weeds sprout forth among the good herbs besides filling our houses with flies fleas and like annoyances the aire and streets with unsavory and infectious smels all which in Winter in cold and frosty weather do take their leave and are gone So whilest outward joy and prosperity with other contentments last the body of the Church is pestered with sundry and divers spirituall bad humors and dangerous diseases which on the contrary it is preserved and freed from by the variety of Gods fatherly rods and chastisements Now to proceed to the fourth benefit of afflictions which is to kill the pride of our 4 rebellious nature The Hebrewes use these two words to afflict and humble for one and the same thing as if the latter were the fruit of the former Nor doe we want examples which may sufficiently admonish us that as worldly prosperity usually causeth our hearts to swell and to be puffed up so on the contrary adversities and afflictions deject and humble us Whilest Nebuchadnezzar abounded in all his delights his heart was Dan. 4. 30. Dan 315. swolne so farre with pride that he began not only to oppresse his subjects but to justle even against God himselfe by his blasphemies But when God had once cast him into the furnace of affliction hee then became as meeke and humble a person as was in all his kingdome Dan. 4. 37 2 Chr. 33. from verse 1. to vers 24. Manasses raigning in peace and liberty over the people of Iudah grew so inso lent that there was no impiety or injustice wherein he overflowed not but being surprised by his enemies and laid in yron bands and fetters he was changed in an instant and became as low in his owne esteeme as ever he thought himselfe high which appeareth in his prayer made to God in his affliction wherein he prostrates himselfe before him confessing his offences with great compunction of heart and humility Saint Paul bare himselfe like a fierce and cruell Lyon all the while hee enjoyed favor Acts 9. from verse 1. to verse 24. from the high Priests raging hither and thither breaking forcibly into houses and apprehending such as he found to be professors of the Gospell but the same man being touched by Gods hand in the way as he was journying towards Damascus intending there to exercise his Commission upon the Saints and servants of Christ suddenly became also as meeke as a Lambe and was ready to proffer his service in whatsoever the Lord would enjoyne him to doe Eusebius in his Prologue to the eighth booke of his Ecclesiasticall history relates how God seeing the pride which began to bud and spring forth in the Church and principally among the Pastors thereof who out of their ambition strove about dignities and preferments therein was moved for that very thing to raise up that great persecution which befell the Church under the reigne of Dioclesian and Maximinian to crack their pride and to provoke them to prayer yea rather to watch over their flocks than to contend who should be the greatest Wherein we may see that by the blessing of God there is a kind of vertue in afflictions to humble and bring those home who through prosperity have forgotten themselves and strayed out of the right way Nay so forcible are they to abate and take downe the pride of such who otherwise are hardened and growne obstinate that even Pharaoh as Exo. 8. 8. 9. 27. 10. 16. rebellious and stiffe necked as he was seemed somtimes to bend and bow under the mighty hand of God Whilst God gave him some respite it is true he still hardened his heart but when the next judgement fell upon him and his people he by and by became as pliable as a glove for ones hand Seeing then all of us naturally are thus inclined to waxe proud by prosperity a vice which God sets and opposeth himselfe against above other as most abhominable in his sight we ought not me thinkes so much to be terrified at the approach of persecutions forasmuch as they withhold from and correct in us the same our pride sooner than all the instructions which are taught us by word of mouth The next benefit afflictions bring us is to quicken us up to the prayer of faith which is never better discerned than when afflictions lie heaviest upon us In my distresse saith David Feried unto the
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
intreats for a pacification that those of her sex being with childe might not bee affrighted the péeces and pistols continually discharged sent in all haste to the Duke her husband with much entreaties to cease this persecution for frighting women with childe During this slaughter the Cardinall of Guise remained before the Church of the said Citie of Vassi leaning upon the wals of the church-yard looking towards the place where his followers were busied in killing and slaying whom they could Many of this assembly being thus hotely pursued did in the first brunt save themselves upon the roofe of the house not being discerned of those which stood without but at length some of this bloody crue espying where they lay hid shot at them with long pieces wherewith many of them were hurt and slain The houshold servants A lamentable spectacle of Dessalles Prior of Vassi shooting at the roofe people caused them to fall downe from the roofe like pigeons one of that wretched company was not ashamed to boast after the massacre was ended That he for his part had caused sixe at the least to tumble downe in that pittifull plight saying that if others had done the like not many of them could possibly have escaped The Minister in the beginning of the massacre ceased not to preach still till one discharged his piece against the pulpit where he stood after which falling downe upon his knées he entreated the Lord not onely to have mercy upon himselfe but also upon his poore persecuted floke Having ended his prayer he left his gowne behinde him thinking thereby to kéepe himselfe as unknown bâ—t whilest he approached towards the dore in his fear he stumbled upon a dead body where he received a blow with a sword upon his right shoulder Getting up againe and then thinking to get forth he was immediately laid hold on and grievously hurt on the head with a sword whereupon being felled to the ground and féeling himselfe mortally wounded he cryed Lord into thy hand I Psal 31. 5. commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me thou God of truth Whilest he thus prayed one of this bloody crue ran upon him to have houghed him but it pleased God his sword brake in the hilts Now to let you understand by what meanes he was delivered from so imminent a death two gentlemen taking knowledge of him as the rest were about to kill him said it is the Minister let him be conveyed to my Lord Duke These leading him away by both the armes brought him before the gate of the Monastery from whence the Duke and the Cardinall his brother comming forth said come hither and asked him saying Art thou the Minister of this place who made thée so bold to seduce this people thus Sir said the Minister I am no seducer for I have preached to them the Gospell of Iesus Christ The Duke perceiving that this short and pithy answer condemned his cruell fact began to curse and sweare saying Death of God doth the Gospell preach sedition Provost goe and let a Gibbet be set up and hang this bougrer At which words the Minister was delivered into the hands of two Pages who misused him vilely The women of the City being ignorant Papists caught up dirt to throw in his face and with extended outcries said Kill him kill this varlet who hath béen the cause of the slaughter of so many Much adoe there was to hold off the women from being revenged upon the poore Minister Whilst the Pages had him thus in their handling the Duke went into the barn to whom they presented a great Bible which they used for the service of God The Duke taking it into his hands calling his brother the Cardinall said Loe here the Title of the Huguenot books The Cardinall viewing it sayd There is nothing but good in this book for it is the Bible to wit the holy Scriptures The Duke being offended for that his answer suited not to his humor grew into a greater rage than before saying Blood of God how now what the holy Scripture It is a thousand and five hundred yéerey agoe since Iesus Christ suffered his death and passion and it is but a yéere since these bookes were imprinted how then say you that this is the Gospell by the death of God you say you know not what This imbridled fury of the Duke displeased the Cardinall so as he was heard secretly to mutter An unworthy Brother This Massacre continued a full houre the Dukes trumpeters sounding the whilst two severall times When any of these desired to have mercy shewed them for the love of Iesus Christ the murtherers in scorne would say unto them you use the name of Christ but where is your Christ now become And when they said Lord God they blasphemingly would A grievous scorne say Lord devill There dyed in this Massacre within a few daies fifty or thréescore persons besides these there were about two hundred and fifty others as well men as women who were wounded and spoiled Anno 1563. whereof some died some were maimed losing some a leg some an arme some their fingers cut off from their hands and caried away The poores The poores mony violently taken away and never after restored box which was fastned to the doore of the Church with two Iron hookes was wrested thence with twelve pounds therein and never restored again Nothing was to be séene in the stréets but Women with their haire hanging about their eares faces besmeared with blood being wounded in many places with swords and daggers with wéepings and lamentations Barbers and Chirurgians were so set on worke that he which had least had thréescore under his hand to be dressed and many perished for want thereof The Minister was kept close prisoner so as for foure and twenty houres none were permitted to supply him with any necessaries at all nor any suffered to sée him or speake with him and was oft threatned by his kéepers to be sowed up in a sack and drowned Faine would they have drawn him to have kept his Easter after the Popish guise under faire premises of his inlargement but he would by no means consent thereto Thus continued he prisoner untill the eight day of May 1563. at which time he was set frée by the suit of the most illustrious prince of Portion Whilest the Duke was at Esclairon the Lackeys and others of their sort put to sale unto such as would give most cloaks hats girdles Coifes Kerchiefes with other things which they had spoiled the massacred of Crying them with a loud voyce as if a common cryer had cryed houshold stuffe to be sold A memorable deliverance ONe called Iohn of the Gardens having lived a long time with his wife and childe in regard of the present troubles abroad in the fields nigh to a City called Seulis in France at length determining to goe backe againe into the Citie casting himselfe and his upon the providence of God were
to the number of nine or thereabouts with their daughters these Murtherers hearing of it ranne violently in among them thinking to have found a Minister preaching to them but when they saw how they were mistaken they dragged them out by the haire of the head into the middest of the stréet where loading them with abundance of stripes they cast them into the river in which calamity God endued them with such strength and skill being unbound that endeavouring to swimme at length they arrived at an Isle where being seised upon againe by certaine Ferrimen they were stripped naked and then throwne againe into the River and thinking yet to save themselves they were in the end knocked downe by the seditious in the suburbs of Vienna ¶ A pitifull and tragicall spectacle A Certaine poore woman of Tours whose husband they had not long before drowned having an Infant about sixe or seven wéekes old sucking at her breasts and holding by the hand a daughter of hers very beautifull to looke upon of the age of 15. or 16. yeares was by many insolencies haled to the river side where having made her prayer upon her knées the childe sucking at her breast she shifted it there in the sun and after laid it upon the grasse then knéeling downe againe commended it to God Meane while this hellish-rable used many words to turne the yong maiden from her religion some using sore threats others making her many faire promises One of the soldiers being a braver gallant than the rest promised her marriage so as the poore wench stood in a mammering not knowing what to doe Her Mother séeing her wavering earnestly exhorted her to persist in the truth her self being at that instant ready to be plunged into the water The daughter beholding such an outrage crying out used these words all which was afterwards testified by those who were consenting to this murther being also converted themselves by such a rare example of constancy I will said she live and die with my mother whom I know to be a vertuous woman as for your threates and promises I regard them not do with me as you please The Mother was not yet dead when these mercilesse wretches threw in the daughter after her who making towards her Mother and they both embracing each other yéelded up their soules into the hands of God The poore Infant was taken up by a soldier who having kept it a day and a night from the breast laid it the next day in a Church porch whence being taken up and given to a nurse to kéep it would never take the breast after but within two daies it dyed ¶ An history containing the singular constancy of a Christian Woman together with her gracious Answers to her adversaries IN the same City of Tours the death of an honest Matron called Glée is very remarkable This woman having much profited in the knowledge of Gods word was presented before Chavigny before whom she gave a reason of her faith confirmed by testimonies of scripture with such constancy in the presence of certaine Fryers and Priests that in the end they gave her no other answer but this that she was in a damnable estate It séemes so indéed said shée being now in your hands but I have a God that will neither leave nor forsake me for all that Thou hast said they renounced the Faith It is true said she I have renounced your faith which I am able to shew is rejected and accursed of God and therefore deserves not so much as to be called Faith Upon this they committed her to prison where she was againe sollicited to recant to which purpose they sent certaine women unto her into the prison but all in vaine for on the contrary she spake her minde fréely and comforted the prisoners which were in the same prison with her for religion Anno 1562. Now it happened one morning as shee was about to take some bodily refreshing newes was brought her that shee was condemned to be hanged with thrée men also Which newes she received with such joy and rejoicing that the officer had no sooner ended his message but forthwith she knéeling on her knées began to praise and magnifie the name of God in that he had shewed her so much mercy as to deliver her by such a kinde of death out of the troubles of this wretched world as also for that it pleased the Lord to honor her so far as to die for his truth and to weare his livery meaning the halter which the hangman had now put about her necke Then sitting downe at table to breake her fast with the rest of the company giving thanks to God shée exhorted them to be of good courage and to trust unto the end in his frée and only mercy Lastly having sent her children some such small trifles as shée then had about her shée called for a cleane linnen Wastecote making her selfe ready as if shée had béen going to a wedding Being conducted thus with the rest of the prisoners about two of the clocke in the afternoone and passing by Saint Martins Church she was commanded to receive a torch into her hand and to acknowledge shée had offended God and the King Away away said she with it I have neither offended God nor the King according to your meaning nor in respect of the cause for which I suffer I am I confesse a sinnefull woman but I need no such light for helping me to aske forgivenesse of God for my sins past or present use such things your selves who sit and walke in the darknesse of ignorance and error Then one of her kinsfolkes met her in the way and presented unto her view her little children praying her to have compassion on them séeing that by renouncing her religion she might yet preserve her life and sée them provided for Upon this méeting her motherly affection caused her to shed plenty of teares but by and by taking unto her new courage I must needs tell you said she that I love my children dearly but yet neither for love I bear to them or any thing else in this world will I renounce the truth or my God who is and will be a Father unto them to provide better for them than I could have done and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them and so passed on chéerfully without being any further daunted Drawing nigh to the place of execution she called upon God without ceasing lifting her hands up to Heaven Now the men which came with her being ready to suffer when shée saw them about to die silent and not to call on God she exhorted them thereto and began aloud to rehearse the confession of sinnes which begins thus Lord God Almighty and everlasting Father c. and so continuing forth the ordinary prayers reciting also the Lords prayer and the Articles of the Créed shée with much peace and joy in the holy Ghost finished her life ¶ A Note touching the
doth not our Lord Iesus Christ say blessed are you when men persecute you and speake all manner of evill falsly against you for my name sake Rejoice therefore and be glad for great is your reward in heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Iesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. 21. leaving us an example that we should walke in his steps who also endured the crosse and despised Heb. 12 2. the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that Rom. 5 2. state of grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. Wherefore deare brother and sister be not afrayd of the fiery tryall which is now sent amongst us to prove us For what Father loving his childe doth not correct it Heb. 12. Even so doth the Lord chastise those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction wherof all true Christians are partakers then were we bastards and not sons And therefore Salomon saith my sonne despise not the chastening of the Prov. 3. 11 12. Lord neither faint when thou are corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the sonne in whom he delighteth Feare not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the head and we are his members Even as Christ then hath obtained full joy glory by suffering of anguishes and sorrowes so we also according to his example must through Acts 14 21. many tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the new Ierusalem Let us then say Phil. 1. 21. with saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O Rom. 7 24. wretched creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death Sée here how the faithfull have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an eye to that holy City Anno 1562. which hath foundations whose builder and maker Heb. 11. 10. is God Let vs then my beloved chéerefully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our soules by patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Ieremiah both to hope and quietly to Lam. 3. 26. waite for the salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to beare the yoke in his youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his salvation Loe here deare brother and sister what consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy word for us I say whose desire it is to feare the Lord and to trust in his grace and mercy For Psal 37. 39. the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord hée is their strength in the time of trouble Wherfore q giving all diligence let us adde to faith vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse love for if these things be in us and abound they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sonnes sake our Lord Amen Out of my hole December the eleventh 1562. Wouter Oom prisoner for the truth Now because ye may see that this Letter was not without its happy effect hearken to the relation of the History following THere was one Iohn Wolfe of the City of Audenard who because he could no longer inhabite there without either the danger of his life or wounding of his conscience his wife being great with childe and as yet but weake in the knowledge of the Gospell he was forced for these respects to joyne himselfe to the assembly of the Church in Antwerpe where thinking himselfe in safety a neighbour of his owing him ill will accused him to the Margrave about the baptising of his childe Whereupon being then committed and examined where and in whose presence his childe was baptized he without staggering answered that he had it baptised according to the institution of Christ by a Minister set apart to that Office The Margrave not content with this answer often pressed him with sundry threats of the torture to accuse such as he knew But the sharpest combat he endured was from his owne flesh counselling him during his imprisonment for the safegard of his life to dissemble and halt betwéen two opinions The cause was from the inward affection he bore towards his wife and childe being yet but young and of singular beauty in regard whereof many of the congregation expected no other but that he would sinke under this tryall But in the middest of these assaults hée was heard with prayers and sighes to cry mightily to God to bée delivered from this temptation Which prayers of his were heard in due season even then Whither wee ought to fly in time of temptation when in the judgement of man he was supposed to be overcome thereof meanes was made of bringing to his hands consolatory letters as also the said Wouter Dom then prisoner with him comforted him not a little by his letters Whereby in the end he continued so strong in the Lord as also constant in the confession of the truth that in conclusion he received the sentence of death with the aforesaid Wouter After which his wife came unto him and they were permitted to talke together bursting out each of them into such abundance of teares that it would have moved the most stony heart that ever was At parting with a bitter cry hée commended her to Gods mighty protection and his childe to be trained up in the true Religion Soone after hée was drowned in the tub or fat of the prison and the next day hanged upon one of the Gibbets néer unto the City ¶ A relation of the troubles and martyrdome of Christian Quekere Iaques Dionssart and Iean de Salomez of Steenwerk in Flanders To whom God gave such ability to answer their enemies demands as if they had come from persons much more learned Which shewes that God measures out to all the gifts and graces of his holy Spirit according to his good will and pleasure WHilest the persecution continued at this time in sundry places of Flanders under Philip King of Spaine and that many fled into England under the protection of Quéene Elizabeth these thrée above mentioned were of the same number who joyned themselves to the Dutch Church in London having given publique testimony of their faith before all the Congregation In which place they continuod not long but they were constrained upon some speciall occasions to
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
chamber as we call it Bish These words must be taken of our ordinary eating which is cast saving your presence after it is eaten into the draught La Grange What becomes then of this swallowed flesh Bish The formes are turned into it and the flesh of Iesus Christ is gone but these things must not be too curiously examined La Grange This answer cannot stand the accidents which you call kindes cannot be changed thereinto it is the substance which is changed But let us come to a more substantiall argument you teach That whosoever receives this Bread which you call flesh receives Iesus Christ How 1 Cor 11. 27. 29. is it then that Saint Paul saith Hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himselfe c. Bish This argument hath some weight in it for thus you reason hee that receives Christ doth therewithall receive eternall life but by our Doctrine all receive Christ in the sacrament therefore they must needs have eternall life I confesse it is true according to your minor proposition that they receive him but I deny that all receive him unto life everlasting for if they receive not the flesh by the holy Ghost it profits them nothing La Grange I have taken the first part of my Iohn 11. 25. proposition out of Saint Iohn where Christ saith he is the life but séeing wée cannot receive so much as a common hearbe without the vertue of it much lesse can wee receive Christ without that life which is comprehended in him otherwise Simile we should receive a dead body without efficacy and not Iesus Christ who causeth those that eate him to live â—ternally For this sacrament was instituted of God by his sonne to manifest and set Iohn 6 51. forth his fatherly good will towards us not contenting himself to have received us once as strangers into his houshold by baptisme but as his owne Children and therefore hath ordained this Why the Lords supper was ordained We partake of Christ in the Sacrament by the effectuall working of the holy Ghost second sacrament of the holy supper that in his house wee might have wherewith to nourish and féed us continually Now as touching the holy Ghost it is by him that we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ and drinke his bloud conjoyning by his powerfull working those things together which by distance of place are severed farre off one from another causing all that is in Christ to become ours and as by a conduit pipe conveying unto us the true partaking of Christs flesh and bloud so as whosoever receives Christ hath eternall life Bishop That is if hee receive him by the holy spirit for otherwise the flesh profiteth nothing as Iohn 6. 63. saint Iohn saith La Grange Sir the place you alledge makes against you for Christ there reproves his disciples for thinking they should eate his flesh after a carnall manner as it appeares by the words following for the words said hée which I speake to you are spirit and life If then wee are so wise as to observe that the Sunne sending downe its substance on earth by the beames thereof doth after a sort cause the hearbes to spring forth and Simile grow shall not the influence of the spirit of Christ be of much more efficacy to bring us to the true participation of his flesh and bloud Bishop Then the Bishop was desirous to bée gone saying it grew late and so for want of time our conference ended The Bishop commended me to God and then tooke his leave of the company This is the summe of our communication so farre as I can remember By this briefe recitall we may observe what holy boldnesse mixed with meekenesse the Lord had indued this his worthy servant with even in the flower of his age being drawne from his studies and from the place of his birth to preach the Gospell to the Valencians and at length to seale up the same with his bloud A short narration of the life and death of these two valiant Champions of Christ Guy de Brez and Peregrin de La Grange Ministers and martyrs NExt to the pure preaching of the word nothing so much commends those whom the Lord culls out to give their lives for the same as doth an holy and blamelesse conversation continued unto their happy departure out of this world It remaines then in few words that we set forth the conversations of these two holy personages that thereby the mercies and graces of the Lord be stowed upon them may have the greater lustre Guy de Brez borne in Mons in Hainault béeing in his younger yeares much addicted to Popish superstitions came by continually reading of the Scriptures to taste the swéetnes of Christian Religion which knowledge brought forth no smal fruit in him in due season Yet so as it could by no meanes be relished or received by them of his Nation Whereupon he departed from Mons and having learned the art of painting Glasse came to London whilest good King Edward the sixth raigned who gave persecuted strangers leave to have harbour within his realme of England After his abode there a while and understanding that the preaching of the Gospell obtained some entertainment in the Low-Countries he went over to give his assistance to those of his owne Country The first fruits of his labours were most an end in bestwong some exhortations in such places where he found any willing to give him audience though never so few in number But above all he clave to them of the City of Lisle because he found there a great number of beléevers who desired nothing more than to heare the Gospell publiquely preached unto them At that time began also an holy conflict * Against which this godly man published a learned confutation in French which booke I have in my hands against the pestilent sect of the Anabaptists which as cockle mingled it selfe amongst the good corne In this city he continued untill the flock of Christ wer dispersed by reason of persecution and then went to Gaud where hée wrote his booke called the Staffe of Faith extracted out of the ancient Fathers After that béeing desirous to profit more and more in the knowledg of such things as were requisite to be in a Minister of the Gospell hée travelled towards Lausanna and thence to Geneva to furnish himselfe with the tongues and thence withdrawing himselfe into the Low-countries hée there established the churches of Lisle Tournay and of the Valencians in which cities God so prospered his labours that he was preserved by his divine providence as it were in the middest of the fiery flames from falling into the hands of his enemies And not to stand longer in relating the paines and travels of this faithfull servant of Christ not onely the reformed Churches of the said country can testifie but also these of Diex Mondidier and Amiens also which hée was an happy instrument to support whilest the
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
not yet satisfied But going from house to house with their associats Anno 1569. where they thought to find any Huguenots they brake open the doores then cruelly murthered whomsoever they met sparing neither sex nor age The pretence was this Report was raised there that a treason of the Huguenots was discovered who had conspired to kill the King his Mother his brethren having already killed fifteene of the guard Carts were laden with dead bodies of yong maidens women men and children which were discharged into the river covered in a maner all over with the slain and dyed red with their bloud which also streamed down the stréets from sudry parts thereof whereat the Courtezans laughed their fill saying That the warres were now ended and that hereafter they should live in peace c. But it would take up too much time to recite all the lamentable passages of this so sad and tuefull a tragedy ¶ This with some others which follow belonging to this History because they could not bee omitted are here under inserted TO begin then with Monsieur Pierre de la Place President of the Court of Requests whose story we will relate somewhat at large because his singular piety requires the same On Sunday morning about six of the clock one called Captaine Michael harquebusier of the king came into his lodging into which he had the more easie accesse for divers private respects This Captaine being armed having a harquebuse This was a token by which the murtherers were distinguished form others on his shoulder apâ—stoll at his girdle and his handkerchiefe tyed about his left arme presenting himself before the said De la Place the first words he spake were that the Duke of Guise had slaine the Admirall by the Kings appointment with many Huguenots besides and because the rest of them of what quality soever were destinated to death he was come to his lodging to exempt him from the common destruction onely he desired to have a sight of that gold and silver which was in the house The Lord de la Place somwhat amased at the audacious malapartnesse of the man who in the midst of ten or twelve persons which were there present in the roome durst presume to utter such language askt him if he knew where he was or whether he thought there was a King or no To this the Captaine blaspheming answered that he willed him to goe with him to know the kings pleasure The said Lord de la Place hearing this fearing also some danger to be towards by sedition in the City slipped forth at a backe doore behind his lodging purposing to get into a neighbors house In the meane while most of his servants vanished out of sight and this Captaine having stored himselfe with a thousand crowns was intreated by the Lady Marets daughter to the said Lord to convey her father with the Lord Marets her husband into the house of some Romane Catholike which he consented to doe and also performed it After this de la Place being refused at thrée severall houses was constrained to retire backe againe into his own where he found his wife very pensive and grieved beyond measure fearing lest this Captaine in the end would cast her sonne in law and daughter into the river as also for the imminent danger wherein her deare husband and all his family were But the said Lord de la Place being strengthened by the spirit of God with incredible constancy in the inner man sharply rebuked her and afterwards mildely demonstrated unto her that we must receive these and the like afflictions from the hand of God and so having discoursed a while upon the promises of God comforted her Then he commanded such servants and maids as remained in the house to be called togeher who being come into his Chamber according to his custome on the Lords dayes he made a forme of exhortation to his family then went to prayer and began to read a Chapter out of the booke of Iob with the exposition or sermon of Master Iohn Calvin upon it So having spoken somewhat of Gods mercy and justice which as a good and wise father useth to exercise his elect with sundry chastisements lest they should bée intangled here below with the things of this World he shewed how néedfull afflictions were for Christians and that it was beyond the power of Satan or men to hurt or wrong them unlesse the Lord of his good pleasure gave them leave What néed have we then said he to dread their authority which at the most can but prevaile over our bodies Then he went to prayer againe preparing himselfe and his whole family rather to endure all sorts of torments yea death it selfe than to speake or doe ought that might tend to the dishonour of God Having finished his prayer word was brought him that Senecay the Provost Marihall with many archers were at the doore of his lodging commanding the same to be opened in the Kings name saying that he came to secure the person of the Lord de la Place and to preserve his house from being pillaged by the common sort The Lord de la Place having intelligence of this spéech commanded the doore to be opened to him who entring in declared the great slaughter that was made upon the Huguenots every where in the city by the Kings command adding this withall in Latine that he would not suffer one to live Qui mingat ad Parietem Yet have I expresse charge from his Majesty saith he to sée that you shall sustaine no wrong but only conduct you to the Louvre because the King is desirous to be informed touching many things about the affairs of those of the Religion which he hath now in hand and therfore willed him to make himself ready to goe to his Majesty The Lord de la Place answered That he alwaies thought himselfe happy before he left this life to gaine any opportunity by which hée might render an account to his Majesty of his behaviour and actions But in regard such horrible Massacres were every where committed it was impossible for him to passe to the Louvre without the certaine danger of his person praying him to assure his Majesty of his willingnesse to come the whilest leaving in his lodging as many Archers as hee thought fitting untill the fury of theâ— people was somewhat pacified The Provost agréed to his request and left with him one of his Lieutenants called Toute Voye with some foure of his archers Not long after comes into his lodging Prestdent Charron then provost of the merchants with whom conferring a little in secret going his way he left with the foure archers which were there before foure more of the city archers The whole night following was spent in stopping up and fortifying of all passages from entring the house with logs and provision of Flint-stones damming up the windowes so as if séemed by this so exact and diligent a defence the
in silence because the history requires at this time to touch only upon such things as are most remarkable and shall after follow YEt one thing ought not to be forgotten which fell out in the City last mentioned There was â—re Iohn Sarrazin of the age of seventy yeares and above who for a long time had exercised the office of a Deacon in the reformed Church the which he so faithfully performed that he was estéemed a father of the poore This good old father was set upon on Tuesday night in his owne house the fourth of September 1572. and laid at with swords by these furious murtherers who with a venerable and smiling countenance looking upon them said my friends what will ye doe with me have I ever offended any of you And if I have let him speake But nothing could any whit prevaile with these savage monsters to mollifie their stony hearts For with a more then brutish rage they fell upon this gray head and poore withered carkasse who to fence off the blowes exept under his bed where one of these rakehels his next neighbour and Godson gave him such a thrust in with his sword into the belly that his bowels issued out The poore man séeing himselfe thus wounded and perceiving who had done it said Ah Godson doe you use me thus I never hurt you but have done you good He languished of this hurt two daies two nights during which time as we have learned from his wife who gave her attendance on him all the while he ceased not with great zeale to call upon God thinking himselfe happy to have suffered that outrage for his name and so not long after yéelded up his spirit into the hands of God that gave it ¶ The horrible Massacre of the faithfull at Lyons in France ON Wednesday the seven and twentieth of August in the yeare 1572. about sixe of the clocke in the morning Sieur Mandolet governour of Lyons was advertised of the Massacre at Paris and within an houre and an halfe after a souldier passing through the stréets made it knowne to the people that the Admirall and all the Protestant Princes were slain By and by the gates of Huguenots he called them the City were shut and guards of souldiers placed here and there But lest those of the Religion should be moved with such an unwonted and an unexpected shutting in of the gates as in the time of open warre the Roman Catholiques caused it to be bruited that all was done to secure the Protestants To which report some gave too much credit for beside the ordinary guard of the governour and that of the Citadell with the thrée hundred harquebusiers of the City which amounted to about a thousand there were gathered to them many besides of the City with armes likewise with command that if they descried any troupe of those of the Religion comming abroad though but with their swords guirt unto them forthwith to cut them off with the rest also But they having enured themselves to an incredible modesty and patience gave not the least appearance of defending themselves séeing a tempest now nigh at hand which they knew could not arise without a speciall providence of God The day following notwithstanding all these faire shewes they evidently perceived that their lives were at the mercy of the Papists who had sucked the bloud of many of them in the first troubles For albeit they found no more passage for them out of the City then they did the day precedent they might not now either fréely goe out or come in upon their necessary occasions if they presented themselves in the stréets they were clapt up in prison for which cause they were fain to kéep their houses Night being come they made a prioy search in their dwelling houses some they rifled others were ransomed and the rest imprisoned Many of them never comming thither were either killed in the corners of the stréetes with daggers or else cast into the river whereof some who were living when this History was in writing were saved by swimming being carried down with the current of the streame halfe a mile beneath the City On Friday after there was a Proclamation with sound of trumpets in all the chiefe places of the City the summe of which was this that those of the Religion were to appeare before the governour at his house there to be informed what the Kings pleasure was concerning them The greater part being but too credulous feared not to make their appearance at the place assigned whence soone after they were committed to sundry prisons The night following there were heard from all parts of the City lamentable cries and shréekings not onely of such as were massacred in their houses but of others halfe wounded to death whom they haled to the river From that time forwards there were such murthers and outrages committed throughout the City that it séemed hell was set open and that Devils in the likenesse of men comming forth thence ran roring to and fro in the stréets On Sunday which was the last of this moneth of August about eight of the clock in the morning the rest who were left unmassacred the Fryday before were made an end of then About one of the clocke the same day commandement was given that under every Ancient twenty five armed men with twelve Porters should be gathered to conduct them to Saint Georges gate which is by the Archbishops house in which were more then thrée hundred and fifty prisoners in which place the great Massacre was to bee executed The â—eyes of the Archbishops house wherein so many prisoners were inclosed were delivered unto this bloudy crue who joyfully offered themselves to performe so horrible a businesse The which the ordinary executioner refused and common Souldiers abhorred to undertake when the same was first propounded unto them they answering peremptorily they would never doe it The first alleadged that if according to the course of Iustice sentence of death had béen denounced against them he knew what he had to doe but for this their purpose he told them he thought they might have but too many executioners in the City to satisfie their desire The souldiers answered they thought it more then inhumane to cut the throats of such as never offended them But if the prisoners had made any Insurrection or sedition in the City they then might have some colour of reason to doe it otherwise they meant not to staine the honor of their profession which is accompanied with noblenesse of spirit with so villanous an act more besitting butchers then souldiers But Mandelot and his accomplices were not so scrupulous for within thrée houres after Clou Captaine of the Harquebusters of the City came with an enraged troupe c. the greater part wherof were furnished with short swords and hangers As soone as Le Clou entred into the great Court he gave the prisoners to understand with a loud voice that they must die and turning him
to them and returned answer in forme of an Edict granting to those of Rochell Montauban Nismes and others which stood upon their defence liberty for the exercises of Religion the rest to live peaceably in their houses and therein to minister the sacrament of â—aptisme and marriage as they had wont to doe so as their assemblies excéeded not the number of ten besides the parents He restored to the Rochellers and others their rites and priviledges letting fall all the decrées given out against them approving of their defensive war giving them leave according to their ancient custome to retaine in their Cities Towers and Fortresses men and munition yea to receive in Governours among them provided that they were such as they had no cause to suspect or except against By vertue of this Edict upon the tenth day of Iuly about ten of the clocke in the forenoone the Sieur of Biron entred into the City at the gate called de Coigne with an Herauld of armes and foure of the Kings Trumpetters at which houre peace was proclaimed in the most eminent places thereof accompanied with the Lieutenant of the City and with the Lord of Villiers After which dining at the Maiors house he soone after retyred being conducted along till he came without the City The same day many small Vessels laden with Biskets Corne Meale Fish and other provision Acertaine Gentleman Nephew to Puygaillard Governour of Angiers bragging that he had beene one who murthered the Admirall shewing a short sword which he had used in that slaughter threatenâ—d the like to the Rochellers but God cut him short also at the siege of Sancerre entred into the Haven At this siege the Duke D' Amaule lost his life with Cosseins who had broken into the Admirals Lodging and began the massacre at Paris besides many great Lords Gentlemen Captaines Lieutenants and Antients to the number of thréescore the greater part of which having their hands embrued in those other bloody massacres being come thither received their reward namely either present death or wounds so incurable that they escaped not with life One thing ought not here to be passed over in silence to wit the provision of victuals which God furnished this besieged people withall when all other provisions began to faile them namely an infinite number of small fishes never séene before in that haven which every day yéelded themselves to the mercy of the necessitons inhabitants But as soone as the Edict was published and the Rochellers set at liberty by the arriving of the Polish Embassadors these sea fishes withdrew themselves ¶ Although this relation following touching another siege of this City of Rochel sutes nothing at all with the order of time happening as it did in the yeare 1628. yet forasmuch as it seemes to have some affinity with the terrible famine where with both the City of Sancerre and it were afflicted let not the reader be offended for placing the same here somewhat out of place being a thing so worthy of note ¶ An extract of a Letter written on board the Saint George his Majesties Ship in Saint Georges Island THere dyed in this siege of Rochel the thirtieth of October 1628 sixtéen thousand persons the rest enduring a world of miseries most of all their food being hides leather and old gloves other provisions being very scarse were at an excessive rate viz. A Bushell of wheate xx li. A pound of bread xx s. A quarter of Mutton vi li. od mony A pound of Butter xxx s. An Egge viii s. An ounce of Sugar ii s. vi d. A dryed fish xx s. A pinte of Wine xx s. A pound of grapes iii. s. A pinte of Milke xxx s. Also it is reported that through the famine yong maids of fourtéen or sixtéen yeares of age did looke like old women of an hundred yeares old The famine was such that the poore people would cut off the buttocks of the dead as they lay in the Church yard unburied All the English that came out looked like Anatomies They lived two moneths with nothing but Cow hides and Goats skins boiled the dogs cats mice and frogs being all spent And this with a world of other miseries did they suffer in hope of being reléeved by others Thus much I thought good to let you understand ¶ A description of the manner of the death of Charles the ninth King of France IN the yeare 1574. Charles the ninth King of France in the time of whose raigne these forenamed execrable massacres were executed fell sicke which sicknesse seised upon him before his brother the Duke of Aniou tooke his voyage into Poland from which during the winter season he obtained some recovery But that which then séemed to lie hidden brake forth again afresh in the Spring so as this Prince after he had languished thrée whole moneths viz. February March and April drew his Physitians to a consultation about the state of his body who in the end concluded to purge and let him blood But these remedies tooke not such an effect as the King and they expected for he still wasted and consumed away being in the flower of his age to the wonder of many Some guessed he had taken a surfet either in eating or drinking others that hee was enchanted The thirtieth of May he dyed in the presence of his mother and of the Cardinals of Bourbon and Ferrare c. He was borne on the twenty seventh day of Iune 1550. He began his raigne the first of December 1560. and so reigned as that it gives to posterity iust cause both of admiration and detestation Thus this Prince lived not forty yeares fully compleat Now if any desire to be further Anno 1588 satisfied as touching the manner of his death I referre them to that which Master Iohn Fox hath written thereof not many lines before the conclusion of this booke commonly called the booke of Martyrs A note touching a Bull of Pope Sixtus the fifth wherein the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were declared Heretiques c. with the censure thereof by the Parliament of Paris IN September 1585. Pope Sixtus the fifth by a Bull sent from Rome condemned the king of Navarre and the Prince of Conde for Heretikes excommunicated them degrading them and their successors from their dignities especially laying claime to the Crowne of France absolving their subjects from their oath of alleigiance and exposing their Countries for a prey to them that could first subdue them The Court of Parliament of Paris made a notable remonstrance to the King concerning these Buls in the which they sought to maintain the priviledges of the Gallicane Church Among other things these words that follow are very remarkable The Court thinks that these Buls are set forth in a stile altogether of a new stamp and so contrary to the modesty of former Popes that they can in no sort discerne therein the spirit of a successor of the Apostles And therefore as the
Iames the Quéen the Prince and all the royall branches with the nobility clergy and commons of this realme assembled together at this present in Parliament by popish treachery appointed as shéep to the slaughter and that in most barbarous and savage maner no age yéelding example of the like cruelty intended towards the Lords annointed and his people Can this thy goodnesse O Lord be forgotten worthy to be written in a pillar of Marble that we may ever remember to praise thée for the same as the fact is worthy a lasting monument that all posterify may learn to detest it From this unnaturall conspiracy not our merit but thy mercy not our foresight but thy providence hath delivered us not our love to thée but thy love to thine annointed servant and thy poore Church with whom thou hast promised to be present to the end of the world And therefore not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy name be ascribed all honor and glory in all Churches of the saints throughout all generations for thou Lord hast discovered the snares of death Thou hast broken them and we are delivered Be thou still our mighty protector and scatter our cruell enemies which delight in blood infatuate their counsell and roote out that Babilonish and Antichristian sect which say with Ierusalem Downe with it downe with it even to the ground And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the land with judgement and iustice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose religion is rebellion whose faith is faction whose practise is murthering of soules and bodies and for oof them out of the confines and limits of this kingdome that they may never prevatle against us and triumph in the ruine of thy Church and give us grace by true and serious repentance to avert these and the like judgements from us This Lord we earnestly crave at thy mercifull hands together with the continuance of thy powerfull protection over our dread Soveraign the whole Church and these Realms and the spéedy confusion of our implacable enemies and that for thy deare Sons sake our only Mediatour and Advocate Amen ¶ Franco di Franco an Italian made away in secret in the City of Vilne IN the yeare 1611. on the day which the papists call the feast of God a young man of six and twenty yeares old being miraculously called unto the knowledge of the Gospel was by certain Italians led through a Church where masse was to be sung and being urged to shew how he liked it began to refuse their Idolatry with great zeale admonishing the people there present not to suffer themselves to be so seduced by the pompous splendor of such vaine superstitions Telling them That that God which the Priest held up was no God as those seducers made them beleeve but a méere Idoll séeing it was not able to remove it selfe from one place to another unlesse it were borne Iesus Christ the Son of God â—ir Saviour is to be sought saith he at the right hand of God the Father Almighty This yong man was forth with compassed about with an innumerable company of people who buffeting him often on the face and spurning him with their féete haled him thence into the common Gadle of the City After many daies the Bishop with sundry other Lords calling him before them asked him if the heretiques had not perswaded him to use such words as he had spoken also whether he had not a resolution to kill the Quéene or her son the King or the Bishop of Vilne The prisoner wisely and resolutely answered That no man had set him aworke to doe it but only the zeale he had of Gods glory his conscience provoking him thereto holding it impossible for him any longer so suffer that men should attribute that honour to a dead Idoll which is only due to Iesus Christ his Saviour As touching their other demand his answere was that Christian Religion teacheth us not to murther men as Papists have hitâ—erto done in France England in the Low-Countries and elsewhere as histories doe daily shew The prisoner also admonished the Biship of Vilne to forsake all Idolatry to preach Gods truth and verity and cease to be witch the poore people with humane inventions moreover this faithfull witnesse did with much vehemency and constancy maintaine the truth of God that the Bishop of Vilne droâ—e out of his Hall his servants and such as came in there to heare him But he â—oot little by it for as they went here and there in the City they thid it abroad how in all their lives they never heard man speake with that courage and boldnesse of divine things to so good purpose as this young man had done Not long after he was againe brought before the same Iudges and questioned as before but in stead of yéelding he â—ardened his face against the impudency of his adversaries They purposing to quaile this magnaâ—unity caused him to féele the forture When he had suffered the utmost of their cruelty he was so far off from abjuring the truth that on the contrary his confession discovered in him a greater resolution then ever before being desirous and shewing himselfe ready prest to receive the Crowne of Martyrdome To be short the last of Iune 1611. which was the same day twelve-month 1610. where in the City of Vilne being the capitall City of the great Duchesse of Lithuany at eight of the clock in the morning there happened as terrible a fire as hath béen heard of at the houre in which the said Bishops and a great company of Iesuâ—â—es there going on procession the fire was so vehement that within the space of seven houres it deboured â—â—re thousand 〈◊〉 hundred and 〈◊〉 houses which tell out as the Iesuites supposed because they spared the Hereâ—â—ues there Where upon the 〈◊〉 of Christ was cruelly butchered there by the enemies of the Gospell not in a publike place â—or by day though he instantly requested the same at the 〈◊〉 of his Iudges but privatly in the night hi apeare walled about nigh to the Governours house Before they put him to death he was â—ruelly torâ—â—ned and then bound by the executioner to a post where they drew out his tongue under his chinne which done cutting off Anno 1595 his head his body being divided into foure quarters was carried the next day through the City upon so many poles ¶ An history of three Englishmen put to death at Rome THrée English men méeting together entered into a conference concerning the state of the Church at that time complaining that the zeale of Gods glory was wonderfully cooled among men yea and that even those of the religion were growne but too worldly wise that satan by little was sowing the séeds of Atheisme every where by rocking men asléep in the cradle of security whereupon having in humble manner commended themselves into the hands of God they determined to take their voyage