A BRIEFE HISTORIE OF THE GLORIOVS MARTYRDOM OF XII REVEREND Priests executed vvithin these tvvelue monethes for confession and defence of the CATHOLIKE FAITH But vnder the false pretence of TREASON Vvith a note of sundrie things that befel them in their life and imprisonment and a preface declaring their innocencie Set furth by such as were much conuersant vvith them in their life and present at their arraignement and death Occidistis sed non possedistis that is You haue slaine them but you haue not gotten possession 1582. THE NAMES OF THESE GLORIOVS MARTYRES VVITH the day and yere of their suffering FATHER Edmund Campion of the societie of IESVS the j. of Decemb. 1581. M. Raph Shervvine the same day M. Alexander Bryan the same day M. Thomas Ford. the xxviij of May 1582. M. Iohn Sherte the same day M. Robert Iohnson the same day M. Vvilliam Philbee the xxx of May 1582. M. Luke Kirbie the same day M. Lavvrence Richardson aliâs Iohnson the same day M. Thomas Cottam the same day M. Iohn Paine the ij of April 1582. M. Euerard Haunse the last of Iuly 1581. THE PREFACE TO the Reader IT vvas euer the fashion of the heathen but much more of Apostatats and Heretikes reuoulted from the Church when they deadly hated and persecuted the CATHOLIKE CHRISTIANS and specially GODS PRIESTS being the guides and Pastors of that flocke they seeke to destroy yet of purpose and pollicie pretend other causes of their punishement more hateful to the world then matter of faith and conscience So did the Arrian Emperors and their Bishops accuse Holy Athanasius of Nigromancie Ruffin histo aduolterie and conspiracie So did the president of Pontus an officer of Valens the heretical prince Naz. orat De Basilio persecut S. Basil for his religion but vnder pretence of an other crime in so much that to the wonder of the world he caused his chambre which the Angels of God as S. Gregorie Nazianzen writeth did reuerence for puritie to be sought by his officers for a vvoman So did Iulianus the Apostata Tripart lib. 6. c. 27. endeuoring to extinguishe the Christian faith and to preferre Paganisme cōdemne the Clergie to death and exile vnder pretense of diuers crimes and namely of sedition falsely forged against them So did the Vandals being Heretikes also Victor de persecut Vandalic extremely plage the Catholikes in Aphrike accusing them that they had secret conference by messengers and letters vvith the Romans against them So did the Emperesse Theodora a vvomā of the Eutichian heresie cruelly persecut Pope Siluerius and the Clergie saying that her coūsel had intercepted their letters vvhereby they called in the Goths and forraine povver to inuade the Citie of Rome the Empire So thy now faine interception of letters for the condemnation of holy men when al the world knevv she persecuted them for their religion and that they were neue◠guiltie of any such offences This shamful sutteltie and too foule and brode deceipt vvas neuer so notoriously vsed as in the late persecutions and practises of protestants specially in England against the CATHOLIKES in vvhich such as are not skilful in the old histories of the Church may as in a glasse behold at once al the miseries that she hath suffered in this kinde of calumniation by the Arians the Gothes the Vandals the Lumbards the Donatistes Eutichians Mahometists Hussists Hugonots and by what other sort in times past or present so euer I neede not put you in minde ho◠not many yeres sithence they arraigned to the great shame and confusion the most Reuerend father and Confessor The arraignement of the Archbishop of Armakan See the storie of his death the Arch-bishop of Armakan for rape or hovv the Ministers of Satan charged of late the blessed Martyr Priest of God M. Thomas Cottam at his execution with adulterie committed in Fish-streat or such like damnable fictions which without al free of God or shame of men the protestants print preach and geue out wittingly against Priests religious and Catholikes to beguile the poore people most subiect to such trumperie through their simplicitie The meanīg of the author in this treatise My meaning is specially by Gods helpe to set furth in English lay befor the eyes of al thos of our realme that were not present at the deathes or arraignement of the late famous men and Martyrs M. Campion and his happie fellovves and in latine and other langages to the vvhole Christian world for a spectacle of heretical crueltie and Macheuillian practises hovv by coulor of contriued treason and conspiracie the cause in dede-being religion the ennemies of the Christian faith haue shed their innocent blood to the infinite shame of our Nation befor men and no lesse peril of destruction of our vvhole common wealthe by Gods iust iudgement who euer reuengeth such publike iniquitie by inducing some great and common calamitie NOTE from which CHRIST of his mercie saue our countrie for their sake which are innumerable that haue not consented to this iniquitie hovv soeuer it seeme othervvise to proceed frō publike authoritie But to the matter after that it vvas agreed vpon by such as God hath geuen povver ouer vs that the holy Confessors whom they had in their hands should be made away because diuers of thē were farre better lerned then any of their sect could withstand and al so zelous as none could sturre them from their faith and fellovvship of the CATHOLIKE AND ROMAIN CHVRCH thinking it not good to kil them for their religiō they sought out vvith al arte and diligence hovv to find or faine handsomely any matter that coulorably might be dravven to treason or any capital crime in the old sense of our lavves The causes why they would not put them directly for their faith and conscience to death Notvvithstanding they had not long before made diuers lavves forcible inough for that purpose The causes vvhy they rather executed them for pretēded treason thē true religiō whereby sundrie principles and exercises of CHRISTIAN FAITH were made HIGH TREASON a lamentable case that our countrey is fallen to were these partely common to al old heretikes partely peculier to our countrey and present state First the cases of religion are diuers according as euery mans conscience is informed where other crimes of what sort so euer are agreed vpon of al hands to be punishable Secondly religion to wordly men specially to many Athiests novv a daies whom men cal honestly politikes seemeth not material any farther then as it pertaineth to the preseruation or destruction of the ciuil state Thirdly for that it is impossible or exceding hard to persvvad men of any wit or capacitie that to professe that religion should be an offence worthie death which al our ovvne auncesters and al nations round about vs so many hundereth yeres together vvere christened in and haue liued died and been saued in and is defended at
this day as cleerely as the sunne against the protestants both in our realme and al the Christian world beside Fourthly for that they can not put vs to death by any coulor of equitie as for our religion hauing no lavv nor determination of councel schole or parlement that hath made it heresie and to cal it treason though them selues haue made it so is to much mockery Fifthly for that our heretikes hold for their ovvne special saftie that none should be executed for their conscience that they would be counted both at home and abrode in such cases meeke and clement and not blouddy as they say the Papists were towardes them when the staffe was in their handes Sixtely for that the executing of them for the CATHOLIKE RELIGION whereof daily more and more are zelous fauorers in England might bread great daungers and discontentement to the euident peril of the whole state which they haue brought into such straite tearmes by this nevv religion that it can not be vpholden but by much iniustice Seuenthly the pretence of other crimes specially of the inuasion of the realme Seeking the destruction of both sorts they would put at variance the Catholikes amongest theÌ„ selues bringeth the zelous Catholikes and namely Gods Priests into great hatered not onely amongest the protestants but among others wel affected in religion though not so strong to stand to the losse of their life and goods whereby they subtily seeke to make a diuision betvvene the tvvo sorts of weaker and stronger Catholikes for the easier ouerthrovv of them both in deede hating and fering no lesse the closse dissembler then open professor Lastely they thought good rather to charge them vvith treason then religion thereby to haue better coulor to afflict and spoile more deeply al such of the Nobilitie or worship as they found or fained or hereafter shal forge to haue harbored and relieued them or conuersed with them And then to terrifie al Priests as they thought aftervvard for entering into the realme the subiects within for receiuing them or sending their sonnes to be brought vp in the societie or seminarie Vpon these and such like wordly considerations they did not onely pretend to endite condemne and execute them for contriued treason against the Q. ovvne rial person and realme specifying for the better couloring of the collusion daies places persons and maner of executing their intents but therevvith denounced and protested publikely both in open court and printed proclamation and bookes that they ment nothing in al this bloddy pursute for any matter of religion or conscience But God that streight discouered this cruel stratageme The persecutors put to double shame and easely ouer-reacheth the wisedom of the wise speadely hath met with their humane counsails and put the persecutors to double confusion in the sight of the whole world once for making them avvay in deede for religion for which they vvere neither arraigned nor condemned secondly for killing them for that offence which at the racke barre and their death they inuincibly shevved them selues in the sight and conscience as wel of Protestants as Catholikes to be as innocent as any Sainct or Angel in heauen Vvherevpon though some fevve hote Puritans were wel contended to see them by what meanes so euer out of their way yet the more prudent of euery sort marueled much at that vnvvonted impolitique proceding Error in gouernement being very sorovvful to see thereby her M honorable iustice and her most graue counsellers actions so notoriously and coulorably subiected to reprofe as in no case in mans memorie or in the records of antiquitie hath been lightely marked the like Vvhereof I could report the very words and communication of certaine principal persons of seruice the day of arraignement and actors in that bloddy tragedy complaining after their departure thence one to an other of the matter and of the shame of that daies worke But I may not name them lest they should incurre daunger thereby though if any of our aduersaries stand with me against the truth thereof I wil not sticke though to their some litle rebuke to vtter to Gods honor and these his blessed Sainctes who for the double confusion their persecutors haue receiued By their practise the Saints of God haue receiued double honor are doubly glorified first with the crowne of Martyrdom for coÌ„fession of their faith which was the true cause of their death and also with the noble renome and revvarde of such as be innoceÌ„t of the fault whereof they were executed which was the case of Abel and others murdered through enuie or malice of man specially as Naboth was by false accusation that he had spoken wordes against God and the king Vvhich kinde of iniquitie vsed against innocent men maketh their deaths also pretious in our Lords sight And men also of what religion or conscience so euer when they see any man hovvsoeuer he othervvise deserueth to be guiltles of the crime for which he dieth they pitie the case naturally and condemne in their harts and detest that iniurious course of proceding in place where iustice and iudgement should raigne Vvhich also hath dravven many thankes be to God to consider better of the true cause of their punishement which was the CATHOLIKE RELIGION and of the protestants actions and conscienceles faith Protestants conscienceles that can not be vpholden but by such sinful pollicie and patchery Trevvly for vs that through CHRISTS grace be Catholike if they had not vsed this matter in such an odde sort to bring not onely these men of God They them selues haue ministred the cause of al these vvritings in defence of Gods Saints but the vvhole Catholike flocke of Christs afflicted CHVRCH in our countrey into the sclaunderous suspitioÌ„ obloquie of crimes neuer thought of but onely executed their nevv lavves against them and made them avvay for religion without more a doe we should neuer haue complained of any farther iniquitie or violence done against vs but haue compted it as an act proceding of their erronious conscience and vnskilful zele in condemning the professors of truth for false teachers But novv vpon this double witting and wilful iniquitie if we should hold our peace heauen earth would condemne vs and we should be partakers of the vengeance that the cry of this innocent and sacred bloud calleth for at Gods hand against their persecutors Alas we that knevv them to the very bottome of their harts The testimonie of Caâ—holikes with whom they liued with whom they conuersed so sincerely and confidently in vvhose hovvses they were harbored so often what they daily talked in al familiaritie and secrecie heard our confessions deliuered vs the holy Sacraments preached to vs so commonly and yet neuer heard word nor half vvord of these supposed intentions against her M. and the state though their false accusers say it was their proper commission to deale vvith vs for to admit inuasion of strangers
theÌ„ it shal repeÌ„t you A vvorthie admonitioÌ„ that euer you câ—lled CHRISTES VICAR GENERAL in earth Vvhoore vvhen you I shal stand at one barre before that indifferent iudge vvho iudgeth al thinges a right then I say vvil you repent your saying then must I geue testimonie against you And the hangman making readie at the importunate clamor of the people vvho cried to dispatch As the IeWes cried against christ S. SteueÌ„ at the instigation of the Pharesies so now moued by the Ministers England can haue no excuse being so notoriously warned Haue not Catholikes coÌ„fidence in Christs passion saying that he had liued to long He deliuered his handkercheefe to the hangmaÌ„ with tvvo shillings therein saying take this for thy hire I pray God forgeue thee leauing this vvarning and testimonie to the vvhole people in a loud voice that al might here him denouncing as foloweth Vvhosoeuer dieth out of the CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH he dieth in the state of damnation Therevvith turned almost rouÌ„de about held vp his haÌ„ds vvagging them to the people and then beganne to pray as follovveth Domine IESV Christe fili Dei viui pone passionem crucem et mortem tuam c. vvith his Pater noster Aue Maria and other like praiers And vvhen the carte vvas trailed avvay his hands being before on high in the putting theÌ„ dovvne he light vpon the rope and so held it and the officers pulled them dovvne The Sherife then said A malicious folish interpretacioÌ„ for a man dying naturally taketh hold of any thing he lighteth on notvvithstanding his obstinacie see hovv vvilling he is to liue so he hanged til he vvas dead But it semed to me that his hands by chauÌ„ce as he vvas putting theÌ„ downe fel vpon the rope which he by chaÌ„ce held fast in his hands as in that case he vvould haue done any other thing if he had chanced vpon it M. Robert Iohnson priest A new inhumane practis to terrifie them and to force theÌ„ by horror to confesse the things wher of they were innocent M IOHNSON being brought from the herdel vvas commaunded to loke vpoÌ„ M. Sherte vvho was hanging and then immediatly cut dovvne And so being holpen into the carte vvas commaunded againe to looke backe tovvards M. Sherte vvho vvas then in quartering And after he turned him and signed himselfe vvith the signe of the crosse saying In nomine patris et filij et spiritus sancti Dispatch Crosses troubleth them The mildnes of the Martyr quoth the Sherife speake quietly I vvould be sorie ansvvered M. Iohnson to trouble or offend your vvorship You shal not offend me saith the Sherife so that you offend not God Iohnson I am a Catholike and am condemned for coÌ„spiring the Queenes Maiesties death at Remes vvith the other companie vvho vvere condemned vvith me I protest that as for some of them vvith vvhom I vvas condemned to haue conspired with al Plaine INNOCENCIE I did neuer see them before vve met at the barre neither did I euer vvrite vnto them or receiue letters from theÌ„ and as for any treasons I am neither guiltie in deede nor thought Sherife your ovvne hand subscribed to your examinatioÌ„ taken by men of good consciences God make them his seruants for diuers of them do against their conscience VvheÌ„ al faileth MuÌ„day is ready to helpe at a pinch vvith his othe testimonie the seruants of God M Poppam atturney general M. Egerton the soliciter M. Levves and M. Hammon doctors of the ciuil lavv sâ—al be laid against you Also if that wil not serue you shal haue him vvho vvas the Popes scholler a companioÌ„ amongest you to testifie your treasons viua voce one Munday wherevnto M. Iohnsons examinatioÌ„ novv in print vvas red his ansvvers to the vj articles proposed are as aboue But they vrged him further touching the fifth and the sixth articles And the Minister redd his ansvver to the fifth article to be That he alovved of Saunders Bristovves doings and vvritings To the which he ansvvered said my ansvvere vvas not so as you reade it neither in truth vvas it so in the booke but I ansvvered and so I say novv These Ministers can do nothing sincerely that as for the doings of D. Saunders D. Bristovve I am altogether ignorant of neither vvas I euer priuy to their factes and hovv then could I approue or disalovv them this vvas my ansvvere then and novv also I say the same To the last article his ansvver vvas red and novv being demaunded of the same he said he vvas of the same minde stil and vvould die in the same minde Sherife wel that is high c He was not coÌ„deÌ„ned for this treason He is in deed a companion but was neuer his companion treason but you shal heare also vvhat your ovvne companion named Munday can say against you vvhervpon Munday vvas called and came nigh to the carte Iohnson Munday did thou euer knowe me beyond the seas or vvas I euer in thy company Munday I vvas neuer in your company neither did I euer knovv you beyond the seas But I vvas priuy to your most horrible treasons Mundays coÌ„science may be turned in to a prouerbe vvhereof you vvere most clerely conuicted I speke this vvith safe conscience And vvere not priestes sent from b A most impudent and folish lie AuinioÌ„ for that purpose I pray God you may repent you thereof and that you may die a good subiect Iohnson Munday God geue the grace to repent thee of thy deedes truly thou arte a shrevvd fellovv but there is no time now to reason these matters with thee onely I protest before God I am not guiltie of any treason Sherife Doest thou acknovvledge the Queene for lavvful Queene repent thee and notwithstanding thy traitoros c How gladly they wold haue theÌ„ to coÌ„fesse that which neuer was to saue their credites for murdering of the rest A necessarie admonition practices we haue authoritie from the Queene to carrie the backe Iohnson I do acknovvledge her as lavvful as Q. Marie vvas I can say no more but pray to God to geue her grace that she may novv stay her hand from shedding of innocent bloude Sherife Doest thou acknovvledge her supreme head of the churche in ecclesiastical matters Iohnson They flee to matters of religion I do ackonvvledge her to haue as ful and great authority as euer Q. Marie had and more vvith saftie of conscience I can not geue her How proue you that The Sherife other said thou arte a traitor most obstinat Iohnson If I be a traitor for mainteining this faith theÌ„ was king Henry and al the kinges Queenes of this realme before time and al our auncitours traitors for they mainteined the same Sherife vvhat you vvil preach treason also if vve suffer you Iohnson I teach but the CATHOLIKE RELIGION One demauÌ„ded what do you meane by
to religion whom they had reconciled where they said Masse who harboured relieued them They racke Catholikes for triffeling causes vnvvoūtedly what they heard in confession a barbarouse impietie and such like for we may not thinke that they vse torments only for disclosing of great treasons or other crimes as they had wont to do and that not without great occasion but tovvards Catholikes and specially Gods annointed Priests they sticke not novv without pitie to vse al kind of torture often rather for a punishment of them or to make them by paines to forsake their faith or of malice and despite of the Catholike faith then for any matter they looke to be opened by them So they laid M. Tomson a learned graue Priest vpon the racke before they euer examined him M. T. bacheler of Diuinitie a thing most cruel and disorderly hauing nothing to charge him withal but onely to what end he kept certaine superaltares which were found in his chamber As for religion onely hauing no other pretence in the world they thrust him as is said v weekes together after the Lieutenant had spoiled him of v poundes and Thomas Burschoaghe Thomas Burschoagh a Catholike yong man and learned a quarter of a yere together into a grisely dongeon called Vvhalesboure without candel light and water til by the priuie there they were vvel neere pestred to death So did they afflict Iohn Hemslovv Iohn Hemslovv onely for burying his Catholike mother in the Church yard being cast out of their heretical synagogue for her faith thrusting him into a filthie vile hole after they had discharged him of his money for that is medius terminus euer al a lent long vvithout light fire or place to ease nature in til by his ovvne excrements discharged into a dongeon vnder him he had like to haue been stiffiled vvith stinch They racke Priests on sundaies holydaies specially And vvhich is vvorth the marking or rather lamenting of al Christian harts that for our more affliction they prophanely make choise to giue the torture to our brethren vpon sundaies and hie holydaies in Gods Church after the old maner of the heathen persecutors rather then vpon vvorken daies And to feede them selues vvith our calamities By vvhat cruel meanes they terrifie the Catholike prisoners and eftsons to terrifie other confessors the rather to enforce them from their faith they bring some nevv racked vnder their fellovv prisoners vvindovves and to their dores that by hering their pitiful sighes grones and complaints proceding of infinite paines they may be moued to relent in religon yea vvhich is more inhumanitie they set some of the confessors in bye darke corners vvhen other their brethren are in tormenting And no lesse torment both of body and minde is it to be haled and forced against their vvilles to their heretical church and sermons vvhere they must heare blasphemie and vvickednes and if they say nothing be rated of the Puritans and called dombe dogges if they reproue their Ministers they be offered violence and strokes As namely once a spiteful puritane laying his hand vpon his dagger A puritans spirit his teeth grinning in his head his face enflammed vvith malice came to one of the reuerend Priests and said thus Before God if it vvere not for feare of lavves I vvould presently stabbe my dagger to thy hart smale euidence would serue a Ieurie of such fellowes to cast away a thousand honest men and many dozens of these you may haue good cheape in England and this is our miserie novv that vve haue not onely the coulor of lavv against vs but al the vvicked of the realme our ennemies M. Hart miserably handeled for his conscience And al these pitiful vexations are they done vnto them for any thing but religion vvhen after M. Harts that learned reuerent Bachiler of Diuinities condemnation yet they vvould not let him rest but caused him to be conferred vvith al by Rainolds and others and vvhen he would not yeld miserably afflicted him by dongeon famine and other miseries Had they any cause then but religion or vvas it euer heard of in our realme that one alreddy hauing his iudgement should be aftervvards so manifoldly tormented M. Lieutenants courtesie For vvhat crime vvas it that the Lieutenant made a motion to D. Hammon his fellovv commissioner that the Priests last cōmitted to the Tovver might be sent to Bride-vvel to be vvhipt ô prophane irreligious and malicious Athiest That vvas a trike of Nortons spirit vvho could find in his hart to haue Norton his counsel sent the honorable confessor M. Povvnd to Bedlem to be treated like a mad man and had brought the Lieutenant to promise it befor a hal al most ful at his ovvne hovvse but as Gods prouidence hath directed matters sithence that diet is more fit for Nortons wife They say the Epistle of persecution hath rethorically amplified the Catholikes calamities in England So doth D. Humphrey in his vnlerned pamphlet against the Iesuists but our Lord IESVS vvho onely seeth through our miseries knovveth it hath not vttered the least parte of our daily distresses And how great or greuous so euer they be for religiō onely for no other treasons they are no other causes at the first pretended nor after any thing generally pursued but how to make them relēt in faith releasing euery body vvhat treason soeuer pretended if they would condescend vnto them in matter of religion Yea such as so did though they were these mens companions at Rome when and where these conspiracies were pretended to be wrought and some of them sent dovvne in their company and for the same ende yet vvere they neuer questioned vvithal of any such matter if they once vvould take the othe of the Q. supremacie ouer the church of England as Paschal Nicolls Osborne Caddey and such like as either of feare or for preferment then or aftervvard yelded Vvho should neuer haue eskaped so if they had been acquainted with such horrible treason the mistrust or pretence vvhereof vvas not as then skarcely formed in the Counsels intention nor resolued vpon vntil a good vvhile after they had apprehended examined and racked F. Campion The great desire they had to make a vvay F. Campiō vvas the cause of al this actiō vvhom they vvere exceding desirous to put away by some coulorable meanes thereby to extinguishe this spiritual practise in cases of religion in our countrey Diuers had been racked before that and nothing found or much mistrusted concerning this pretended conspiracie but to see their constancie in religion and pacience in their extremest torments that appalled the commissioners excedingly in so much that D. Hammon vpon the racking of M. Brian D. Hammons speach at M. Brians tormenting vttered in great terror of his conscience That if one vvere not very vvel grounded in his faith this geare might shake him And when M. Hart vvas taken from the
conceit of that prophane degree til he entered into religion by penance and holy profession to wipe a way the same So making his choise of the societie of the name of IESVS he vvent to Rome He vvent to Rome and there entered into religion where by the superior of that order he vvas admitted and so not remaining in the Citie much more then a moneth he was sent into Beameland He is sent into Beamland where he abode viij yeres and vvas made Priest in Prage continually teaching preaching catechizing writing and trauailing for the Church of God Made priest Vvhereby he became so famous that not onely other principal states He preacheth befor the Emperour but the Imperial Maiestie was contented often to heare him preach Til at lenght by the sute of such as knevve his great graces in dealing with heretikes for their conuersion his General called him thence to be bestovved vpon his ovvne natiue countrey Vvhithervvarde by longe and great trauail he came going about by Rome because his superiors knevve him not He is sent home againe by his superiors nor would not send him before they savve him and by Remes vvhere besides other communication parteining to the reduction of our countrey to the Catholike faith he demaunded of D. Allen whether he thought that any seruice he could do in England the time being as it is His cōmunicatiō with D. Allen. were like to be vvorth al these long labours and hazardes past and to come or might counteruaile the lackes that those should seeme to haue by his absence from whence he came To which D. Allen ansvvered Father quoth he first vvhatsoeuer you did there D. Allens ansvver may be done by others one or mo of your order Secondly you ovve more duetie to England then to Beamland and to London then to Prage though it liketh me vvel that you haue made some recompence to that countrey for the old wounde it receiued by vs. In vvicliffes time of vvhom they lerned their heresies Thirdly the recouerie of one soule from heresie is vvorth al your paines as I hope you shal gaine a great many because the haruest is both more plentiful and more ripe with vs then in those partes Finally the revvard may be greater for you may be martyred for it at home vvhich you can not obtaine lightely there So he vvas satisfied and of this communication I haue heard him often speake And at last he happely landed at Douer vpon the morrovv afser Midsomer-day The day of his arriual in England the yere 1580. being by Gods great goodnes deliuered out of the searchers and officers handes who held him with them vpon suspicion for certane houres He vvas staied at Douer vpon deliberation to haue sent him to the Councel That vvas Christes special vvorke and prouidence to be glorified booth in his preaching a vvhole yere to the inspeakable good of innumerable deceiued soules and also in his precious death aftervvard Comming therefore to London he preached there his first sermon vpon SS Peter and Paules day which I vvas at my selfe His first Sermon hauing a ful audience and very vvorshipful but aftervvard booth there and in sundry partes of the realme far greater through the fame and experience of his manifold vertues great eloquence and lerning many Protestantes of good nature at sundry times admitted also to the same vvho euer aftervvard contemned their vulgar pulpit men in comparison of him The first man of calling to whose hovvse he vvas conducted in the countrey The speaches bewixt him and the gentilman in vvhose house he first preached in the countrey demaunded of the person that brought him thither being him selfe of good worship what he vvas and from vvhence he came and lerning that he vvas a religious man and one that had bene long in foraine partes before he would admitte him toke him aside and asked the causes of his retorne home and repaire to him and whether he meant not vnder coulor of religion to withdravv her M. subiectes from their obedience To which he ansvvered protesting befor God that he had neither other commission of his superiors nor intētion of him self then to minister the holy Sacraments preach and teach the people to saluation and that he neither could nor vvould medle with matter of state Vvherevpon the partie embraced him and bid him hartely welcome to his hovvse Finding aftervvard by a littel further acquaintance which al the world might see that he vvas no man for worldly matters but only for the schole Church and pulpit wherein his giftes vvere excellent in the highest degree And from that day til his apprehension he preached once a day at the least He preached daily and often He conuerted many of the best sort often tvvise and sometimes thrise whereby through Gods goodnes he conuerted sundry in most shires of the Realme of most wisdome and vvorshipe besides yong Gentilmen studentes and others of al sortes At his first entrance he made his proffer of disputation for such causes as he alleaged in the same His chalēdg and his booke vvritten to the vniuersities and more at large aftervvard in his eloquent and lerned booke to both the vniuersities Vvhereby the Protestant Preachers and Prelates found them selues so deeply wounded in their doctrine and credite notvvithstanding they had patched vp a fevv pamphletes without al grace against him that they pricked her M. Councel to alter the question from controuersie in religion The protestants deuise to ouerthrovv him to the cause of the Prince and matter of state that so they might defende that by force authoritie which they could not do by all their lerning and diuinitie Therevpon it was geuen out by diuers speaches and proclamations that great consederacies of POPE and foraine Princes vvere made for the inuasion of the Lande and that the Iesuistes and Seminary Priestes were sent in forsoth to prepare their waies and such like trumperie to beguile and incense the simple against them Then al exquisite diligence was vsed for the apprehension of others but specially of F. Campion vvhom being but one among thousandes of the Churches children The follie of the aduersarie nor the cheefe in England of his order yet they called the Popes Champian and right hand At length after he had laboured in Gods haruest wel nere xiij Monethes by the notorious wickednes of on George Eliote a forelorne fellovv Eliot the traditor such as for affliction of holy men this vvorld commonly vseth after long search and much a doe by Gods permission he fel into the persecutors hands the xvij His apprehension of Iuly 1581. being found in a secret closset in a Catholike Gentilman and confessors house called M. Yates of Lyford And in what sort tvvoe Godly Priests M. Forde and M. Collington being with him al lying vvhen the ennemy discouered them vpon a bed their faces handes lifted vp to heauen
He offered his ij fellovves before in the time of the search His charitie that if they thought al that a doe vvas for him and that his yelding might acquite them he vvould geue him selfe vp to their handes but they would not suffer that in any vvise but hearing one an others confession expected Gods good vvil together euery one hauing enioyned penance to say thrise Fiat voluntas tua domine thy vvil be fulfilled and Sancte Ioannes Baptista ora pro me saint Iohn Baptist pray for me Vvhich blessed Saint they principally praied vnto for that the said Father Campion vvas deliuered as he toke it His patrone out of the searchers handes at Douer by the holy mediation of that holy prophet his special patrone But F. Campion the man of God His behauiour being novv in the povver of his said traditor and the officers and made a spectacle and matter of mockerie to the vnvvise multitude vngodly of al sortes shewed such marckable modestie myldnes patience and Christian humilitie in al his speaches and doings that the good vvere excedingly edified and the ennemies much astonied After ij His carying vp to London daies that he vvas in the sherife of Barkeshires custodie he vvas caried with the rest asvvel Priests as Gentilmen and other in that place apprehended tovvards London In the vvay he had many pretie and plesant disputes speaches and ansvvers vvith the Gentilmen that garded him other that came to see him to their vvonderful liking admiratiō of his so cheereful and Christiā behauiour in the middest of his destresses which to the worldly there about him seemed intolerable but to him that had such an invvard man they were nothing At Abington among others diuers schollers of Oxford came to see the man so famous vvhereof being tolde by one M. Lidcote he said he vvas very glad him selfe being once of that vniuersitie and asked vvhether they vvould heare a sermon There at dinner Eliote said vnto him Eliots speach to F. Campion M. Campion you looke cherefully vpon euery body but me I knovve you are angrie vvith me in your hart for this vvorke God forgeue the Eliot said he for so iudging of me I forgeue thee and in token thereof I drinke to thee yea and if thou vvilt repent and come to confession I vvil absolue thee but large penance thou must haue M. Filbies strange dreame Aftervvard at Henley M. Filby a Priest and one of the prisoners not found in the house vvith the rest but taken in the vvatch as he vvas comming to the house had in his sleepe a significant dreame or vision of the ripping vp of his body and taking out of his bovvels the terrour vvhereof caused him to cry so loud that the vvhole house vvas raised therby vvhich aftervvard in his ovvne F. Campions and other his fellowes Martyrdom vvas accomplished Besides the tying of their legges vnder the horses bellies and binding their armes behind them vvhich was done to others also the Coūsel appointed special punishement and disgraces for F. Campion Disgraces donne to F. Campion not euer vvont to be done til the partie vvere conuicted of some crime commaunding a paper to be set vpon his hat vvith great capital letters shevving him to be CAMPION THE SEDITIOVS IESVIT as the herodiās once reuested his Maister for the like cause and in like kind of mockerie vvith kingly robe crovvne and scepter And to take their further pleasure of him order vvas geuen they should stay at Colbrucke a good peece of friday and al night that thence they might bring him and his fellovves vpon Saturday in triumph through the citie and the vvhole length thereof specially through such places vvhere by reason of the markets of that day the greatest concourse of the common people vvas vvhom in such matters they seeke of pollicie most to please vvhich vvas executed accordingly The vvise lament The simple gaze al London almost beholding the spectacle the simple gasing and vvith delite beholding the noueltie the vvise lamenting to see our countrie fallen to such barbarous iniquitie as to abuse a sacred man so honorable in al nations for his lerning and of so innocent a life Vvhen he came by the Crosse in Chepe He doth reuerēce to the CROSSE vvhich in these daies there is odious in the best maner he could being pinyoned He christianly made the signe of our Sauiour vpon his brest and vvith like humilitie deeply bent his bodie for reuerence tovvardes Christs image there Vvhich vvas a strange sight to the deceiued people of that place So that day vvhich vvas the xxij of Iuly Committed to prison in the Tovver he vvas deliuered vp to the Lieutenant of the Towere Vvhere besides the ordinarie miseries incident to that kind of imprisonnement doubled by the inhumaine dealing and deepe hatred of Catholikes The rigor and hatred of the Lieutenant Often examined and racked The interrogatories at his first racking of the cheefe officer there after sundry examinations terrors and threattes by the L. Chauncellor and other of the Counsel and commission he vvas diuers times racked to vvring out of him by intollerable torments vvhose houses he frequented by vvhom he vvas releiued vvhom he had reconciled vvhat he knevve a strange case by their confessions vvhen vvhich vvay for vvhat purpose by vvhat commission he came into the Realme hovv vvhere and by vvhom he printed and dispersed his bookes and such like At his first racking they vvent no farther vvith him vsing no great rigor vvith him in the torment The 2. racking is for forged Treasons but aftervvard vvhen they savv he could not be vvon to cōdescende somvvhat at least in religion vvhich they most desired they thought good to forge matter of treason and framed their demaundes accordingly about vvhich he vvas so cruelly torne and rent vpon the torture the tvvo laste times that he told a secret frend of his that found meanes to speake vvith him that he thought they meant to make him a vvay in that sort that they demaunded him questions of relieuing vvith money the Irish rebells of conspiring the Queenes death inuasion of the realme of the sence of certaine vvordes of a letter vvhich he vvrote to M. Pound for ansvver of his former The infidelitie of the Protestant messenger vvhich a good fellovv promised by othe his faith that is the faith of a protestant receiuing an angel for his labour to deliuer saffly but did not The meaning of the vvordes he both then and aftervvard as vvel at the barre as at his death vttered most sincerely and for the rest if they had torne him in ten thousand peeces or stilled him to the quint essence in that holy breast they should neuer haue found any peece of those fained treasons He vsed to fal dovvne at the rackehovvse dore vpon both knees to commend him selfe to Gods mercie and to craue his grace of patience in his paines
His vsage before he vvent to the rack His pacience vpon the rack As also being vpon the racke he cried continually vvith much myldenes vpon God and the holy name of IESVS And vvhen his body vvas so cruelly distent and streached vpon the torment that he did hang by his armes and feete onely he most charitably forgaue his tormenters His charitie and the causers thereof and thanked one of the rack men meekely for putting a stone vnder his backe bone A pitiful case He said to his keeper after his last racking that it vvas a preface to death The coÌ„munication betwixt him his keeper And his said keeper asking him the next day hovv he felt his handes and feet he ansvvered not il because not at al. And being in that case benommeâ— both of hand and fote he likened him selfe to an elephant He was merrie in God in al his myseries vvhich being dovvne could not rise vvhen he could hold the bread he had to eate betvvixt both his handes he vvould compare him selfe to an ape so mirry the man of God vvas in minde in al his bodely miseries Novv the ennemies not contented thus and by many other vnvvonted vvaies of tortures secretly as is said vsed tovvard him to afflict his body but also no lesse by a thousand deuilish deuises and sclaunderous reportes The Ministers false reports and slaunders of him sought to wronge him in his fame Opening al the impure mouthes of the Ministers in London to barke against the man of God sometimes that there vvas great hope he vvould be come a protestant sometimes that he had been at the Church and seruice an other vvhile that he had vttered vpon the rack al that euer he knevv yea somtime they blevve out of the Tovvre that he had therefore killed himselfe in prison vvhich no doute they vvould further haue auouched if he had died by racking as it vvas very like he should haue done The Lieutenant at the beginning hoping verely that he might be gayned to their side in some pointes either by svveete vvordes The Lieutenants practise great promises of promotions or extreme tormens extolled the man excedingly affirming diuers times that he vvas such an one as England neuer brought furth and suer said he it is Gods singular goodnes that he retorned home No doute her Maiestie vvil preferre him to great liuings And that he might lacke no good pretence to yeld vnto their desires Potestants brought to coÌ„fere vvith him they often brought to him such diuines as they had to conferre vvith him and to persvvade him priuatly to relente somvvhat to their sect but not preuailing that vvay they caused vnder coulor of satisfying his former chalenge of disputation diuers publike disputs DisputatioÌ„s or rather certaine light skirmishes to barke at him and examine him 4. or 5. of the contrary side al prouided as vvel as they could against one voyd of al helps sauing Gods grace and lerning The disorder of their conference novv one snatching and novv another and somtimes al biting togeather besides the Maisters of the game that vvhen they savv F. Campion in ansvvering and defending him selfe for he vvas neuer suffered to oppose to gripe the aduersaries hard The partialitie vsed in the disputations then they parted them vvith their tipstaues commaunding him to silence and threatening him vvith lavves authoritie and punishment Thus they disputed iij seueral times vvith the man of God shevving nothing in the vvorld but barbarous despite malice and so deepe ignorance in diuinitie that truely diuers of the protestants them selues vvere ashamed thereof Their ignorance in diuinitie and marueled excedingly at the others lerning meekenes patience and humilitie But these disputatioÌ„s are to be published and long sithince should haue been but that hauing but hard meanes to print and fevv presses and many other bookes in hand it could not yet be donne And novv by this time falling from al hope of his yelding to them and so from al pitie and good affection tovvards him they practised hovv to make him and his fellovves avvay by fome shevv of iustice and that not for the nevv made treasons that is to say No care of religion for meere religion which in truth fevv of our aduersaries haue any care of but for matters of treason so called of old and action against the state meaning by the state whatsoeuer they othervvise pretende not the preseruation of her Maiestie the weale-publike in deede which would and might florish and more securely stand with the Catholike ReligioÌ„ then by the sect novv allovved but the wealfare of some fevv raised and vpholden by this nevv religion Vvel they forged matter for their purpose and to English cares most odible and found out three or foure false fellovves that would not sticke to svvere for their sake the same against him whom they neuer knevv nor savv in their life before his apprehension And yeat fearing lest nothing which they could faine and forge should be hable for any ouert act done or past to touch him they fraudulently sought before hand to seeke his invvard intentions and cogitations of future things also by certaine demaundes concerning the Bul of excommunication put furth against the Queene or that might be puplished hereafter that so at least they might seeme to coÌ„demne him for his internal il affection whom they could not couinct of any traiterous external fact So they caused an enditement to be dravven against him and a number more of most godly learned Priests comprising him and them al in one and together that whatsoeuer couloerably might be auouched or witnessed of the rest or any on of theÌ„ al either present or absent al might seeme to the simple and to the Ieury deeply biazed by feare and authoritie to touch him also vvith the rest The 14 day of Nouember an 1581. he and seuen others were brought frome the towre to the kings beanches barre and a bille of their enditement read in the hearing of F. Campion and the rest hovv that in the xxij yere of the raigne of our soueraine Lady the Queene Maij vltimo The enditement in the parties beyond the seas they had practised the Q. deposition and death and the sturring of rebellion within and inuasion of the Realme from abrode and such like stuffe Vvherevpon he was arraigned with the other and commaunded as custome is in such cases to hold vp his hand but being pitifully by his often cruel racking benummed before of bothe his armes and hauing them vvrapped in a furred cuffe he vvas â—ot able to lifte his hand so high nor in that sorâ—â—s the rest did and vvas required of him one of his fellovves humbly kissing his sacred handes so vvroung for the confession of Christ tooke of his cuffe and so he lifted vp his arme as highe as he coulde pleading not guiltie as the rest did and not much standing vpon priuilege of their cleargie
bee deceiued in these poynts of their bookes but vvhether they vvere deceiued or not he referreth to God To the last he sayth that vvhen the case shall happen hee must then take counsel vvhat vvere best for him to doe Luke Kirby Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond Thomas Cottoms Ansvvere THOMAS COTTOM To ye first in this al other questions he beleeueth as the Catholique Church vvhich he taketh to be the Church of Rome teacheth him And other ansvvere he maketh not to any of the rest of these articles By me Thomas Cottom Priest Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond Lavvrence Richardsons Ansvvere LAWRENCE RICHARDSON To the fifth article hee ansvvereth that so farre as Doctour Saunders Doctour Bristovve agree vvith the Catholique doctrine of the Church of Rome hee allovveth that doctrine to be true And touching the first and all the rest of the articles hee sayth that in all matters not repugnant to the Catholike religion hee professeth obedience to her Maiestie and othervvise maketh no ansvvere to any of them but beleeueth therein as hee is taught by the Catholique Church of Rome Lavvrence Richardson Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond Thomas Fordes Ansvvere THOMAS FORD To the first he saith that he cannot ansvvere because he is not priuy to the circumstances of that Bull but if he did see a Bul published by Gregory the thirteenth he would then deliuer his opinion thereof To the second hee saith that the Pope hath authoritie to depose a prince vpon certaine occasions and vvhen such a Bul shal be pronounced against her Maiestie he vvill then ansvvere vvhat the duety of her subiects and vvhat her right is To the third he saith he is a priuate subiect and vvil not ansvvere to any of these questions To the fourth hee sayth that the Pope hath authoritie vpoÌ„ certaine occasions vvhich he vvil not name to discharge subiects of their obedience to their Prince To the fift he saieth that Doctour Saunders and Doctour Bristovve bee learned men vvhether they haue taught truely in their bookes meÌ„tioned in this article hee referreth the ansvvere to them selues for him selfe vvil not ansvvere To the last he sayth that vvhen that case shal happen he vvil make ansvvere and not before Thomas Forde Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond Iohn Sherts Ansvvere IOHN SHERT To all the articles he saith that he is a Catholique and svvarueth in no poynt from the Catholique faith in other sort to any of these articles he refuseth to ansvvere Iohn Shert Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond Robert Iohnsons Ansvvere ROBERT IOHNSON To the first he saith he can not ansvvere To the second he cannot tel vvhat power or authoritie the Pope hath in the poynts named in this article To the third he thinketh that the Pope hath authoritie in some cases to authorize subiects to take armes against their Prince To the fourrh he thinketh that the Pope for some causes may discharge subiects of their allegiance and obedience to their natural Prince To the fifth he saith the ansvvere to this article dependeth vpon the lavvfulnesse of the cause for the vvhich the Pope hath giuen sentence against her but if the cause vvas iust then hee thinketh the doctrine of Doctour Saunders and Doctour Bristovv to be true Whether the cause vvere iust or not hee taketh not vpon him to iudge To the last he saith that if such depriuation and inuasion should be made for teÌ„poral matter he would take part vvith her Maiestie but if it vvere for any matter of his faith he thinketh hee vvere then bouÌ„de to take part vvith the Pope Robert Iohnson Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond VVilliam Filbee his Ansvvere VVILLIAM FILBEE To the first he saith the Pope hath authoritie to depose any prince and such sentences vvhen they bee promulgated ought to be obeyed by the subiects of any prince but touching the Bul of Pius quintus he can say nothing but if it vvas such as it is affirmed to be he doth allovv it and saith that it ought to be obeyed To the second he saith it is an hard question and therefore he can not ansvvere it but vpon further aduisement he ansvvereth as to the first To the third he knovveth not vvhat to saye thervnto To the fourth hee sayth that so long as her Maiestie remaynerh Queene the Pope hath no authoritie to vvarrant her subiects to take armes against her or to disobey her but if he should depose her then hee might discharge them of their allegeance obedieÌ„ce to her Maiestie To the fifth he sayth he vvil not meddle vvith the doctrine of Doctour Saunders and Doctour Bristovve To the last vvhen this case happeneth then hee saith hee vvill ansvvere if he had bene in Ireland vvhen Doctour Saunders vvas there hee vvoulde haue done as a priest should haue done that is to pray that the right may haue place VVilliam Filbee Iohn Popham Thomas Egerton Da. Levves Iohn Hammond THE MARTYRDOMES OE THE REVEREND PRIESTES M. THOMAS FORDE M. Iohn Sherte M. Robert Iohnson the XXVIII of Maye 1582. And first of M. Thomas Forde priest and Maister of arte THEY vvere al trailed vpon herdles from the Tovver of LoÌ„don alonge the streates thereof vnto Tyborne betvvixt vj vij of the clocke in the morning first M. Ford being set vp in the carte he blessed him self vvith the signe of the Crosse being so vveake as he fel dovvne in the carte after he vvas vp he said I am a Catholike and do dye in the catholike religion and therevvith he vvas interrupted by Sherife Martine They caÌ„ not abid the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of the Catholike faith saying you come not hither to confesse your religioÌ„ but as a traitor and malefactor to the Queenes Maiestie and the vvhole Realme They harpe alwaies vpoÌ„ one string thâ—t vvil not sound mouing and sturing of sedition And therfore I pray you goe to and confesse your fault and submitte your selfe to the Queenes mercie and no doubt but she vvould forgiue you Vvherevnto he answered That supposed offence vvherof I vvas endyted condemned vvas the conspiring of her Maiesties death at Rome and Rhemes Neither was he euer as Rome or Remes in al his life vvhereof I vvas altogether not guitly for the offence vvas supposed for conspiring the Queenes Maiesties death in the 22 yere of her Maiesties raigne at vvhich time I vvas in England remaining longe before that for I haue remained here for the space of vj or vij yeres and neuer departed this realme vvhereof I might bring the vvitnes of an hundreth yea fyue hundreth sufficieÌ„t men and had therevpon been discharged at the barre A notable charitie and worthy such a priest if I would haue disclosed their names vvith vvhom I had been vvhich I did forbeare onely for feare to bring them in to trouble Then Sherife Martine said here is your ovvne hand vvriting
soule And euen as the carte passed avvay M. Cottam said ô good Lavvrence pray for me Lord IESVS receiue thy soule which he repeated seueral times Al this time M. Cottam vvas with the Sherife and the rest of the Ministers vpon the ground hauing the rope stile about his necke I could not wel heare what persuasions the Sherife and the Ministers had vvith him But I doe coniecture that if he would renounce his faith he should haue his pardon For I hard him wel vtter these wordes I vvil not svvarue a iote from my faith A notable constancie for any thing yea if I had ten thousand liues I would rather lose them al then forsake the CATHOLIKE FAITH in any pointe And vvith that he was lifted vp into the carte againe And the Sherife said withal dispatch him since he is so stubborne Then he vvas turned backvvard to looke vpon M. Richardson vvho vvas then in quartering which he did saying Lord IESVS haue mercie vpon them Lord haue mercie vpon them O Lord geue me grace to endure to the end Lord geue me constancie to the end which saying he vttered almost for al the time that M. Richardson vvas in quartering sauing once he said Thy soule pray for me and at the last said O Lord vvhat a spectacle hast thou made vnto me the vvhich he repeated twise or thrise and thē the head of M. Richardson was holden vp by the executioner INNOCENCIE who said as the maner is God saue the Queene to vvhich M. Cottam said I beseech God to saue her and blesse her withal my hart I wish her prosperity as my lieage and soueraine Queene cheefe gouernesse By this it is euident that al vvas for religion and not at al for treason They vvilled him to say and supreme head in matters ecclesiastical to vvhom he ansvvered If I vvould haue put in those vvordes I had been discharged almost two yeres since Then the Sherife said You are a traitor if you deny that M. Cottam said No that is a matter of faith and vnles it be for my conscience and faith I neuer offended her Maiestie vvith that he looked vp to heauen and praied secretly and vttered these vvordes That is 〈◊〉 Lord thou hast suffered more for me In te domine speraui non cōfundar in eternum O domine tu plura pro me passus es c tvvise more repeating plura Then the Sherife said to him Yet Cottam cal for mercie and confesse and no dout the Q. vvil be merciful vnto you Vvho ansvvered my consciēce geueth me a cleere testimonie that I neuer offēded her to vvhom he vvished as much good as to his ovvne soule vvhose estat he so fauored and honored that for al the gold vnder the cope of heauen he vvould not vvish that any on heare of her head should perish to do her harme And that al that here he did suffer was for sauing his soule desiring almightie God for his svveete Sonnes sake that he vvould vouchsaffe to take him to his mercie saying that him onely he had offended desiring God that if there were any more vnspoken which were conuenient to be spoken that he would put it into his minde novv And then he praied desiring al the whole world of forgiuenes and that he did from the bottom of his hart forgiue al. A warning That the sheading of innocent bloud crieth veangeance against the realme Adding that the sinnes of this realme hath deserued infinite punishment and Gods iust indignation desiring him of his mercie that he would turne his wrath from them and cal them to repentance to see and acknovvledge their sinnes And desiring al Catholikes to pray with him after he had said his Pater noster and in his Aue the carte was driuen avvay and so hanged til he was dead and being stripped naked as he hanged within his sherte he did were a shert without sleues of very course canuas dovvne beneath his midle Vvhich belike was a sherte of heere for the punishment of his body wherevvith England is not now acquainted The maner and order of his apprehension And because the order and maner of M. Cottams first apprehension wil cleere him from al suspition of treason and treacherie and yeld an inuincible argument of loyaltie and innocencie I wil set it downe briefly but yet truely to the great cōtentation and satisfaction of al good Catholikes and to the confusion and ignominie of al our bloudy persecutors and aduersaries SLEDD that Notorius varlet and infamous Iudas I wil not say wicked homicid hauing entēded to worke some mischefe came from Rome in the company of diuers English men whose names and markes he toke very diligently being come to Lions found M. Cottam there who hauing entered into the societie of the name of IESVS at Rome and being there fallen into a consuming and lingering sicknes was by his superiors sent to Lions to trie if by change of aire he might be recouered The cause of M Cortams cōming out of the Societie of his retorne to England but the sicknes so grevve encreased vpō him that he vvas made an vnhable and vnfitte man for them and therevpon they dismissed him and trauailing in his company for some daies ioruneis vnderstood of him belike that he ment very shortly to repair home to his natiue coūtrey wherevpō Sledd tooke his markes more exactly and precisely and being arriued at Paris there he presented the L. Embassador with the names and markes he had taken Vvho sent them ouer to the Q. Counsel and from them they were sent to the searchers of the portes M. Cottam son after his arriual at Rhemes being a Deacon and a good preacher long before was made Priest hearing of company that were ready to goe into England made great hast to goe with them and ernest shute to haue leaue partely for his health specially for the great zeal he had to gaine saue soules He arriued at Douer about the xvj or xviij day of Iune in the yere 1580 in the company of M. Iohn Hart M. Edvvard Rishton tvvo lerned Priests which both are also condemned and an other lay man After these iiij had bene searched vnto their skinnes and nothing found vpon them M. Cottam staied at the port and M. Harte staied and taken for M. Orton to whom he nothing at al resembled M. Cottam was likevvise staied by reason the markes which Sledd had giuen of him were in deede very cleere apparēt in him And for the auoiding of charges one Allen then Maior of Douer Steuens the searcher requested the lay man M. Cottams companion who named him self Hauard to cary him as a prisoner to my L. Cobhame who agreed very easily therevnto But assone as they were out of the tovvne I can not in conscience nor wil not quoth Hauard being my self a Catholike deliuer you a Catholike Priest prisoner to my L. Cobham But we wil
to be made Minister at vvhat time as M. Maine him self with great sorovv and diep sighes did often tel me he knevv neither vvhat Ministrie nor religion meant Being sent after to Oxford he heard his course of logike in Alborne hal and there proceeded Bachiler of Art At that time S. Iohns Colledge wanted some good fellovv to play his part at the communion table His degrees in schole to play which part M. Maine was inuited and hired in which Colledge and function he liued many yeres being of so milde a nature and of such svveet behauiour that the Protestants did greatly loue him the Catholikes did greatly pietie him seeing so honest a nature cast avvay vpon so contemptible a function in so much that some dealing with him and aduertising him of the damnable â—â—ate he stoode in he was easely persuaded their doctrine to be heretical and vvithal brought to lament and deplore his ovvne miserable state and condition And so being in hart and minde a persuaded Catholike coÌ„tinued yet in the same Colledg for some yeres and there proceded M. of Art and euery sunday gaue them a drie coÌ„munion The drie coÌ„munion A vveet supper rightly handled for as I thinke he neuer gaue them the vveet supper but once at what time al the communicants put that prophane bread into their bosomes and did cast it aftervvard either to dogges or vpon the donghil As M. Read then a hote Protestant and one of these communicants novv a great preacher and my L. Treasurers chaplen can best tell you Some of his familiars being already beyond the seas for their conscience did oft solicit him by letters to leaue that damnable function of the Ministrie and inuited him to come to Dovvay one of these letters by chaunce fel into the superintendeÌ„ts hands of London vvho dispatched a purseuant straight to Oxford for M. Maine and some others the rest appeared and were sent to prison but by chaunce M. Maine was then in his countrey and being aduertised by his countreiman and frend M. Ford then fellovv of Trinitie Colledg in Oxford and of late Martyred that there was processe out for him he toke shipping on the coast of Cornvval and so vvent to Dovvay when the Seminary there was but nevvly erected He vvent to Dovvay Vvhere falling to Diuinitie and keeping the priuat exercises within the hovvse diligently and doing the publike exercises in the scholles vvith commeÌ„dation after some yeres proceded Bachiler of Diuinitie Made Bachiler of Diuinitie was made Priest desirous partly to honor God in this sacred order and to satisfie for that he had dishonored him by taking the sacrilegious title of Ministrie partly inflamed with zeal to saue soules he returned tovvards England together with M. Iohn Paine who was since Martyred the 14 of April in the yere 1576. M. Maine placed him self in his ovvne countrey with a Catholike vertuous Gentilman M. Tregian vvhere he had not been a ful yere but he was taken in the order aboue specified Vvhen the aduersarie made M. Maine this proffer to haue his life if he would svveare vpon a booke that the Q. was supreme head of the Church of England and if he did refuse then to be hanged dravven and quartered he tooke the Bible into his hands made the signe of the Crosse vpon it kissed it and said The Queene neither euer vvas nor is A most true othe nor euer shal be the head of the Church of England The Arraignement and condemnation of M. Iohn Nelson Priest vvho vvas Martyred the â—iij of February the yere M.D.lxxviij THIS vertuous Priest M. Nelson was taken in London vpon the first of December in the yere M.D.lxxvij His apprehension late in the euenning as he was saying the Nocturne of the Mattins for the next day folovving and vvas presently sent to prison vpon suspition of Papistry as they terme the Catholike faith And after v or vj daies He is examined of his faith He refuseth the othe of the supremacie he vvas brought furth to be examined before the high commissioners and there they tendered the othe of the Q. supremacie vnto him the which othe he refused to take and being asked why he would not svveare ansvvered because he neuer had heard or read that any laye Prince could haue that preeminence and being further demaunded who then was the head of the Church he ansvvered sincerely and boldly That the Pops Holines vvas He maketh a true confession to whom that supreme authoritie in earth was dvve as being Christs vicar and the lavvful successor of S. Peter The English religion is schismatical and heretical Schisme Secondly they asked him his opinion of the religion novv practized in England to which he ansvvered promptly that it was both Schismatical and heretical Vvherevpon they bid him define what schisme was he told them that it was A voluntary departure from the vnitie of the Catholike Roman faith They seek to entrappe him Then they inferred vvhat is the Queene a schismatike or no he ansvvered he could not tel because he knevv not her minde in setting furth or manteyning of the religion novv publikly vsed in England The commissioners replied that the Q. did both promulgat it and manteine it and vrging him that if she so did then whether she were a schismatike and heretike or no M. Nelson pavvsed a while as being looth to exasperat his prince if he might haue chosen but yet more loth to offend God and his owne coÌ„science or to geue scandal to the world ansvvered conditionally after this sort If she be the setter furth quoth he and defender of this religion novv practized in England They driue men into the compase of treason of purpose His arraignement then she is a SCHISMATIKE and an HERETIKE Vvhich ansvver when they had wroÌ„ge from him they said he had spoken inough they sought for no more at his handes And so he was desmissed and sent backe to prison And about vij weekes after he vvas brought furth to his arraignement and the same interrogatories propunded againe and he ansvvering stil the selfe same to euery question as he had donne before sentence of death was prononced against him as against one guiltie of treason the first day of february the yere 1578. His constancie of minde Vvhen the sentence was pronoÌ„ced against him he neuer changed his countenance nor there neuer appeared in him any signe of a troubled minde but toke his condemnation very meekly and prepared him self with a good courrage for death The gailours wife moued vvith compassion offered him vvine thereby as she thought to asvvage the heuines of his minde but he vvould not cast it He did voluntary penance after his coÌ„demnation saying he rather desired a cup of cold vvater as more meet for him And from the houre the sentence was prononced against him til the houre of his death he tooke no other foode but bread and smal