King for Reformation in Religion and he was the great Instrument in overthrowing Abbies Monasteries and Friaries which were a little before by Act of Parliament given into the Kings hands Whereupon not only their Houses were rased but their Possessions were divided amongst the Nobility insomuch that all Friars Monks Cannons Nuns and other such Sects were so rooted out of this Land from the Foundation that there seemed to be no room left for such Weeds to grow here any more But as this Thomas Cromwell was raised up for good and being so greatly in favour with the King used all means he could to perswade him to reform the enormities in the Church on the other hand Satan raised up his Instrument which was Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester who used all wilds and subtill means he could to perswade the King against the same casting upon the Professors of Truth the name of Hereticks Sectaries Anabaptists and Sacramentaries and so far prevailed with the King that by the Kings Authority certain Injunctions were published prohibiting the publishing any Books in English written by the Sectaries and Sacramentaries under the pain of the forfeiture of all their goods and Chattels and their Bodies to be Imprisoned during the Kings pleasure And further this Stephen Gardner instigated the King not only against the Queen who was a favourer of Religion and Reformation but also against this Thomas Lord Cromwell who no doubt had brought the encrease of true Religion according to his understanding to more prefection had not this Gardner and other Malignant Opposers thereof set themselves against it to hinder the prosperity thereof but now through the said Gardners evill advise the King who before had raised the said Thomas Cromwell for his worth and integrity now for his pleasure took him off and suffered him to be Beheaded After his death Religion and the Reformation more and more decayed whereby the Reader may see how variable the State of things stood in reference to Religion at this time and with what difficulty any thing of Light and Truth came forth how often things changed even as the King was ruled and gave ear sometimes it went a little forward and then backward again according as the persons prevailed that were about the King And now the King being led through Gardners suggestions began to withdraw shewing any favour to the Reformation in Religion concluding so to do was most for his safety both at home and abroad having so much displeased the Pope and other Popish Princes in what he had already done and though he had rejected the Popes Authority he would declare himself nevertheless to be a good Catholick Son of the Mother Church and a withstander of new Heresies and then calling a new Parliament and Convocation of Prelates there was six Articles decreed concerning Religion which was afterwards commonly called a whip with six Srings it was pretended for the Unity of the Church but what Unity followed the groaning hearts of many that suffered death by the same both in this Kings time and in Queen Maries time may declare The Six Articles of the Bishops Condemning all to be burnt as Hereticks that should hold First That the Body of Christ was not really present in the Sacrament after Consecration Secondly That the Sacrament might not truely be administred under one Kind Thirdly That Priests entred into holy Orders might Marry Fourthly That Vows of Chastity entred into upon mature deliberation were not to be kept Fifthly That private Masses were not to be used Sixthly That Auricular Confession was not to be used in the Church Before these Articles were published Bishop Gardener having obtained his desire with the King he and the rest of the Prelates began again fresh to persecute the Protestants the first they stretched forth their Hands against was John Lambert a Norfolk man and one zealous for the Spreading of the Truth according to the Manifestation of it then broke forth and to that end was conversant with Tindal and Frith at Antweep until by the Instigation of Sr. Thomas Moor he was apprehended and brought to London where he was first brought to Examination at Lambeth and then at the Bishops House at Oxford before Worham Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others where fourty five Articles were objected against him to all which he answered in writing very fully and wisely both according to the Scriptures and Reason the Articles and his Answers may be read at large in Foxe's Acts and Monuments The Bishop of Canterbury shortly after dying whereby Lambort for that time was delivered out of Prison and coming to London it was not long before he fell into trouble again for having a private Conference with one Doctor Tayler what past between them in their dispute in private grew at last a publick and common talk which coming to the Arch-bishops Ear he sent for Lambort and forced him to defend his Cause openly in that Disputation Lambort appealed to the King from the Bishops Upon this appeal Bishop Gardener goes to the King and privately possesses him that now he had an opportunity to quiet the minds of the people who were offended with him for abolishing the Bishop of Rome's Authority and subverting of Monasteries and Abbies c. he might now remedy these troubles if he would manifestly appear in this matter against Lambort and shew himself stoutly to resist the Hereticks the King immediately received this wicked Counsel of the Bishop and forth with sent out a general Commission commanding all the Bishops and Nobles of the Land to come with all speed to London to assist the King against Hereticks these preparations being made a day was set upon which Lambort should appear before the King and the rest assembled with him to be Tryed and Judged The day being come the King ascended his Throne clothed all in white he lookt upon the Prisoner with a sterne Countenance as if his mind was full of Indignation and then called forth the Bishop of Chichester and commanded him to declare to the People the Causes of that Assembly the Substance of the Bishops Speech tended to this That the King would have none to conceive that whereas the Authority and Name of the Bishop of Rome being utterly abolished he would also extinguish all Religion or give Liberty to Hereticks to trouble the Churches of England without punishment the Bishop having ended his Speech the chief thing that the King prest Lambort to declare was what Opinion he held touching the Sacrament of the Altar to which he answered fully and the Dispute held chiefly concerning that point for some hours until the King and Bishops enraged against him forced him to silence at last The King being minded to end the Dispute said to Lambort What sayest thou after all these Labours and Reasons of these learned Men Art thou yet satisfied Wilt thou live or die thou hast yet free choice Lambort answered I yield and submit my self wholly unto the will of your Majesty
consider the former real or objected Miscariages which might occasion my Troubles that you may avoid them c. Beware of Exasperating any Factions by the Crosness and Asperity of some mens Passions Humors and private Opinions imployed by you grounded only upon differences in lesser matters which are but the Skirts and Subburbs of Religion wherein a Charitable Connivance and Christian Toleration often Dissipates their strength when rougher Opposition Fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed party into such Combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commisseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion Pag. 166. Take heed that outward Circumstances and Formalities of Religion devour not all Pag. 164. Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigour of the Laws there being nothing worse then Legal Tyranny To these Sayings we add more as Collected out of the same Book in Duodecimo IN his Prayer Pag. 1. O never suffer me for any reason of State to go against the Reason of Conscience which is highly to sight against thee the God of Reason and Judge of our Consciences Page 121. Break in sunder Oh Lord all violent Confederations to do wickedly and injuriously Pag. 136. Thou Oh Lord shalt destroy them that speak Lyes the Lord will abhor both the Blood thirsty and Deceitful men P. 164. Church Affairs should be mannaged neither with Tyranny Parity nor Popularity neither people oppressed P. 168. He declares his willingness for fair satisfaction unto all and against Covetousness and Superstition Pag. 171. Oh thou that art the God of Reason and Peace soften our hearts and perswade us to accept of Peace with thy self and both to secure and preserve Peace among our selves as men and Christians Condemn us not to our passions which are destructive both of our selves and others Clear up our Understandings to see thy Truth both in Reason as men and in Religion as Christians Page 180. Stir up all parties Pious Ambitions to overcome each other with Reason Moderation and such Self-denial as becomes c. P. 200. O thou Soveraign of our Souls the only Commander of our Consciences And further in his Advice to the Prince of Wales now KING c. Pag. 234. The best Government and highest Soveraignity you can attain unto is To be subject to God that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in your heart P. 239. He pleads for better Arguments for Convincement then Tumults Armies and Prisons Pag. 241. Alwayes keep up sollid Piety and those Fundamental Truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartial Favour and Justice Pag. 242. My Charge and Counsel to you is that as you need no palliations for any design so that you studdy really to exceed in true and constant Demonstrations of Goodness Piety and Vertue towards the people even all these men that make the greatest noise and ostentations of Religion so you shall neither fear any detection as they do who have but the Mask of Goodness nor shall you frustrate the just Expectations of your people Pag. 243. Use all Princely Arts and Clemency to heal the Wounds that the Smart of the Cure may not equal the Anguish of the hurt Pag. 244. As your quality sets you beyond any Duel with any Subject so the nobleness of your mind must raise you above the meditating any revenge or executing your Anger upon the many Pag. 248. Keep you to true Principles of Piety Vertue and Honour you shall never want a Kingdom In his Meditations on his Death p. 346. It is indeed a sad fate for any man to have his Enemies to be Accuser Parties and Judge SECT X. Several Promises and Declarations for the Liberty of tender Consciences taken out of the Speeches of King Charles the Second IN the Kings Letter from Bredah that was sent to the House of Peers and read in the House May the first 1660. and which Letter was ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled that it should be forthwith printed and published for the service of the House and satisfaction of the Kingdoms it is said in the Book of Collections of the Kings Speeches Page 8 and 9. And because the passion and uncharitableness of the times have produced several Opinions in Religion by which men are engaged in Parties and Animosities against each other which when they shall hereafter unite in a freedom of Conversation will be composed or better understood We do declare a liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences in Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon Mature deliveration shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence And in the Kings Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs which was dated October the 25th 1660. it is said In a word we do again renew what we have formerly said in our Declaration from Bredah for the liberty of tender Consciences That no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and if any have been disturbed in that kind since our arival here it hath not proceeded from any direction of ours And it is said We do in the first place declare Our Purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the Power of Godliness and to encourage the Exercise of Religion both in publique and private And in the same Declaration it is said Our present Consideration work is To gratifie the private Consciences of those who are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies by indulging to and dispensing with the omitting these Ceremonies In the Kings Speech to both houses of Parliament the 8th of July 1661. It is to put my self in mind as well as you That I so often I think so often as I come to you mention to you my Declaration from Bredah And let me put you in mind of another Declaration published by your selves about the same time and which I am perswaded made mine the more effectual An Honest Generous and Christian Declaration signed by the most eminent Persons who had been the most eminent Sufferers in which you remounced all former Animosities memory of former Unkindnesses And my Lords Gentlemen let it be in no mans power to charge me or you with the breach of our Words or Promises which can never be a good Ingredient to our future security And in the Chancellors Speech to both Houses May 8. 1661. It is said He told you but now meaning the King that he valued himself much upon keeping his word upon performing all that he promiseth to his People And also in the Kings discourse with Richard Hubberthorn soon after he arrived
lost the true Faith once delivered to the Saints and instead of being Sufferers which was once the portion of the true Christians were now became Persecutors and Destroyers of such as would not stoop to their Idolatry and to every foolish invention that the Popes from time to time did set up and commanded to be observed It is recorded that in the time of Pope Julius partly with his Wars and partly with his Cursings in the space of seven years about 200000. Christians were destroyed so addicted to Bloodshed was this Pope and as is written surpassed many other Popes in Iniquity that Wicelius wrot thus of him Marti illum quam Christo deditiorem fuisse that is that he was more given to War and Batail then to Christ which made Philip Melancton write an Epigram in Latine upon him the sence of which in English is as followeth When Julius Pope against the French determin'd to make War As fame reports he gathered up great Troops of men from far And to the Bridge of Tyber then marching as he were Wood His holy Keys he took and cast them down into the Flood And afterward into his hand he took a naked Sword And shaking it braks forth into this fierce and warlike word This Sword of Paul quoth he shall now defend us from our Foe Since that this Key of Peter doth nothing avail thereto In the year 1512. there was a fight between Lewis the French King and this Pope Julius at Ravenna upon Easter day where the Pope was vanquished and had of his Army slain to the number of Sixteen thousand and the next year this Apostolical Warriour which had resigned his Keys to the River of Tybris before made an end both of his fighting and living About this time began the reign of Henry the eighth King of England in whose reign great alterations and turns of Religion were wrought by the mighty operation of Gods Hand not only in England but in Germany and other parts of Europe such as had not been seen although much groaned for many hundred years before nevertheless many suffered great Persecutions and Martyrdom in this Kings reign both in England and elsewhere and many good men were raised up to bear witness to the Truth yet some were of opinion that it was not wholy the Kings fault that so much Blood was spilt in his time for the Bishops were the Draco to make the bloody Laws and it was the Bishops that were earnest to see the Laws put in Execution the King oftentimes scarce knowing what was done and but hearing of a Woman that was the second time put upon the Rack exceedingly condemned the party that was the cause of it for using such extreme Cruelty John Brown passing from London in a Gravesend-Barge in which Barge there was a Priest and Brown sate hard by him whereupon the Priest said dost thou know who I am Thou sittest too neer me Brown said no sir I know not who you are I tell thee said he I am a Priest What sir said Brown are you a Parson or a Viccar or a Ladies Chaplain I am said he a Soul Priest and sing for a Soul I pray you sir said Brown where find you the Soul when you go to Mass I know not said the Priest and where do you leave it when you have done Mass I cannot tell said the Priest Brown replyed if you neither know where the Soul is when you begin nor where you leave it when you have done how then do you save a soul Go thy ways said the Priest thou art an Heretick and I will be even with thee And accordingly when they came to Land the Priest taking two others with him that were present in the Boat went and complained to Arch-Bishop Warham who sent a Warrant presently to apprehend Brown and being apprehended the Messenger bound his feet under his horse belly and carried him away to the Arch-Bishop neither his wife nor friends knowing whether he went nor what they would do with him The Bishop cast him into Prison where he lay about six weeks then was carried to Ashford where he dwelt and there set in the flocks all night his wife hearing of it came and set by him all night to whom he shewed how cruelly he had been handled by the Arch-bishop telling her he could not set his feet to the ground for they had burnt them to the bones to make him deny Christ which said he I durst not do lest my Lord Christ should deny me hereafter Therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring up my Children Virtuously and in the Fear of God And so the next day this Godly Martyr was burnt calling upon God and saying into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth At the fire the n = ‖ Chilton by name Bailiff bid cast in his Children also for said he they will spring out of his Ashes And in Queen Maries time his son Richard Brown was sentenced to be burnt being a Prisoner at Canterbury but that the Queen dying he escaped suffering About this time many suffered very greatly for spaking against Worshipping of Saints against Pilgrimage for having Scripture books in English and a book called Wickliss wicket One of which Sufferers by name Elizabeth Stamford who being brought and examined before Fitz James Bishop of London Anno 1517. confessed that she was taught by one Thomas Beale of Henly these words Eleaven years before viz. That Christ faâ—deth and nourisheth his Church with his own pretious Body that is the Bread of Life coming down from Heaven This is said she the Worthy Word that is Worthily received and joyned unto man to be in one body with him so it is that they be both one they may not be parted This is not received by chewing of Teeth but by hearing with Ears and understanding with the Soul and wisely working thereafter and as Paul saith I fear me amongst us Brethren that many of us be feeble and sick therefore my Counsel is Brethren to rise and watch that the great day of Doom come not suddenly upon us as the Thief doth upon the Merchant And she said further that the said Thomas Beale taught her that she should confess her sins to God and that the Popes Pardons and Indulgences were nothing worth John Stillman in the year 1518. was apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and examined for speaking against Worshipping Praying and Offering unto Images and for saying Wicklifs Wicket was a good book and that when he was apprehended he hid the same in an old oak and did not bring it out to the Bishop he was sent to the Lollards Tower and being afterwards brought openly to the Consistory at Pauls it was further objected against him that he should say the Pope was Antichrist and not the true Successor of Peter or Christs Viccar on Earth and that his Pardons and Indulgences which he granted in the Sacrament
Vestry and cut off his Right Hand then he was had into the Market-place and there they cut off his Left Hand then his Arms were bound behind him and his Feet under the Horses Belley and so was carryed to the place of Execution where he was let down by a pulley into the Fire and then pluckt up and let down again all which cruelty he endured with a constant Spirit saying O Eternal God Father of all Mercies look down upon thy Servant and with patience he suffered till at last the Rope burning he fell down into the Fre and was consumed This was in the year 1552. Persecutions in the Reign of Queen Mary beginning Anno 1553. After the Death of Edward the fixth Queen Mary succeeded and after the was setled in her Throne a Sinod was assembled for consulting about matters of Religion and the point especially of the real Presence in the Sacrament after a long Disputation where Reason and Scriptures were not so much weighed as Voices numbred the Papal side as having most voices carried it and thereupon was that Religion again restored and the Mass commanded again in all Churches so called to be celebrated after the antâ—â—â— mâ—â—â— And shortly after Cardinal Poole and English man that 〈◊〉 fed to Rome for Succour in the former time Q. Mary was sent for over again to England by the Queen who was no sooner come but the Attaindor upon Record against him was by Act of Parliament taken off and he restored and a few days after coming to the Parliament before the Queen and both Houses assembled after the Bishop of VVinchester who was Chancellor had made a short speech to them signifying the presence of the Cardinal and that he was sent from the Pope as his Legate for their good and benefit Then the Cardinal stood up and made a long Oration to them thanking them for restoring him whereby he was made a Member of their Society Then Exhorting them to return into the Bossom of the Church for which end he was come not to Condemn but to Reconcile not to compell but to call and require and for their first work of Reconcilement requiring them to repeal and abrogate all such Laws as had formerly been made in derogation of the Catholick Religion After which Speech the Parliament going together drew up a Supplication which within two dayes after they presented to the King and Queen wherein they shewed themselves to be very penitent for their former Errors and humbly desired them to interceed for them to the Cardinal and the See Apostolick that they might be pardoned of all they had done amiss and be received into the Bossom of the Church being themselves most ready to abrogate all Laws prejudicial to the See of Rome This Supplication being delivered to the Cardinal he then gave them Absolution in these words We by the Apostolick Authority given unto us by the most holy Lord Pope Julius the third Christs Vicegerent on Earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and Dominions thereof from all Heresie and Schism and from all Judgments Censures and Pains for that cause incurred and also we do restore you again to the unity of our Mother the holy Church The report hereof coming to Rome was cause that a solemn Procession was made for Joy of the Conversion of England to the Church of Rome And now all Bishops which had been deprived in the time of Edward the sixth were restored to their Bishopricks and the new removed and all that would not turn and forsake their Religion were turned out of their Livings and Stephen Gardner and Bonner became again to be had in favour and were restored to their former places and several old Laws were again revived by Act of Parliament for the tryal of Heresie and Commissions and Inquisitors were sent abroad into all parts of the Realm whereupon many were apprehended and brought to London and there Imprisoned and afterwards most of them burnt to death or else through cruel usage died in Prison and were buryed in Dunghils in the Fields to the Number of near three Hundred Persons Men and Women in the short Reign of this Queen And now Bonner being re-invested into his Bishoprick he sends forth Injunctions that six in every Parish upon their Oaths should present before him such as would not conform and soon after about threescore Inhabitants of the City of London were apprehended and imprisoned for dispersing and selling certain Books sent over into England out of Germany and other Countries About this time the people going a Procession in Smithfield and the Priest being under the Canopy with the Box John Street persecuted according to the usual Custom one John Street a Joyner in Coleman-Street going by in haste about his business by chance went under the Canopy by the Priest at which the Priest was so surprized and overcome with fear that he let the Pix fall down the people being amazed presently apprehended the poor man and committed he was to the Compter and the Priest accused him to the Council as if he came to slay him from the Compter he was removed to Newgate where he was cast into the Dungeon and there chained to a Post and so miserably used till he lost his Sences and then they sent him to Bedlam Roods Commaded to be again set up in the places called Churches These were but in the beginnings of Bonners Cruelty in this Queens time the next thing he did was he put out a Mandate to the Curates within his Diocess requiring them to abrogate and blot out all Scripture Texts wrot upon the Walls in Churches so called in Edward the sixths time which he said was opening a Window to all Vice and further commanded that comely Roods should be again set up in all Churches The same Injunction for setting up Roods was published in other Diocesses at this time for at Cockram in Lancashire the Parishoners and Wardens had agreed with a Carver to make them a Rood and to set it up in that they called their Church at a certain prise which the Carver did but the Rood being made of an ugly grim Countenance they disliked it and refused to pay the Work-man that made it whereupon by Warrant he brought them before the Mayor of Lancaster who was a favourer of the Protestants and a man against Images when they came before the Mayor he askt them Why they did not pay the man according to their Agreement they replyed they did not like the grimness of its Vissage saying they had a man formerly with a hansome Face and they would have had such another now well said the Mayor though you like not the Rood the Poor-mans Labour has been never the less and its pity he shold loose but I tell you what you shall do pay him the Money you promised him and if it will not serve you for a God you may make a Devil of it at which they
the Country of Sodom and after they were parted the promise both of the Possession of that Land of Canaan and also of his Numberless Posterity was again renewed unto him Abram being now ninety nine years old year of the world 2107 God made a Covenant with him touching the Seed of Isaac who was to be born of Sarai that time twelve month Abrams name changed gave him the Seal of Circumcision changing both their names Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah for a sure pledge and testimony of his Promise When Abraham was now a hundred year of the world 2108 and Sarah ninety years of Age Isaac was born unto them and Abraham instructed his Family in Righteousness for God said I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment By Faith Abraham offered up his son Isaac year of the world 2133 considering with himself that God was able to raise him again from the dead Now Josephius reports that at this time Isaac was twenty five years old By Faith Abraham offers up his Son Isaac Lib. 1. Antiq. 14. Al 22. and that he was at that time of good years may be gathered from this that he was able to carry so much Wood as was to go to the burning and consuming of such a whole burnt-Offering as himself was then intended by Abraham to have been made Sarah being now one hundred twenty seven years of Age dyed in Hebron and as Abraham for his integrity and uprightness to the Lord is recorded to Posterity for the Father of the Faithful so is Sarah for the Mother of the Faithful and she is the only Woman whose full and entire Age is mentioned in Scripture Abraham being also well stricken in Age was careful to get a wife for his son Isaac and careful he was that he might not Marry with any of the idolatrous and corrupt Nations it being looked upon as a great evil by this righteous Stock Abrahams care in getting a good Wife for his Son Isaac that their Sons should marry with the Daughters of men that were corrupted and despisers of the true Religion as it appears by Abrahams care for his son that he should not take a wife of the Daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt and also by the strict charge he gave to his Servant to look out a Wife for him who going by the guidance of God into Mesopotamia where praying to the Lord to shew kindness unto his master Abraham he there obtained for him Rebeka the Daughter of Bethuel Sister to Laban the Syrian whom Isaac receiving for his Wife brought her into the tent of his Mother Sarah and he loved her and had comfort in her after his Mothers death and he was forty years old when he married with Rebeka Abraham when he was a hundred seventy five years old and a hundred years after his coming into Canaan departed this life â—183 and was buried by his two Sons in his Cave at Macpelah with Sarah his Wife he lived fifteen years after the birth of Jacob with whom he is said also to have lived in Tents And now Abraham being dead Isaac was raised up as the next of the righteous Line and Seed of God to whom the Lord often appeared in his divine Power Abraham being dead Isaac walks in the steps of his Father confirming the Covenant that he had made with Abraham his Father for he walked in the steps of his Father in faithfulness to the Lord and when his Fathers Servant brought Rebeka to him they found him meditating in the Field at evening-tide by which it appears his mind was delighted in that which was good when his Wife had continued barren ninteen years after her Marriage Isaac entreated the Lord in the behalf of his Wifes barreness Isaac intreated the Lord for her because she was barren and the Lord was intreated of him and his Wife conceived and when the twins strove in the Womb Rebeka asked counsel of God and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be seperated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be stronger then the other Esau Iacob are born and the Elder shall serve the Younger Being born the Children grew and one of them named Esau was a counning Hunter a man of the Field and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents and Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his Venison but Rebeka loved Jacob. Isaac now grown old year of the world 2245 and blind in the forty fourth year before his death sent Esau his eldest Son to take some Venison for him purposing to Bless him at his return but Jacob the younger Son by the counsel of his Mother coming disguised in his Cloathes and with savory meat in his hand Jacob got the Blessing from Esau stole away the blessing unwiting to his Father and the Blessing though so got God confirmed ever after but Jacob seeing that for so doing his Brother followed him with a deadly hatred and being desirous to avoid his traps willing also to take a Wife of his own Kindred his Father Blessing him he took his Journey to Mesopotamia to his uncle Laban for his Father had charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and in his Journey the Lord appeared unto him by his presence Isaac's care that Iacob should not take a Wife of the Canaantes and renewed the Covenant to him which he had made before to his Father and Grandfather and now the Lord manifesting his presence unto him he covenanted with the Lord saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me Bread to eat and Rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers House in peace then shall the Lord be my God and coming at length to Carron He fell in love with Rachel and continuing a time with Laban fell in love with Rachel his Daughter for whom he served seven years and they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her Esau had now been married thirty seven Years and was seventy seven Years Old whereas Jacob who was as Old as he had all this while lived unmarried but being now mindful of his Fathers Command he demanded Rachel his Wife to be given to him He is deceived of Rachel after he had served Seven Years for her using this for a reason that his dayes were now full but by the fraud of Laban instead of Rachel Leah the elder Daughter was put in Bed unto him nevertheless Rachel also afterwards was espoused to him upon Covenant of serving seven Years more for her At first Rachel was barren year of the world 2259 but afterwards by the blessing of God proving fruitful bear Joseph unto Jacob at the end of the fourteen
their Loynes they never ride but go a foot when they travel they have a great pair of wooden Beads with a wooden Cross tyed to their Girdles before them If these Franciscan Fryars may be believed they say All that they wear about them is holy yea all that they eat drink or touch is Sanctified their grecy Cowle Habit Sandals and especially their knotty Girdles they say hath many Virtues and therefore they have no small profit from the Lay-people that they may wear them concerning these Fryars Habits one wrote these Verses as followeth The knotty Rope Feet bare deceitful Cowle Bring bare Foot Fryars into Hell to howle The knotty Rope that binds that Slovens Coat Were better used being tyed about his Throat The Original or beginning of the Society of the Jesuits is but of a new Institution whereof the Founder was one Ignatius Loyola born in Spain who had been a Souldier and was hurt on both his knees and halted ever after his Order was confirmed by Paul the third in the year 1504 and himself Sanctified by Pope Paul the fifth in the year 1622. not for his Holiness and Sanctity of life but for an Infinite sum of Money given unto the Pope by the Jesuites Maphaus invith ignat â—â—lleâ— in 〈◊〉 Chronolog and with all because the Duke of Bavaria by the Wicked Practice and Devilish pollicy of his Children the Jesuites and the help of the King of Spain had taken the Palatinate from the Prince Elector the true and Lawful Owner thereof This Ignatius ordained that all those of this upstart Society â—â—m Valderâ—me pag. 10. should call themselves Jesuits or Patres Societatis Jesu Fathers of the Society of Jesus Valderama preached Years since Christ That when this St. Ignatius resolved to quit the Souldiers life the very House wherein he then was the Walls shaked the Beams and Posts trembled and all that were in it betook themselves to flight and ran out of Doors as fast as their legs could carry them even as when some strange eruption of Fire doth suddainly break out in some high Mountain so when interiour Fire began to be discovered in him who before was cold and frozen as to Religion it lightened forth in such sort that it caused a thousand amazments a thousand firing of Houses c. there was never any Aetna or flaming Mountain that did the like thus far are thewords of Valderama And truely many people are of Opinion at this day that this Fire was transferred after his death unto his Society seeing they do perticipate so much of it for out of the fervour of their Mercenary Religion they have ever since exercised the Trade of Incendiaries in all places and they have set all Christendom on Fire neither is there any Kingdom Common-wealth City or Province which they have not inflamed with Wars Seditions and Persecutions And now further the Reader may see what ignorance was among the Papists at this time for the Heathen People heretofore had many Gods and every one of them their distinct Office as Apollo was the God of Wisdom Mars of Wars Aeolus of the winds Neptune of the Seas c. The Papist has as many Saints which they honour and every one hath their several Charge assigned unto them As Saint Anthony for Swine and for Fire Saint Roch to Cure the Plague and Sheep Saint Lusey for the Tooth-Ache Saint Petronel for the Fevour Saint Martiâ—â— for the Itch Saint Valentine for Lovers Saint Crispine for Shoe-makers and Saint Clement for Bakers Brewers and Victuallers Saint Sebastine for Archers Saint Nicholas for Butchers and many more and the Office assigned Ignatius as Valderama saith pag. 51. This blessed Father Ignatius doth most assuredly and readily saith he assiist all Women that are in Labour for this vigilent Pastor doth alwayes accompany the sheep that are great with young and thus this Ignatius doth shoulder the Virgin out of Doors for the Papist Women were wont heretofore to call upon her in that Extremity But how the Monks Fryars and Priest did take this I cannot till for that it clipped away some of their profit for they had often money and gifts to say Masses for Womens safe delivery especially the Augustine Fryers of Burgos in Spaine who sold the measure of their Crucifix at a dear rate because they counted it a precious Relique for many Diseases These Jesuits are great Intelligencers and States-men in most parts of the World and wheresoever they remain they take upon them to teach and instruct Children as well of Noble-men as also of inferior persons professing to do the same freely and without reward wherein they deal so carefully that the Parents do not account their Childrens time Mispent but also do reward them highly and the Jesuits make thereof a double benefit for first they bind the Parents of the Children thereby to be their Favourites secondly as for the Schollers they strick into their tender Capacity such a reverence of themselves and do withall distil into their minds Especially into such as are witty such Points of Doctrine and such an Opinion of their Holiness and integrity that the same very seldom and sometimes never weareth away but rather increaseth with their years according to that saying Quo semet est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu That is The Vessel will long retain the taste of the first Liquor it first held or contained which is undoubtedly of no small moment to the strengthening and upholding of their Faction and Society moreover they have so cunningly wrought that wheresoever they are they only are the general hearers of all Confessions diving thereby into the secrets and drifts of all men acquainting themselves with their humors and Imperfections and making as time and occasion serves use and benefit thereof to themselves Thus much as to Jesuits Monks and Fryars which may fitly be annexed to the Arraignment of Popery a Book published by G. F. and E. H. to which I refer the Reader if he desire to be further informed of the Corruption of this Apostatized Popish Church and so conclude this part A Brief View OF THE Great Sufferings AND LIVING TESTIMONIES Of the TRUE and Constant Martyrs Contain'd in the Acts Monuments of the Church writ by the industrous Labours of John Fox and now Epitomiz'd and a further Account annexed of some that suffered DEATH for RELIGION since By E. H. The CONTENTS Part I. Containing an Account of the Persecutions and Sufferings inflicted on the Faithful Servants of the Lord both before and after the Jews Apostacy and before the Coming of Christ pag. 1. Part II. Containing an Account of the Great Persecutions and Martyrdoms of the Christians after the Coming of Christ and before the Apostacy and Darkness wholely spread over the Church pag. 7. Part III. An Account of the Grievous Sufferings Persecutions and Martyrdoms of the Servants of the Lord under the Popish Church after the Apostacy from the Ancient Primitive Truth
of Penance were nongth and that he would have none of them and likewise that the Colledge of Carpinals were Limbs of Antichrist and the Priests the Synogogue of Satan and that the Doctors of the Church had Subverted the truth of Holy Scripture expounding it after their own minds and that he should say he would abide by these Doctrines and dye for it and wisht there were twenty thousand of his Opinion to witness against them Scribes and Pharisees For his constant persevereing in these Principles Doctors Head Vicar-general past sentence against him as an Heritick and so delivered him to the Sheriffs of London to be openly burnt in Smithfield Thomas man martyr The next that suffered was Tho. Man who for saying the Popish Church was not the Church of God but a Synagogue and for holding several other Articles contrary to the Popish Church he was a long time imprisoned but through frailty and fear having an oppertunity he fled the Diocess of Lincoln but not long after was again apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and was shorty after delivered by Dr. Head to the Sheriff of London to be presently burnt with this protestation that he might not consent to the death of any This Popish Chancellor would not seem to consent to his death Note but yet sent him to the Shambles to be Killed for these were the words he sent to the Sheriff Receive this Person and we desire in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ that the punishment and execution of due severity of him and against him in this part may be so moderate that there be no rigorous Rigor nor yet no dissolute mansuetude but to the health and wealth of his Soul c. Thomas Man was burnt by the Sheriff without any warrant for Head delivered him to the Sheriff in Paternoster-Row protesting he had no power to put him to death and therefore desired the Sheriff to see him punisht et tamen citra mortem that is without death but the Sheriff had him to Smithfield and there caused him to be burnt This Tho. Man after he had escaped out of the Diocess of Lincoln traveled about in divers places and Counties in England and instructed many into the Truth as at Amersham London Biâ—â—erycay Chelmsford Stratford Uxbridge Henly Newberry Suffolk and Norfolk and divers other places and he teftified himself that as he went westward he found a great Company of well disposed persons of the same Judgment with him especially at Newberry where he said were a glorious and sweet Society of faithful favourers three or four of which were burnt for Religion And he travailed divers other places where he found many faithful Brethren who at that time were called by the name of Known Men or Just Fast Men. This Thomas Man confessed as it is Registred in the Bishops Book that he had turned seven hundred People to his Religion for which he thanked God which People were afterwards called by the name of Protestants William Sweeting and James Brewster had the like Catholick Charity shewed to them by the Bishop who being imprisoned for their Zeal to the Truth and Religion being surprised with fear said they submitted themselves to the mercy of Almighty God and to the favourable goodness of the Judge upon which submission the Popish Fathers were contented to give out a Sollemn Commission to reâ—â—ase and pardon them from the Sentence of Excommunication but immediatly the Bishop pronounced upon them the Sentance of death and condemnation whereupon they were both delivered to the Secular power and both burnt together as one Fire in Smithfield I find further upon Record that as the Light of the Gospel began more and more to appear and the number of the Professers thereof to grow so Persecution increased and the Bishops bestired themselves to keep the Truth from increasing and growing whereupon ensued great Persecutions and grievous Affliction upon divers in several Counties especially about Buckinghamshire Norfolk Suffolk and Essex but although they were thus afflicted outwardly yet their inward fervency and zeal for the Truth was very great as appeared by their sitting up all Night in Reading and Hearing and by their Expences in giving great prizes for a few Chapters of James and Paul in English And further their great Travails earness Seeking their burning Zeal their Reading their Watchings their sweet Assemblies their Love and Concord their Godly Living their faithful Marrying only with the faithful all which it is written that they were faithfully practising and observing being noted or known among themselves by the name of Known Men or Just fast Men the Bishop of Lincoln in his Inquisitions and Examinations of those Known Men was so strict and cruel that he caused the Wife to detect the Husband and the Husband the Wife the Father the Daughter and the Daughter the Father Brother against Brother and Neighbour against Neighbour to witness one against another and that to death causing them to Swear upon the Evangelists whether they knew the persons to be Known Men. Agnis Ashford being one of the said People for preaching these words following was Articled against viz. We be the Salt of the Earth if it be putrified and vanisht away it is nothing worth a City set upon a Hill may not be hid ye light not a Candle and put it under a Bushel but set it on a Candle stick that it may give a Light to all in the House so shine your Light before men that they may see your works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And further she did teach saying Jesus feeing his People as he went up a Hill was set and his Disciples came to him he opened his Mouth and taught them saying Blessed be the poor men in Spirit for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs blessed be mild men for they shall weld the Earth For teaching this Doctrine the Bishop strictly enjoyned and commanded her to teach no more such Lessons to any man especially to her Children There were three persons accused for sitting up all night reading in a Book of Scriptures in the House of one Durdant in Iven Court near Stanes either were accused for having of certain English Books as Wickliffs Wicket in which was contained how that man could not make the Body of Christ which made us another Crime was for having fome part of the New-Testament and a Book called The Prick of Conscience for these and such like Allegations did these men greatly suffer but the Lords Hand did work marvelously amongst them so that in a short space they did exceedingly increase in such sort that the Bishop was driven to make his Complaint to the King to require his aid to suppress them the King being then young and easily incensed with the Bishops Suggestions and cruel Complaints sent Letters to the Sheriffs to aid the Bishop against these Known Men whom he termed Hereticks upon the Kings Letter he renewed his former sierceness and began
constantly persisted in the Truth in which she was planted a Woman of her acquaintance coming to Prison to visit her said to her why doest not thou keep silence and think secretly in thine Heart these things which thou believest that thou mayest prolong thy life here Oh said the Widdow you know not what you say it is written With the Heart we believe to Righteousness with the Tongue we confess to Salvation at her Execution she commended her self into the Hands of God and after a fervent prayer was burnt to death John Pistorius Martyr About this time there suffered many more in Germany for the witness of the Gospel viz. John Pistorius coming from Wittenberge for speaking against the Mass and Pardons and against the subtile abuses of the Priests he was committed to Prison with ten Malefactors whom he did comfort one of whom being half naked and in danger of cold he gave his gown his Father visiting him in Prison did not disswade him but bad him be constant being condemned and coming to the Stake he gave his neck willingly to the band wherewith he was first strangled and then burned saying at his death O death where is thy victory There using to be a great Meeting near Antwerp where one used to preach to a great number of People which Charles the Emperor hearing of gave leave to any that would to take the uppermost Garment of all them that came to hear and offered thirty Guilders to him that would take the Preacher afterwards when the People were gathered and their usual Minister being not there One Nicholas of Antwerp Martyr one Nicholas of Antwerp stood up and preacht to the People wherefore being apprehended by a Butchers Servant was put in a Sack and drowned at the Crane at Antwerp 1524. And certain of the City of Lovane were suspected of Lâ—â—â—â—ranism the Emperors Procurator came from Brussels thither to make Inquisition after which Inquisition made certain Bands of armed men came and beset their Houses in the night where many were taken in their beds pluckt from their Wives and Children and sent to divers Prisons through the terror whereof many Citizens revolted from the Gospel The terror of Persecution caused some to revolt from the Truth and returned again to Idolatry but twenty eight there were which remained constant in that Persecution unto whom the Doctors and Inquisitor of Lovane resorted disputing with them thinking either to confound them or convert them but so strongly the Spirit of the Lord wrought with the Saints that the Doctors went rather confounded away themselves when they saw disputing would not do they used cruel Torments to enforce them one of them was condemned to perpetual Prison which was a dark and stinking Dungeon where he was suffered neither to write nor read nor any man to come at him commanded only to be fed with bread and Water two of the said Prisoners were also burns constantly taking their Martyrdom One man beheaded and two women buryed afive There was there an old man and two aged Women brought forth of whom the one was called Antonia born of an antient Stock in that City these were condemned the man to beheaded the two Women to be buried Quick which death they received very chearfully and the rest of the Prisoners that would not abjure the Doctrine of Lather were put to the Fire One Percival of Lovane for owning the Truth was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment there to be fed only with Bread and Water which punishment he took patiently for Christ's sake he was secretly made away either famished or drowned no man could learn how Justus Jusberge a Skinner in Lovane in the year 1544. for having a New Testament in his House Justus Jusberge Martyr was persecuted by one Darsardus and committed to Prison and the Goaler commanded that none should speak with him shortly after the Doctors examining of him touching the Popes Supremacy Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory and such Trumpery whereunto he answered plainly and boldly confirming his Answers by the Scriptures when they saw he would not be moved from his Faith then they condemned him to be burnt but as a pretended favour to him he was only beheaded Giles Tilman of Brussels Cutler born of honest Parents about the age of thirty years Giles Tilman Martyr he began to receive the Light of the Gospel for which he was very Zealous and fervent he was in his nature very mild and pittiful passing all other in those parts giving whatsoever he had to spare to the poor living only upon his Trade he was persecuted by the Priest of Brussels being taken at Lovane spreading that Religion which the Pope called Heresie his Adversaries used great care to make him objure but being a man of a singular wit and constant in his Religion they went away many times with shame after he had been kept eight Months in Prison he was sent to Brussels to be judged where finding Franciscus Ensenes and othes of the same Religion in Prison he exhorted them to be constant to the Truth that they might receive the Crown that was prepared for them When the Gray-Friars being sent unto him would mis call abuse him he ever held his peace at such private lajuries wheresore they reported that he had a dumb Devil in him he might several times have escaped out of Prison the doors being set open but he would not being removed to another Prison and on the twenty second of the Month called January 1544. he was condemned to be burnt privately for openly they durst not do it for fear of the People he being so well beloved when tiding was brought him of his Sentence he thanked God that the hour was some wherein he might glorifie the Lord and being had to the Fire he willingly refined up his life into the Hands of the Lord. Great Persecution in Gaunt and other parts of Flanders Anno 1543 1544. The Edict against the Lutherans to be read twice a year Charles the Emperor lying in Gaunt the Fryars and Docters obtained that the Edict made against the Lutherans might be read openly twice a year which caused a great Persecution to follow so that there was no City nor Town in all Flanders wherein some were not either Expulsed Beheaded Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment or their Goods Confiscate without respect either to Age or Sex especially at Gaunt where some of the cheif men in the Town were burnt for their Religion Afterward the Emperor coming to Brussels there also was terrible Slaughter and Persecution of Gods People namely in Brabant Honegow and Artois the horror and cruelty whereof is almost incredible insomuch that two hundred Men and Women were brought out of the Country into the City some of whom were drowned others buried Quick others privately made away others sent to perpetual Imprisonment whereby the Prisons were filled to the great sorrow of them which knew the Gospel the Professors whereof being now compelled
give them in that Quarrel then was he thrice put to the Pin-bank and Tormented most miserably to utter his Setters on then they past sentence against him and this was executed First he was drawn from the Castle of Dornick to the Market place having a ball of Iron put in his mouth then he was set upon a Stage where his Right hand was Crusht and prest between two hot Irons with sharp Iron edges fiery red in the like manner they served his right foot which Torments he endured with marvelous constancy that done they took the ball of Iron out of his mouth and cut out his Tongue notwithstanding his Tongue was cut out he still called upon God as well as he could whereby the hearts of the people were greatly moved whereupon the Tormentors thrust the Iron ball into his mouth again from thence they brought him down to a lower Stage where his legs and hands were bound behind him with an Iron Chain going about his body and so he was let down flat upon the Fire the Governer standing by caused him to be plucked up again and so down and up again till at last the whole body was consumed to Ashes James Faber and three others Martyrs James Faber and three others suffered at Valens James Faber being an old man said that though he could not answer nor saisfie them in Reasoning yet he would constantly abide in the Truth of the Gospel Godfry Hamell Martyr Godfry Hamell a Taylor taken and condemned at Dornick when they had condemned him by the Name of an Heretick nay said he not an Heretick but a Servant of Jesus Christ when the Hangman went about to Strangle him to diminish his punishment he refused saying that he would abide the Sentence that the Judges had given Besides these that suffered in Germany before mentioned a great number there was both in the Higher and Lower Countries of Germany which were put to death for Religion many of them were burnt some buryed alive some secretly drowned many of their Names are mentioned in the Acts and Monuments but little of the circumstances of their Tryal and Execution being mentioned I have omitted them for brevities sake Sufferers in France for bearing the like Witness to the Gospel Dennis Renix Martyr Denis Renix at Melde in the year 1558. Was burnt for testifying against the Mass he was alwayes wont to have in his mouth the Words of Christ He that denyeth me before men him wiâ—â— I also deny before my Father he was burnt in a slow Fire and did abide much Torments Note upon a complaint made to the Council called Le Chamber Ardante that the Judges suffered Hereticks to have their Tongues Immediately thereupon a Decree was made that all which were to be burned unless they recanted at the fire should have their Tongues cut off which Law afterwards was diligently observed Stephen Polliard Martyr Stephen Polliard coming out of Normandy in the year 1546. where he was born unto Meux tarried there not long but he was compelled to flee and went to a Town called Fera where he was apprehended and brought to Paris and there cast into a foul and dark Prison in which Prison he was kept in Bonds and Fetters a long time where he saw almost no Light at length being called for before the Senate and his sentence given to have his Tongue cut out and to be burnt alive his Satchell of Books hanging about his neck O Lord said he is the World in blindness and darkness still for he thought being in Prison so long that the World had been altered from its old darkness to better knowledge at last with his Books about his neck he was burnt to death Florent Venote Martyr Florent Venote remained a Prisoner in Paris four years during which time he was put to divers Torments one kind of Torment was he was put in a narrow place so straight that he could neither stand nor lie which they called the Hose or Boots because it was strait below and wide above in this he remained seven weeks where the Tormentors affirm that no Thief or Murtherer could ever endure 15 days but were in danger of Life or Madness and at last on the 9th of the Moneth called July he was burnt to death with divers other Martyrs who were burnt as a Spectacle at the Kings coming into Paris The next that suffered was a poor Taylor in Paris who for working upon Holy-days so called and denying to observe them A poor Taylor in Paris Martyred was clapt in Prison the King hearing of it sent for him before him and some of his Peeres being before the King he answered with great boldness wit and memory defending the cause of Christ neither flattering their Persons nor fearing their threats which struck the King in a great damp in museing in his mind which the Bishops seeing committed the poor Taylor again to the hands of the Officer saying he was a stubborn Fellow and fitter to be punisht then to be marvelled at within few days after he was condemned to be burnt alive The next year two men for friendly admonishing a certain Priest which in his Sermon had abused the Name of God were both burned another young man of the Age of eighteen years for rebuking a man in Paris for Swearing being suspected to be a Lutheran was apprehended and brought before the Council at Paris who committed him to Prison where he was so cruelly Racked and Tormented that one of the Persecutors seeing it could not but turn his back and weep when he was brought and put in the Fire he was pluckt up again upon the Gibbet and asked whether he would turn to whom he said that he was in his way towards God and therefore desired them to let him go John Joyer and his Servant being a young man in the year 1552. coming from Geneva to their Country with certain Books John Joyer and his Servant and his Servant Martyrs were apprehended by the way and had to Tholouse where the Master was first condemned the Servant being young was not so prompt to answer but directed them to his Master to answer them when they were brought to the Stake the young man first going up began to weep the Master fearing lest he should recant ran to him and he was comforted as they were in the Fire the Master standing upright to the Stake shifted the Fire from him to his Servant being more carfull for him then for himself and when he saw him dead he bowed down himself in the flame and so expired Mathias Dimonetus Merchant at Lyons in the year 1553. having been a man of a Vicious and detestable life Mathias Dimonetus Martyr was notwithstanding through the Grace of God brought to the knowledge and Savour of his Truth for a Testimony to which he was soon after Imprisoned being in Prison he had great conflicts with the infirmity of his own Flesh but especially with the temptation
Newgate and from thence to the place of Execution but first the Sheriffs were commanded to have him into the Vestry and to bring him forth again in Anti-christs apparel to be degraded having been a Monk where the Bishop took his Crosier Staff and smote him on the Brest that he threw him down backwards and brake his head and he swounded but coming to himself again he thanked God that he was delivered from this Malignant Church of Anti-christ and being led to Newgate after one hours respite he was had to the Fire and burnt John Tewkesberry Martyr John Tewksberry Leather-seller of London he was converted by the reading of the Testament in English and the Book called The wicked Mammon in the moneth called April in the year 1529. he was brought before the Bishop of London in the open Consistory where he disputed with the Bishops and the Prelates concerning his Faith and was very expect and prompt in his answers to them being indued with heavenly Wisdom that they were not able to resist him insomuch that the Bishops were ashamed that a Leather-seller should so confound them he affirmed in his Doctrine that there was no Purgatory after this life but that the Souls of the faithful departing this life rest with Christ that prayers ought not to be made to Saints there being no other Advocate but Christ alone for which and other Principles he was condemned to die by the Bishop of London and by him dilivered to the Sheriffs of London and by them burnt in Smithfield Edward Freese Martyr Edward Freese Painter for painting upon clothes in an Inn certain Sentences of Scripture was noted to be a Heretick and was apprehended and brought to London and from thence had to the Bishops House at Fulham where he was imprisoned with several other men and their wives and there fed with Manchets part of which was made with Sawdust and there kept so strait in Prison that their Relations were not Suffered to come at them the Painters Wife being very desireous to see her Husband and pressing to go into the Prison notwithstanding she was big with Child the Bishops Porter kickt her on the Belly so that her Child died immediately and she died soon after After that the Prisoners were all put in the Stocks for a long time and after they were let loose some had Horse-locks put on their Legs and some other Irons the Painter would ever and anon be writing on the Walls with Chalk or Coal which so provoked his Adversaries that they Manackled his wrists so long till the Flesh of his Arms was grown higher then the Irons from that Prison he was brought to the Lollards Tower where they kept him there dayes without Meat and used him so heard that he lost his understanding and sence so that when he was brought before the Consistory at Pauls he could say nothing but look upon the People like a wild man and if they askt him a Question he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man my Lord is a good man and in this unsensible condition he continued to his dying day Valentine Freese Brother of the said Edward Freese and the said Valentine's wife were both burned at one Stake in York for the Testimony of Jesus Christ James Bainham Martyr James Bainham Son to a Knight in Gloâ—cestershire the said James was a man of a virtuous disposition and a Godly Conversation much addicted to Prayer and Reading of the Scriptures a great maintainer of the Godly a visiter of the Prisoners liberal and merciful delighting in doing equity and Justice to the Poor very dilligent in giving counsel to all Widdows Fatherless and Aâ—â—ucted without Money or Reward being a man bred in Knowledge in the Law this Bainham for his Religion was apprehended by the instigation of Thomas Moor Chancellor of England who kept him Prisoner in his own house and there whipt him at a Tree in his Garden which he called The Tree of Troth from thence he sent him to the Tower to be Racked being himself present to see it effectually done till in a manner he had lamed him to make him confess where his Books lay and because his wife denyed them to be at his House she was sent to the Fleet and their goods were Confiscated these Tortures making him confess nothing the Chanceller sent him to the Bishop of London in the year 1531 who examined him upon certain Interrogatories concerning his Religion asked Whether he believed there was any Purgatory of Souls hence departed to which he answered If we walk in the Light even as he is in the Light we have Society together with him and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son hath clensed us from all Sin if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth in not is us if we confess our Sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our Sins and will purge us from all our Imquiâ—â—es Several other things they objected against him and often had him to and again before them threatening him with the danger that would ensue if he did not abjure his Religion whereupon he being overtaken with fear he consented unto them after he had abjured the Chancellor fined him twenty pound to the King and enjâ—yned him Pennance which was to go before the Cross in profession at Pauls and to stand before the Preacher during the Sermon at Pauls Cross with a Fagger upon his Shoulder and then to return with the Sumner to Prison again but soon after he was discharged of his Imprisonment and before he had been at Liberty a month he bewailed his Fact and Abjuration and was never quieâ— in his Mind and Conscience until before a Congregation of the People of God who in those dayes met in a Ware-house in â—ow-Lanâ— he uttered his Condemnation of the Fact asking God and that Assembly forgiveness and the next Sunday so called afterwards went to a place called St. Austins and stood up in a Pew with a Testament in English in his Hand and with Tears declared to the People that he had denied God and desired the People to forgive him and to beware of his weakness and rather to choose to die then to do as he did for he would not for all the World to feel again such a Hell as he had done to this purpose he also wrote to the Bishop whereupon he was shortly after apprehended and committed to the Tower of London from thence he was removed to the Bishops Coale-house where he lay two weeks in the Stocks with Irons upon his Legs then he was carried to the Chancellors and there Chained to a post two nights from thence he was had to Fullham where he was cruely handled for the space of a week from thence he was committed to the Tower where he lay a fortnight and there scourged with Whips to make him revoke his Opinions from thence he was carried to Barkin and from thence to Cheâ—sey and
there was condemned and from thence was conveyed to Newgate and by the Sheriffs of London had into Smithfield and there burnt to death the last day of April about three of the Clock in the afternoon Three men executed for pulling down an Idol and burnin it In the year 1532. Robert King Nicholas March Roberâ— Gardner all of Dedham and Robert Debnam of Esthergholt being burdened in their Consciences to see the honour and power of the Almighty Living God to be blasphemed by Peoples adoring an Idol called The Roode of Dover Court to which many People did greatly resort ignorantly believing a common rumour blown abroad that no man had power to shut the Steeple house door where that Idol stood whereupon the aforesaid four men were moved by the Spirit of God to travel out of Dedham in a frosty Moonshiney Night ten Miles to the place where this Idol stood and took the filthy Idol from his Shrine and carried it a quarter of a Mile and there struck Fire and set it on Fire for which fact three of them were indicted as Fellons and were hanged in Chains about half a year after and it is recorded that at their death through the working of the Spirit of God they bore such a living Testimony that the People were more edified in the Truth then they had been by all the Sermons they had heard preacht before The fourth man viz. Robert Gardener had suffered the same death but that he fled away and that way escaped their Hands The same year there was many more Images cast down and destroyed in many places John Frith Martyr John Frith a godly young man and one of great parts and wit and of a ready capacity and a great Scholler in the outward Litteraâ—ure coming acquainted with William Tindal through his Instructions he first received into his heart the Seed of the Gospel and sincere Godlinâ—ss The said John Frith accompanying himself with divers young men of grave Judgment and sharp wits who conferring together upon the abuses of Religion which at that time were crept into the Church were therefore accused of Heresie to Cardinal Woolsey and cast into a Prison within a deep Cave under a Colledge in Oxford where they used to lay their Salt-fish the stink of which so infected their bodies that three of them died in a little space the fourth was John Frith who was shortly after discharged out of Prison and travelled beyond-Sea and after two years returning into England and being at Reading it happened that he was taken as a Vagabond and was put in the Stocks and there kept so long till he was almost pined with hunger and would not discover who he was but desiring to speak with the School-master of the Town to whom he spoke Latine the School-master perceiving that he was a Scholler and a young man of excellent parts obtained of the Magistrates that he might be set at Liberty which he enjoyed not long being so persued by Sr. Thomas Moor Chancellor who persecuted him both by Sea and Land promising great reward to any that could bring news or tydings of him soon after he was apprehended and committed to the Tower of London where he had many conflicts with the Bishops but especially in writing with the Chancellor and afterwards was carried to Lambeth before the Bishop of Canterbury and from thence to Croyden before the Bishop of Winchester and last of all he was brought before the Bishops in a common Assembly at London the whole matter of his Examination before them was comprehended in two special Articles that is to say of Purgatory and of the substance of the Sacrament to which he answered very fully and wisely and in great moderation and uprightness but no Reason would prevail against the force and cruelty of his Adversaries The twentieth day of the moneth called June 1533. he was brought before several Bishops at Pauls who seeing that by no means they could perswade him to Recant the Bishop of London condemned him to be burnt and past Sentence against him to that effect John Chapman A. Hewit J. Tibauld Martyrs About this time one John Chapman Andrew Hewet and John Tibauld being men Zealous for Religion and Piety were informed against and by the Bishop of London's Chancellor and others were apprehended and carried to the Bishops House Andrew Hewet was sent to the Lollard Tower and Chapman and Tibauld kept asunder in the Bishops House till the next day that he came from Fulham who then examined them not liking their Confession Chapman he committed to the Stocks with this threat that he should tell another Tale or else he should sit there till his Heels did drop from his Arse Tibauld he shut up in a close Chamber but afterwards delivered him out of Prison upon this Injunction that he should not come within seven Miles of his own House Chapman after five weeks imprisonment three weeks whereof he set in the Stocks by Suit made to the Chancellor on his behalf after many threatnings was discharged out of Prison Andrew Hewet being brought before the Bishops and asked what he thought concerning the Sacrament answered even as Frith doth at which the Bishops smiled and one of them said why Frith is an Heretick and is condemned to be burnt and except thou revoke thy Opinion thou shalt be burnt with him truly said he I am contented therewith whereupon he was sent to the Prison to Frith and on the fourth day of the month called July he was carried to Smithfield with Frith and there burned Thomas Bennet Martyr Thomas Bennet School-master in Exeter a man of a godly conversation and a favourer of such as suffered for their zeal to the true Religion after he had lived in a retired condition six years could no longer contain but he must bear a Testimony against the Idolatry of those times though his blood were shed for the same the beginning of his troubles was he wrote a Paper and set it upon one of the Steeple-House-doors of the City in which was written The Pope is Anti-christ and we ought to Worship God only and no Saints which Paper being seen great search and inquiry was made what Heretick should set it up but seeing they could not find the Authorout at that present they agreed that the sentence of a Curse should be pronounced against him that did it the manner of which Curse was as followeth The Priest being in the Pulpit clothed in white and the Monks and Friars standing about him the Cross was held up with Candles fixed to the same then said the Priest By the Authority of God the Father Almighty and of the blessed Virgin Mary of Saint Peter and Paul and of the holy Saints we Excommunicate we utterly Curse and Bann commit and deliver to the Devil of Hell him or her whatsoever he or she be that have in spite of God The Popes Curse by Bell Book and Candle and of Saint Peter whose Church
that behalf looking upon Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him abode the Cross and dispised the shame nevertheless though we suffer the wrong after the example of our Master Christ yet we are not bound to suffer the wrong cause for Christ himself suffered it not but reproved him that smote him wrongfully likewise Paul Acts 23. saith we must not suffer the wrong but boldly reprove them that sit as Righteous Judges and act contrary to Righteousness therefore according both to God and mans Law you are not bound to make answer to any cause till your Accusers came before you which if you require and thereon do stick the false Brethren shall be known to the great comfort of those who now stand in doubt who they may trust and also it shall be a means that they shall not craftily by Questions take you in Snares and Acts 20. its written It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man that he should perish before he that is accused have his Accuser before him and have License to answer for himself as pertaining to the Crime whereof he is accused and also Christ said that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses all things shall stand wherefore seeing that in Accusations such Witnesses should be you may with a good Conscience require it and thus the God of Grace settle strengthen and establish you that to him may be the glory and praise for ever This is the Substance of the Letter now follows the Substance of Tracy's Will William Tracy of Taddington in the County of Gloucester in his Will declared amongst other things that touching the burying of his body it availed him not whatsoever was done thereto when he was dead for said he Funeral pomps are rather for the Solace of them that live then the wealth and comfort of them that are dead Which Will being brought by his Son his Executor to the Bishop of Canterbury to be proved the Bishop shew'd it to the Convocation who past a Sentence that a Commission should be sent to Doctor Parker Chancellor of the Diocess of worcester to take up Tracy's dead body and to burn him as an Heretick for making such a Will which accordingly was Executed notwithstanding he had been buryed almost two years before About this time the House of Commons assembled in Parliament put up a Supplication by way of Complaint to the King against the Clergy this Complaint the King seemed at first not to take much notice of yet afterwards coming to have a clear understanding of the abuses and enormities of the Clergy especially of the corrupt Authority of the See of Rome provided certain Acts against the same and wholly excluded the Popes Authority out of his Realm but thinking the work not sufficiently done as long as Abbies and Priories kept their Station which were as it were his Fortresses and Pillars there was not long after means found to have them suppressed for aspersions being laid upon them of Adulteries and Murders they by Act of Parliament at least near four hundred of them were suppressed and all their Lands and Goods conferred upon the King and afterwards all the rest and all Colledges Chanteries and Hospitals also the same Parliament enacted that Bishops should pay no more Annals or Money for their Bulls to the Pope and that no Person should appeal for any Cause out of this Realm to the Court of Rome and an Act was made that the King should be the Supream head of the Church of England c. But although the Popes Wings were thus cut and his Power and Authority in England abrogated by Act of Parliament as before is mentioned yet the Bishops here went on persecuting such as they accounted Sectaries and Hereticks but before I give an account of such as further suffered here in England for Religion it falls in order to give an Account of the Sufferings of William Tindal beyond Sea This William Tindal was burnt near Wales William Tindal Marryr and being a man Zealous for Reformation and Religion and considering that if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar Speech it might much conduce to â—he propagating thereof and finding his purpose could not be well effected here in England by reason of the strictness of the Bishops and Chancellor he travelled into Germany and there he first translated the New Testament and then the Old and writ several other Books against the irreligious Practice of the Prelates which Books being published and sent over into England it cannot be spoken what a door of Light they opened to the whole English Nation who before were many years shut up in darkness But though the spreading of these Books wrought much good to the upright and such as had in any measure a desire to advance the Truth yet the envious and persecuting Spirit of the Bishops was also much more stirred up thereby seeking by all means how to stop them from being spread lest their Hypocrisie and works of Darkness should he discerned wherefore they made great stir and search as Herod did at the birth of Christ and sought out by what means they might hinder the travels of this Tindal and of his Printing and Publishing the said Books and set persons to search and examine at Antwerp how things stook with Tindal which when the Bishops and Chancellors in England understood how things were they sent over one Henry Phillips to betray him into the hands of the Emperors Procurator General at Brussells the said Procurator through the treachery of Phillips seized upon all Tindalls Books and apprehended him and sent him Prisoner to Filford Castle eighteen English Miles from Antwerp being brought to his Tryal they offered him to have Councel to plead for him he refused saying he would answer for himself after much reasoning and Dispute he was Condemned by virtue of the Emperors Decree made in the Assembly at Ausbrough and upon the same was brought to the place of Execution at Filford Anna 1536. being ryed to the Stake he cryed with a fervent zeal and a loud voice Lord open the King of Englands eyes and so was burnt to death When the King had taken the title of Supremacy from the Bishop of Rome and Stated the same to himself he perceived by the Wisdom and advice of Thomas Cromwell one of his Privy Councel that the corrupt State of the Church had need of Reformation in many things This Cromwell was through the goodness of God raised up to be a friend and a favourer of those that profest the Gospel who though but a Smiths Son born at Putney for the pregnancy of his wit he was first entertained by Cardinal Woolsey and by him employed in many great Affairs the Cardinal falling the King took him unto his Service and finding his great Abillities advanced him for his worth to great places of Honour and Trust through whose perswasions several Injunctions were put out by the
Then said the King commit thy self unto the hands of God and not unto mine Lambort I commend my Soul unto the hands of God but my Body I wholly yield and Submit unto your clemency Then said the King if you do commit your self unto my Judgment you must die for I will not be a patron to Hereticks and so caused the Sentence of Death to be read against him Shortly aâ—â—er he was had to Smithfield and there burnt in the midst of the Flames he cryed unto the people in these words None but Christ none buâ— Christ and so ended his life The aforesaid six Articles being consented unto and concluded by the King and Parliament the Bishops caused further to be enacted that whosoever denyed Transubstantiation or whosoever should be Alders Comforters Counsellors Consentors and A bettors therein should be adjudged Hereticks That every such Offender should have and suffer Judgment Execution and pain of death by way of burning without any Abjuration benefit of the Clergy or Sanctuary and should forfeit to the King all their Land and Tenements Goods and Chattels as in Cases of high Treason And for all such as did preach teach uphold maintain or defend any thing contrary to the five last Articles should be adjudged as Fellons and lose both life and goods as in the Case of Fellony When these Articles were in debate in the Parliament house Doctor Cranmer in favour to the Professors of the Truth earnestly disputed in defence of the Truth against them but notwithstanding all his opposition the Act was past By reason of these fix Articles a great Number were apprehended in London and other Places so that all the prisons in London were too little to hold them and many were imprisoned in Halls Amongst whem was one John Porter of London John Porter died in Prison who for reading to people in a Bible was sent for by Bonner and sharply reproved Porter answered he trusted he had no way offended contrary to the Law thereby Bonner charged him for making expositions upon the Text and for gathering Multitudes about him this Porter denyed yet did Bonner send him to Newgate where he was miserably Loaden with Irons both hands and legs with a great Collor of Iron about his neck whereby he was fastned to the Wall in the Dungeon after a while he sent for a Kinsman of his who by bribing the Keeper obtained that he was put amongst Thieves and Murtherers but Porter hearing and seeing their Wickedness exhorted them to amendment of life giving them good instructions for this he was complained of and carried down into the lowest Dungeon where he was so cruelly oppressed with Bolts and Irons that within few daies after he was found dead In the year 1544. One Robert Testwood living at Windsor being a favourer of the Lutherans Robert Testwood Martyr and seeing People licking and kissing a white Alablaster Image that stood behind the high Altar at which his Zeal was so stirred that with a Key that he had in his hand he struck off the Images nose saying see good People what it is it cannot help it self how then would you have it help you The noise hereof being spred abroad one Simonds a Lawyer took up the Nose and said one day it should be a dear Nose to Testwood And further upon a day whereon every one was to carry a Relick in procession Testwood amongst others had Beckets Rochet proferred him but he pusht it from him saying if they gave it him he would wipe his Tayle with it These doings so offended the Clergy that they said he was a Heretick and would roast a Fagot one day for this geer but notwithstanding their Threats he lived in quiet till the death of the Lord Cromwell and till Winchester had insinuated into the affections of the King and wholly ruled at which time Testwood being sick in bed was fetched out and cast into Prison together with one Anthony Person John Marbeck and Henry Filmer and after a while they were all brought forth to Judgment be fore Doctor Capon â—iâ—â—op of Salsbury and others Testwoods Indictment was for that when the Priest lifted up the Sacrament he said what wilt thou lift it up so high what yet higher take heed that thou let him not fall As also that at such times when the Sacrament was lifted up he used to look down on his Book or another way that he might not see the Sacrament whereupon he said Whereon did he look that marked me so well Marry quoth the Kings Attorney he could not be better Occupied then to mark such Hereticks The Prisoners being Condemned they spent the greatest part of the night before their Execution in prayer that the Lord would strengthen them and enable them with stedfast Faith and power to go through their Exercise About this time there rose a great Persecution in Callice in France which was then under Englands power Persecution in Callice there was at one time twelve persons Imprisoned for their Religion but the Lord Cromwell so called hearing of it wrote immediately to the Commissioners in Callice in the Kings Name requiring that the Hereticks with their Accusers should be sent over into England forthwith the Commissioners loading them with Chains sent them over as soon as Cromwell heard they were arrived he sent for them to his House and smiling upon them said Go your ways to the Fleet and Submit your selves Prisoners there and be of good cheer for if God give me life you shall shortly go home with as much honesty as ye came with shame But it pleased God that shortly after this Cromwell was beheaded so that the poor men then had no hope but in the Providence of their Heavenly Father who comforted them in their deep Troubles that as their Afflictions abounded their joyes and consolations abounded much more for when all hope was past the Lord Audley Chancellor of England sent for them and without any further examination discharged them of their Imprisonment In the year 1541. The King sent out a Commission for apprehending of such as offended against the six Articles and when the Commissioners satâ— at Mercers-Chapple being such as were chosen on purpose they enquired not only for such as offended against the six Articles but of such as came seldom to Church as it s called and received not the holy Bread and Water so that they indicted above five hundred persons most of which had either died in Prison or been burnt in Smithfield but that the King being informed by the Lord Audley that they were indicted of malice granted them his Pardon Richard Meekins Martyr beinâ— a Boy of fifteen years old About the same time one Richard Meekins a boy of fifteen years old was accused for spaking some words against the Sacrament of the Altar and when the first Jury would not find the indictment against him they were soundly ratled by the Bishop of London and another Jury impannelled that found it
accused on several Articles by the Bishops and afterwards Condemned by them as an Heretick to be burnt when he came to the fire he said Father of Heaven I commend my Spirit into thy holy Hands and then turned him to the People and said these Words I beseech you Christian Brethren and Sisters that you be not offended in the Word of God for the affliction and Torments which you see already prepared for me but I Exhort you that you Love the Word of God and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted Salvation and Everlasting Comfort Moreover I pray you shew my Brethren and Sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor lâ—â—ve off the Word of God which I taught unto them after the Grace given to me for any Persecutions or Troubles in this World which lasts not and shew unto them that my Doctrine was no Old Wives Fable after the Constitution made by men and if I had taught mens Doctrine I had gotten great thanks of men but for the Word and true Gospels sake I suffer this day by men not sorowfully but with a glad Heart and Mind for this cause I was sent that I should Suffer this Fire for Christs Sake this grim Fire I fear not and so I pray you to do if that any Persecution come unto you for the Word's sake and fear not them that Kill the Body and afterwards have no power to Kill the Soul Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee Father of Heaven to forgive them that have through Ignorance or an evil Mind forged Lyes against me I forgive them with all my heart and I beseech Christ to forgive them who have Condemned me to death this day ignorantly So being first Hanged he was then burnt many People bewailing his death VVabter Mille amongst the rest of the Martyrs of Scotland his Constancy is not to be past over with silence out of whose Ashes Sprung thousands of his Religion in Scotland many Articles were drawn up against him for which he had sentance pronounced against him that he should be delivered to the Temporal Judge and punisht as an Heretick which was to be burnt Now when all things were ready for his death and he conveyed with Armed men to the Fire Andrew Olifant Judge that past sentence upon him bad him Go to the Stake he said Nay except thou pull me up with thy hand for I am forbidden by the Law of God to lay hands of my self then Olifant put him up with his hand thereupon he went gladly saying I will go to the Altar of God and desired that he might have time to speak to the People which his Executioner denyed saying That he had spoken over-much and that the Bishops were oâ—fended that the matter was so long continued but some young men that stood by desired him to speak what he please so after he had prayed he rose up and standing upon the Coles said on this wise Dear Friends the Cause why I suffer this day is not for any Crime laid to my Charge but only for the defence of the Faith of Christ Jesus for which as the faithful Martyrs have heretofore gladly offered themselves being assured after the Death of their Bodies of Eternal Felicity so this day I praise God that he hath called me of his Mercy among the rest of his Servants to seal his Truth with my Life which as I received it of him so willingly I offer it to his Glory Therefore as you will escape the eternal death be no more seduced by the Lyes of Priests Monks and Bishops and the rest of the Sect of Antichrist but depend only upon Jesus Christ and his Mercy that you may be delivered from Condemnation All that while there was great Mourning and Lamentation of the multitude for they perceiving his Patience Stoutness Boldness and Constancy were not only moved and stirred up but their hearts also were so inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland for Religion after his prayer he was hoised up on the Stake and being in the Fire he said Lord have Mercy on me pray People while there is time and so be constantly departed The Persecutions in the Reign of Edward the sixth Henry the Eighth being dead Edward the sixth succeeded him at the Age of nine years he was a Youth of a meek nature and disposition much inclined to Clemency and Mercy yea so much that when one Joan Butcher being condemned to be burnt for Heresie all the Council could not move him to set his hand saying to Cranmer what will you send her quick to the Devil in her Error Doctor Cranmer perswaded him with much ado at last to put his hand to whom he said He would lay all the charge thereof upon Cranmer as before the Lord. But though this King was of so mild a Nature and a Person inclining to love Religion from a Child being very Zealous for a further Reformation in the Church abolishing the Mass c. and a Protector being appointed during his Nonage which was his uncle the Duke of Somerset a man also very Zealous for Reformation and an Encourager of such as profest the Gospel but in the midst of these meek and gentle times on the other hand the Pâ—pish party having a great power in the Kingdom used all the Means and Endeavours to stir up Persecution and to hinder that good they found the King and his Uncle inclinable to yet the most of this Kings Reign which was but short the Sword was taken out of their hands so that they had not power to shed much Blood all his Reign yet some there were that suffered for Religion viz. Joan of Kent an English woman and one George a Dutchman and one Thomâ—s Dobb who was apprehended for speaking against the Idolatry of the Mass and committed to Prison where he died The cause of the Imprisonment of Thomas Dobb was as followeth The said Thomas Dobb being a Man fervent and zealous for Religion and as it is recorded of him a man so Innocent that he was like a Dove without any Gall or Bitterness and more apt to receive Injury then do wrong to any one It happened that as he was passing by Pauls in London seeing the Priest at Mass being at the Elevation as he passed by the young man filled with godly Zeal pitying the Ignorance and Idolatry of the People in honouring that so devoutly which the Priest lifted up was not able to forbear but opened his Mouth and turning to the People exhorted them testifying against their Idolatry for which cause he was presently apprehended by the Mayor and being accused by the Bishop of Canterbury was Committed to the Counter in Bredstreet where falling sick he soon after died In this Kings time there was also one John Hume a servant to one Lewnax accused by his Master of denying the Sacrament of the Altar to be the real
laughed and so departed About this time about thirty Men and Women were taken at a Religious Assembly in Bow-yard in Cheapside and were Committed to Prison their Preacher one Rose was had before the Bishop of VVinchester S. Gardner and by him Committed to the Tower Cranmer Ridley and Latimer apprehended Shortly after Cranmer Ridley and Latimer three Bishops were sent to the Tower and from thence Conveyed to Oxford there to Dispute with Oxford and Cambridge men in points of Religion but especially of the Eucharist the Oxford men were Cole Chadsey Pye Harpsfield Smith and Weston Prolocutor the Cambridge men were Young Seaton Watson Fecknam Atkinson and Sedgwick the matter was so carried by these twelve men that it went against the Prisoners and after the Disputation was ended the Prisoners were brought again upon the Stage and demanded whether they would persist in their Opinion or recant They affirming they would persist they were all three adjudged Hereticks and Condemned to the Fire but their Execution was not till a year or two after John Rogers Martyr In the mean time we have an account of John Rogers who was the first Martyr in this Queens time who was burnt in London after a long and fore suffering by Imprisonment Soon after him was burnt Lawrence Saunders Lawrence Saunders Martyr who was by order kept straitly in Prison and none suffered to speak with him not so much as his Wife suffered to visit him in his Examination the Chancellor threatning him that he should not live many dayes Saunders said Welcom shall the Will of God be either Life or Death for I have learned to die but I Exhort you to beware of shedding Innocent blood Truly it will Cry As the Officers were leading him away from his Examination he exhorted the People to Repentance warning them to defie Anti-christ Sin Death and the Devil that they might receive blessing and favour from the Lord being Condemned he was carried down to Coventry to be burnt where he was put into the common Goal where he slept little but spent the Night in Prayer and instructing others and the next day was burnt during the time of his Imprisonment he wrote several good Epistles to comfort and strengthen such as were under the like Suffering with him I shall only insert the Substance of one to his Wife by which may be perceived the seriousness and Zeal that was stirred up in him against his Adversaries forbidding his Wife to seek any way for his delivery Lawrence Saunders his Letter to his Wife Grace Mercy and Peace in Christ our Lord entirely beloved Wife even as unto mine own Soul and Body so do I daily in my Prayer wish unto you daily remembring you And I do not doubt dear Wife but that both I and you as we be written in the Book of Life so we shall together enjoy the same Everlastingly through the Grace and Mercy of God our dear Father in his Son Christ and for this present life letâ— us wholy appoint our selves to the Will of our God to glorifie him either by Life or by Death the Lord make us worthy to Honour him either way as pleaseth him I am cheerful I thank God in Christ in whom and through whom I know I shall be able to fight a good fight and finish a good Course and then receive the Crown which is laid up in Store for me and all the true Souldiers of Christ wherefore Wife let us in the Name of our God fight to overcome the Flesh the Devil and the World what Weapons are used in this fight look in the sixth Chap. of the Ephesians and pray c. I would that you make no suit for me in any wise thank you know whom for her most sweet and comfortable putting me in remembrance of my Journey whither I am passing I have too few such Friends to further me in that Journey which is indeed the greatest friendship the blessing of God be with you all Amen A Prisoner in the Lord Lawrence Saunders John Hooper and Rowland Taylor Martyr Shortly after were burnt for Religion John Hooper and one Rowland Taylor the one at Gloucester and the other at Hadley The time of Rowland Taylor 's Execution drawing nigh his Wife and Son coming to see him and one John Hâ—â—â— that had been his Servant after he had supt he turned to his Son saying Thomas my dear Son God Almighty bless thee see that thou fear God always and flee from Sin and wicked living be vertuous and apply thy self to thy Book and in any wise see thou be obedient to thy Mother love her serve her be ruled by her in thy Youth and follow her good Counsel in all things Beware of Lewd Company of Young men that fear not God but follow their lewd lusts flee from Whoredom and hate all filthy living and when thy Mother is old forsake her not but provide for her to thy power and see that she lack nothing then will God bless thee and give thee long Life upon Earth and Prosperity To his Wife he said my dear Wife continue stedfast in the fear and Love of God keep your self undefiled from Poposh Idolatries and Superstitions I have been unto you a faithful Yoke-fellow and so have you been to me for which I doubt not dear Wife but God will reward you Now the time is come that I shall be taken from you The Lord gave you unto me and the Lord will take me from you Blessed be the Name of the Lord I believe they are blessed which die in the Lord The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom then shall I fear God is he that justifieth who is he that can condemn In thee O Lord I have trusted let we never be confounded On the next day by two of the Clock in the Morning he was taken out of the Compter by Officers and had to Chelmsford and there was he delivered to the Sheriff of Suffolk who was commanded to see him burnt The suffering of Hailes About this time One St. James Hailes on of the Justices of the Common-Pleas at an Assizes in Kent giving charge upon the Statutes of Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth in derogation of the primacy of Rome when he was before the Chancellor in Westminster Hall being there among other Judges to take his Oath the Chancellor said Chancellor I am informed you have Indicted certain Priests in Kent for saying Mass Hailes I Indicted none but certain Indictments of that Nature were brought before me at the Assizes in Kent and I did according to Law therein and according to Conscience and if it were to do again I could do no less then I did Chancellor Your Conscience is known well enough Hailes You may do well to search your own Conscience for mine is better known to my self then to you This and other talk at that time so displeased the Bishop that not many dayes after this discourse in
he is filled with all manner of Riches as saith the Prophet Therefore I am bold in bonds as intirely desiring your everlasting health and felicity to warn you and most heartily desire you to watch and pray for our estate is dangerous and requireth continual prayer for on the high Mountains doth not grow most plenty of grass neither are the highest Trees furthest from danger but seldom sure and alwayes shaken of every wind that bloweth such a deceitfull thing saith our Saviour is honour and riches that without Grace it choketh up the good Seed sown on his Crentures and blindeth so their seeing that they go groping at noon-day in darkness it maketh a man think himself somewhat that is nothing at all for though for our honour we esteem our selves and stand in our own light yet when we shall stand before the Living God there shall be no respect of persons for Riches helpeth not in the day of Vengeance neither can we make the Lord partial for Money but as ye have ministred unto the Saints so shall you receive the reward which I am fully perswaded and assured shall be plentiously poured forth upon you all for the great goodness shewed to the Servants of the Living God and I most heartily beseech almighty God to pour forth a plentious reward upon you for the same and that he will assist you with his holy Spirit in all your doings that ye may grow as ye have begun unto such a perfection as may to be Gods honour your own Salvation and the strengthning of the weak Members of Christ for though the World rage and blaspeme the Elect of God you know that it did so unto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the Primitive Church and so it shall be unto the Worlds end Wherefore believe in the Light while you have it lest it be taken away from you if you shall seem to neglect the great Mercy of God that hath been opened unto you and your hearts consented unto it that it is the very and only Truth pronounced by Gods only Son Jesus Christ by the good will of our heavenly Father therefore I say in the bowels of my Lord Jesus Christ stick fast unto it let it never depart out of your Hearts and Conversations that you with us and we with you at the great day being one Flock as we have one Shepherd may arise to the Life Immortal through Jesus Christ our only Saviour Amen Yours in him that liveth forever Thomas Hawkes The Sufferings Examinations and Martyrdom of Thomas Watts The said Thomas Watts of Billery Key in the County of Essex Thomas Watts Martyr Linnen Draper expecting for his non Conformity to be shortly apprehended he disposed of his Estate for the benefit of his Wife and Children and according to his expectation not long after he was had before the Judges at Chelmsford where one called the Lord Râ—ch spake to him to this effect Watts You are brought hither because you will not obey the Queens Laws and will not go to Church nor hear Mass but have your Conventicles in Corners Watts replyed If I have offended a Law I am here subject to the Law Then Justice Brown said to him Watts who first taught thee this Religion Watts You taught it me and none more then you for in King Edwards Dayes in open Sessions you spoke against this Religion now used calling the Mass abominable exhorting people not to believe in it but to believe in Christ only Then said Justice Brown what a Knave is this to bâ—ly me to my face Hereupon a letter was writ and signed by the Justices and Watts sent up to Bonner as a Non-conformist what entertainment he received from the Bishop at their private conference no mention is made of it but about the beginning of the Month called May he was brought to the publick Consistory where Articles were objected against him for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and saying the Mass was abominable being brought the second time into the Consistory the Bishop counselled him to Recant to which he answered I am weary to live in such Idolatry as you would have me to live in He was several times afterwards brought before them and continuing stedfast in his Religion which the Bishop perceiving fell to his last and strongest Argument which was to pass Sentence of Death upon him and delivered him to the Sheriff of London where he continued till the ninth day of the Month called June and then was carried to Chelmsford where his wife and his six Children met him to whom he said My Wife and Children I must now depart from you therefore henceforth know I you no more but as the Lord hath given you unto me so I again give you unto the Lord charging them to fear and obey him and to beware of the abominations of Popery and so sealed his Testimony in the Fire After this Watts there were three others suffered in this County of Essex viz. Thomas Osmond Fuller William Bamford Weaver Nicholas Chamberla Weaver all of Coxhall one and the same Articles were objected against them all viz. for denying the Sacrament of the Altar Auricular Confession c. according to the accustomed manner they were several times brought to the Consistory where they were sometimes flattered and sometimes threatened to see if they would recant after the common usage of the Ecclesiastical Court and at last were condemued as Hereticks and delivered to the Sheriffs and shortly after were all three burned in Essex John Bradford and John Lease Martyrs The next that suffered were John Bradford and one John Lease an Apprentize to a Tallow-Chandler the chief matter for which they suffered was for denying the real presence in the Sacrament Auricular Confession c. The said John Lease after he had been examined by the Bishop had the Articles of his Confession sent to him to the Courter Prison to sign after he hard them read because he could not write in stead of a Pen he took a pin and pricking his hand sprinkled the blood upon the paper and bid the Messenger tell the Bishop he had sealed them with his blood already The Words that John Bradford spoke at the Stake were to this effect O England England repent thee of thy Sins repeat thee of thy Sins beware of Idolatry beware of false Anti-christs take heed they do not deceive you Strait is the Way and Narrow is the Gate that leadeth to Eternal Salvation and few there be that find it This John Bradford during the time of his imprisonment exercised himself in writing several consolating Letters not only to particuler persons but to several Towns and Counties where he had laboured shewing his great Zeal for the encreasing and spreading the most reformed Religion earnestly exhorting all men and tenderly comforting the heavy hearted confirming and encouraging all to continue stedfast in the Way he had taught them Bland Frankish Shetterden and Middleton Marytr
Rich and in great Authority he had the more power to Persecute he divorced many men and women for Religion he was a great Swearer and given to Women to write saith the History how many Concubines and Whores he had would be incredible but mark what Judgments the Lord brought upon him for his wickedness On a time a poor man speaking a word to him he struck him such a blow with the swingle of a staile that he presently died thereon for which as is said Berry held up his hand at the Bar. And shortly after one Alice Oxes of the Parish of Ailesham coming into his House and going into the Hall he met her and being before moved smote her with his fist whereby she was fain to be carried home and the next day was found dead in her Chamber When this Priest heard that Queen Mary was dead and that the glory of their triumph quailed the day called Sunday following he made a great Feast A Judgment of God upon a Persecutor and had one of his Concubines there present with whom he was in his Chamber after Dinner until he went to that he called his Evening-song where he Ministred Baptism and as he was going home between the Grave-Yard and his House he fell down suddainly to the ground with a heavy graon and never stirred after and thus the Judgments of God was evidently seen to be Executed upon him by all that beheld him In the same Moneth that the aforesaid three suffer'd at Norwich there was two men and one woman burnt at Colchester viz. William Harris Richard Day and Christian George In the next Moneth being the Moneth called June a short but sharp Proclamation came forth to prohibit the spreading several good Books therein condemned under the title of Heresie and Sedition laying the injunction so strickt that whosoever should be found to have any such Books in their custody after the Proclamation came forth should be reputed as Rebels and to be Executed forthwith according to the order of Martial Law Shortly after several persons were apprehended being assembled in a religious exercise in a back Close near Islington two and twenty of whom were committed to Newgate and there remained seven weeks before they were Examined seven of these two and twenty were afterwards burnt in Smithfield and six at Brainford One of them viz. Reginald Eastland being required by the Bishop to answer upon Oath to the Articles charged against him refused saying an Oath was to end strife but to begin strife said he and Oath is not lawful and therefore choosed rather to suffer what punishment they would inflict upon him then to swear the matter against himself After Bonner had past Sentence upon Roger Holland one of them that was burnt in Smithfield Roger spoke to this effect I am said he Moved by the Spirit of God to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty and after this day in this place shall there not be any put to the Tryall of Fire and Faggot and as he was speaking and exhorting the People the Bishop turned back and charged the Keeper that none should speak with him without leave being brought to the Stake he spake after this manner Lord I most humbly thank thy Majesty that thou hast called me from the state of Death unto the Light of thy heavenly Word and now unto the fellowship of thy Saintâ— that I may sing and say holy holy holy Lord God of hosts and Lord into thy hands I commit my Spirit Lord bless these thy People and save them from Idolatry Amongst these persons apprehended at Islington some of them were Scourged or Whipped by Bonner with his own hands upon his deformed Effigies in Whipping them one made some Latine Verses the which in English are as followeth Muse not so much that Natures work is thus deformed now With belly blown and head so swoln for I shall tell you how This Canibal in three years space two hundred Martyrs slew They were his food he lov'd so blood he spared none he knew It should appear that blood feeds fat if men lye well and soft For Bonners belly waxt with blood though he seem'd to fast oft Oh bloody Beast bewail the death of those that thou hast slain In time repent since thou canst not their lives restore again Thomas Hinshaw and John Wills were taken and sent to the Cole-house and from thence Wills was had to Fulham and there was kept eight dayes in the Stocks in which time Bonner much abused him oftentimes raping him on the head with a Stick and flirting him under the Chin saying He looked down like a Thief and then had him into his Orchard and in an Arbour where he Whipt Tho. Henshaw he Whipt him first with a Willow-rod and then with a Birchenrod labouring and dealing his blows so long as his fat panch could endure with breath oftentimes the Bishop speak to Wills to this effect They call me said he bloody Bonner I would fain be rid of you a vengeance on you you have a delight in burning If I might have my will said he I would sow up your Mouthes and put you into a Sack and drown you and thus much concerning the two and twenty taken at Islington Rich Yeoman Martyr The next that suffered was Richard Yeoman after the Persecution arose at which time he was put out of his Living he was put to great straits so that he was forced to travel from place to place selling Pins and Laces to get a livelihood to maintain his Wife and Children at last was apprehended by order from one called Justice Moyle who set him in the Stocks a day and a night but having no evident matter to charge him with let him go again and returning home to Hadley Persecution against him was so hot that his Wife kept him privately a whole year in a Room lockt up all day where he carded Wool to get Bread for his Family although he was Seventy Years Old at last the Priest of the Town one Newall having intelligence of it searched his House one night and took him out of his Bed and put him in the Cage and in the Stocks until day At the same time the said Newall had caused to be put into the Stocks one John Dale and there had kept him two or three dayes for speaking to him in the time of his Executing the Romish Service and saying O Miserable Blind Guides will ye ever be Blind Leaders of the Blind Will ye never amend Will ye never see the Truth Will neither Gods Threats nor Promises enter into your Hearts VVill the Blood of Martyrs nothing mollifie you O Crooked and Perverse Generation Out of the Stocks they were both taken and bound like Thieves and set on Horse-back and their Legs bound under the Horses belly and so carried to the Goal at Bury where they were put in Irons and thrown into the lowest Dungeon where John Dale fell sick and died after he
see his Father at his coming thither one of the Bishops Chaplains asked him What he lackt The Child answered that he came to see his Father the Chaplain said VVho is your Father The Boy pointing towards Lollards Tower told him that his Father was in Prison there VVhy said the Priest thy Father is an Heretick No said the Boy my Father is no Heretick but you are an Heretick for you have Balaams mark With that the Priest took him by the hand and led him into the Bishops House and there stript him naked amongst them and in a most shameful manner without all pity Whipt and Scourg'd this poor Child till he was all in a gore blood and then caused Cluney the Keeper to carry him in his Shirt to his Father in Prison the blood running down by his heels The poor man seeing his Child cryed out for sorrow Alas Will who has done this to thee the Boy answered As I was seeking to come to see you a Priest with Balaams mark took me into the Bishops House and there I was so used Cluney the Keeper heering this pulled the Boy out of his Fathers hands and carried him back again to the Bishops House where they kept him three dayes at the three dayes end the Childs Father was brought before Bonner and coming into the Bishops Chamber he said God be here and Peace Then said Bonner That is neither God speed nor Good morrow Then said Fetty if you kick against this peace this is not the place that I seek for and espying a Crucifix lying in the Window he asked the Bishop whether Christ was handled so cruely as he was there pictured Yea That he was said the Bishop Fetty Even so cruelly do you handle such as come before you for you are unto Gods people as Caiphas was unto Christ Then said the Bishop thou art a vile Herotick and I will burn thee or else I will spend all that I have to my Gown Nay said Fetty you were better give your Gown to some poor body that he may pray for you But notwithstanding this talk the Bishop considering what danger the Child was in by reason of their cruel whipping and cruelty used towards him let the father and him both go at Liberty but within fourteen dayes after the Child dyed The Martyrdom of Nicholas Burton Englishman and Merchant in Spain Nicholas Burton Martyr in Spain The fifth day of November in the year 1560. Nicholas Burton Merchant of London being in the City of Cadiz was apprehended by the Officers of the Inquisition who knowing himself clear asked them that did Arrest him what they laid to his Charge they answered nothing but commanded him with cruel threatnings to hold his peace and so carried him to the common Prison of the Town where he remained in Irons fourteen dayes amongst Thieves and because he declared the Truth amongst the Prisoners according to the Tallent that God had given him exhorting them to reject the Popes Traditions which being known to the Officers of the Inquisition they conveyed him loaden with Irons from thence to the City of Civil into a more cruel and strait Prison called Triana where the persecuting Fathers of the Inquisition proceeded against him according to their accustomed tyranny that never after he could be ever suffered to write or speake to the English Nation In December following they brought him with a great number of other Prisoners for professing the true Christian Religion into a place in the City called the Awto where the Inquisitors sate in Judgment Nicholas Burton they had cloathed with a Canvas Coat whereupon in divers parts was painted a huge Devil tormenting a Soul in a flame of Fire and on his head a Coppintanke of the same work His Tongue was forced out of his Mouth with a Cloven-stick fastned upon it that he should not utter his Conscience and Faith unto the people and so he was set with another English man of South â—â—pton and divers other condemned men for Religion as well French men as Spaniard upon Scaffold over against the said Inquisition where Sentence and Judgment was pronounced against them and immediately after the Sentence was given they were all carried to the place of Execution without the City and after he was burnt they immediately seized all the Goods and Merchandâ—â—â— both of his own and other mens that he was intrusted with as Factor A Merchant of Bristol who had sent Goods to him hearing of this sent over an Agent to Civel to recover his Goods out of the Inquisition so wrongfully seized At length after he had spent four Moneths time and great charges he was at was by the Inquisitors still shifted off from time to time Posting him from one to another till he had spent his Money and could get no relief but being earnest to be dispatched he was at last himself also shut up in a close Prison where being two or three dayes after brought before the Court where because he demanded his Goods they bid him say his Avemary and sent him to Prison again as an Heretick and afterwards brought him forth upon the Stage in a disguised manner where Sentence was given against him that he should lose all the Goods he sued for thought they were none of his own and suffer a Years Imprisonment besides The Scourging of Thomas Green Thomas Green Servant to one VVayland a Printer for dispersing a Book called Anti-christ was bought before Docter Story who asked him Where he had that Book and called for Cluney the Keeper of the Lollards Tower and bid him set him in the Stocks he had not been two hours in the Lollards Tower but Cluney took him out and carryed him to the Cole-house where he took a French-man out of the Stocks and putting a Bolt and Fetter upon Thomas Greens right Leg and left Hand he set him cross Fettered in the Stocks and took the French-man away with him and there he lay a day and a night the next day the Keeper came and said Let us shift your Hand and your Leg as you may not be lame and there he remained six dayes and then was sent for by Doctor Story who asked him Where he had the Book he told him He had it of a French-man How came you acquainted with him said the Doctor Thomas Green replyed Coming to Newgate to my Friends who were put in for Truth 's sake where the French-man also came and there we were acquainted Then Story required him to bring two Sureties Thomas Green told him He could find no Sureties Then said Story to the Keeper Lay him safe in the Cole-house I le make him tell another tale at his next coming so he lay in the Stocks day and night for ten dayes before he was called again and then the Doctor asked him Whether he would tell the Truth Thomas Green replyed I can tell no other Truth then I have told already and thereupon was committed to Prison for fourteen dayes more
of this Mortal Flesh to be clothed with Robes Immortal we forsake a loathsome Life for joy and felicity eternal ought any gain or exchange to be compared with this O sweet and happy Martyrdom how dost thou dignifie and inrich us in despite of the World Devil and our own Flesh and which of us now can complain seeing our Soveraign Lord and Master has so expresly foretold it to all his Followers will any man come after me saith he Let him then take up his Cross and follow me Let us bear Oh let us then bear the Cross cheerfully and with joyfulness that we may be received in the presence of his heavenly Father for it is not only given us for to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake and if we suffer with him then we shall also Reign with him Oh that we could admire his bounty who no sooner imployes us in his Work but hath the Wages ready in his Hand wherewith to recompence us your sorrow saith he Shall be turned into joy let us then cast off every weight that presseth down and whatsoever else that stands in our way to Heavenward be it Father Mother Brother Sisters Husband Child yea and our own life also let us with the wise Merchant-man sell all that with him we may purchase that pretious Pearl how happy do I esteem them that are called to suffer and leave their Life for confessing the Name of Jesus Christ for the Eternal Son of God will confess their Names before his heavenly Father and his holy Angels they shall be clad with white Robes and shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven filled with gladness in the Presence of the Lamb they shall eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Let us fix the Eye of our Minds upon these so great and pretious Promises of Jesus Christ which he hath made to all those who persevere in well-doing unto the end Oh! how happy shall we be when we are delivered from these Bodies of Death to live forever with our God Let us then continually pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith Oh dear Brethren remember me alwayes in your prayers who am bound here in the Bonds of Anti-christ remember those also who are in Bonds as if you were bound with them Pray I say without ceasing for our Adversary the Devil is alwayes compassing us about to cause our Hearts to faint and you are not ignorant what a potent Enemy our own Flesh is unto us but I confidently believe that our God who hath begun this good Work in me will perfect the same even unto the Day of Christ Farewel When the Massacrees began to play their parts in Rovan they counselled those of the Religion Persecution and Massacree at Rovan to get themselves into the Prisons as into places of greatest security from the fury and rage of the people but such as followed this advice were there even ready to be devoured as poor Sheep by these greedy Wolves at their pleasure Those who were murdered in the City in a few dayes some in their Houses and others in the Prisons amounted to six thousand besides more then fifty Women unto whom they exercised no less Cruelty then upon men Their names for brevity sake are here omitted their dead bodies being piled together were conveyed out of the City in Tumbrils and thrown by heaps one upon another into great pits digged for that purpose Their garments being washed in the River from their Blood by certain poor Women were afterwards distributed here and there to the Poor by the Papists that they might seem with their merciless and unjust Cruelty to mingle some Works of Justice and Charity A Massacree at Tholouse Upon the eight day after the Massacree at Paris about eight of the Clock in the Morning the chief of the Papists at Tholouse received Advertisement of that which had passed with Letters directing them what they were to do then a Council was called at the breaking up whereof the great Gates of the City were shut only the little Wickets left open and shortly after they entered into the houses of those of the Religion whom they imprisoned in sundry Prisons of the City about three weeks after they put all these Prisoners together into the Consciergery which is a special Prison deferring the Slaughter of them until they received Warrant and Authority from Paris which having received the Prisoners were called down to the Stairs foot one after another and there Massacred not permitting them so much leasure as to speak the Councellors who were of the Religion after they had Massacred them they hanged them up in their Gowns upon a great Elm which was in the Court of the Palace and in the mean time sacked and pillaged their houses An English Man burnt at Rome In the year 1595 a young man about the age of twenty five years being at Rome was much stirred in a Religious Zeal against their hornble Idolatry as the Bishop was going a Procession the young man pluckt the Pix out of his hand and threw it to the ground calling Wretched Idolater for which he was apprehended and sent to prison and shortly after Pope Clement the eighth hearing of it ordained that he should be immediately burnt but some of the Cardinals advised that he might rather be kept till a further examination and accordingly they kept him eight dayes in prison but when they see nothing could be drawn from him but these words viz. such was the will of God Then they stripped him naked to the middle and put on the form of a Devil or Dragon upon his head and then bound him in a Cart and carried him to the place of Execution where he was burnt alive Three English men put to death at Rome I find also a Relation of three other English-men put to death at Rome the manner of their sufferings are as followeth They meeting together entered into a Conference concerning the state of the Church at that time complaining that the Zeal of Gods Glory was wonderfully cooled amongst men yea and that even those of the Religion were grown but too worldly wise that Sathan by little and little was sowing the seed of Atheism every where by rocking men asleep in the Cradle of Security whereupon commending themselves into the hands of God they determined to take their Vogage to Rome and there to encounter with the Adversary of Christ thither they came and after two or three dayes two of them behaving themselves modestly did in secret manifest to some the Truth of the Gospel who being betrayed were imprisoned and put to death without any further ado the third resolved to bear his Testimony more publick and therefore taking an opportunity when the Pope was in the midst of his Massing devotion stept quickly to him and pluckt the host out of his hands and trod it under his feet testifying
to Antichrist let your Soul and your Body be far from those Assemblies which yield either known or secret submission unto the Ordinances of the Beast Oh! our Souls are to rejoyce in these wayes more then in all Substance and Treasure and the loving-kindness of the Eternal is forever and ever towards them and thier Seed that remember his ordinances to do them My dear Wife and Sister look not at any earthly thing consecrate your self wholely both Soul Body Husband Children and whatsoever you have unto the Lord your God let them not be dearer unto you then his Worship and Service fear not the want of outward things for the Lord careth for you and yours the Lord is my God and yours and the God of our Seed I know if you and our poor Children continue that they shall see a blessed Reward even in this life be much and often in prayer day and night and much in reading and meditating above all things pray that the Lord would restore beauty unto his Church and so would overthrow the cursed Religion of the Roman Anti christ in every part thereof remember me also and my Brethren now in Bonds that the Lord would assist us with the strength and comfort of his Spirit to keep a good Conscience and to bear a glorious Testimony to the end be not out of hope but I may be restored again unto you therefore be earnest in prayer for my deliverance yet if the Lord shall end my dayes in this Testimony blessed be his Name howsoever it goeth I am ready and content with his good pleasure and whatsoever shift you make keep our poor Children with you that you may bring them up your self in the Instruction and Information of the Lord I leave you and them indeed nothing in this Life but the blessing of my God and this my Sister I doubt not shall be found an ample Portion both for you and them though you know that in hunger often and cold often in poverty and nakedness we must make an account to profess the Gospel in this Life and teach them I beseech you even now in their youth that Lesson If they will reign with Christ they must suffer with him teach them the meanness of the Gospel and that they are not to look for greatness in this Life but every day to make account that they are to yield their lives and whatsoever they have for the Truth break their affections betimes while they are yet green by Instructions and Corrections meet for them when they are capable of handy labour I know you will not let them be Idle Thus having disburdened my self of my duty towards you and of my care to you and your poor Children in some part I am I thank God in great comfort though under great Tryals of my weakness and consideration of my own wants not in regard of men I fear not any power or strength of man whatsoever and I am this hour willing to lay down my Life for my Testimony and I trust shall be unto the end you know I was taken at a Meeting at Ratliff the two and twentieth day of the third Moneth 1592. and committed close by M. Younge to the Powltry Counter some dayes after some were sent privately to confer with me I answered for private Conference inasmuch as my Cause was made publick I saw no Cause why I should yield unto any I desired publick upon equal conditions they said no and after much needless speech departed Upon the fifth day of the fifth Moneth I was sent for to the Sessions House where after some discourse I was sent back again I cannot see but they thirst after my Blood therefore pray for me and desire all they Church to do the same To draw to an End salute the whole Church from me especially those in Bonds and be you all much and heartily saluted in the Lord let none of you be dismayed the Lord will send a glorious issue to Sions troubles yet you must all be prepared for sufferings I see no other likelihood Let not those which are abroad miss to frequent the holy Meetings salute my Mother and yours in Wales my Brethren Sisters and Kindred there and my God knoweth yea your self knoweth how earnestly and often I have desired that he would vouchsafe my service in his Gospel among them to the winning of their souls forever more unto him salute your Parents and mine in Northampton with my poor kinsman Jenkin Jones and M. David also though I had not thought that any outward respects would have made him withdraw his Shoulders from the Lords wayes but the Lord will draw him forward in his good time salute all ours in Scotland upon the Borders and every way Northward especially M. Juell alwayes dear unto me I got means this day to write thus much whereof no Creature living knoweth The sixth of the fourth Moneth 1593. in great haste with many Tears and yet in the great Spiritual comfort of my Soul your Husband John Penry a Witness of Christ against the Abominations of the Roman Antichrist and his Souldiers sure of the Victory by Blood of the Lamb. These Puritans suffered greatly also in King James his Reign although the original Cause thereof so far as I can perceive did not appear to proceed from the King for in his Speech to the Parliament in the eighteenth year of his Reign in the year 1620. He said As touching Religion Laws enough are made already It stands in two points Perswasion and Compulsion Men may perswade but God must give the blessing Jesuits Priests Puritants and Sectaries erring both on the right hand and left hand are forward to perswade unto their own ends and so ought you the Bishops in your Example and Preaching but Compulsion to obey is to bind the Conscience How much soever the King inclined to favour the Reader may understand by this following Relation being the Copy of an Address these people made to the King and Parliament relating the great Oppressions they were under To our Soveraign Lord the Kings most Exellent Majesty together with the honor able Nobility Knights and Burgesses now Assembled at the High-Court of Parliament May it please your Majesty Honors Worships gratiously to respect the humble Suit of Gods poor afflicted Servants and well-affected loyal Subjects to your Highness and Honours We are many of us constrained to live in Exile out of our native Country others detained in Prisons all of us in some Affliction which the Prelates and Clergy of this Land have inflicted upon us for our Faith in God and Obedience to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ We have never to this day been convinced of Heresie Errour or Crime for which we should sustain the great Calamities we have endured The grounds of Christian Religion professed and maintained in this Land and other Churches round about we also with one heart and Spirit assent unto and profess Enemies we are to all Popery Anabaptistry or
I have sinned in that I have betrayed Innocent Blood and then went forth and hanged himself and falling headlong he brust asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Matth. 27.3 4 5. Pilate the Governour Pilate that wicked Governor under whom Christ was Crucified in the dayes of Tiberius Nero then Emperor through the just punishment of Gods was first apprehended and accused at Rome and deposed and then banished to the Town of Lyons at length killed himself Acts and Mon. page 50. Caiphas the high Priest Caiphas that wicked high Priest that sate upon the Judgment Seat and condemned Christ was in the reign of the Emperor Caesar Caligula removed from his High-Priests Office and did not long after escape with his life Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Tiberius Caesar Tiberius Caesar who was also called Tiberius Nero under whose Raign aâ—d Goverment Christ himself suffered was poisoned to death Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Caesar Caligula Caesar Caligula that wicked Emperor and bloody minded man that wished that all the People of Rome had but one Neck that he might at his pleasure destroy them at once was cut off by the hands of a Tribune and others being slain when he had raigned but four years ibid. Claudius Nero. Claudius Nero of whom it is said that he Ruled thirteen years with no little Cruelty to the Christians was in the end slain ibid. Domitius Nero which succeeded next in the Empire but exceeded all the rest of the Neros for Fury Wickedness and Tyranny insomuch as he was counted a prodigious Monster of Nature more like a Beast yea rather a Devil then a Man in that he was so monsterously given to uncleanness Domitius Nero the first beginner and stirer up of the ten Persecutions about the Year 67 Acts and Mon. page 54. that he abstained not from his own Mother and his Natural Sister and in that he was so wretchedly cruel as that he caused to be put to death his own Mother his Brother-in-law his own Sister his own Wife great with Child and his Tutor Seneca and Lucane with divers more of his own Kindred besides the Apostles Peter and Paul who are said to be put to Death at the latter end of his reign for the Testimony of Christ and not only so his Wickedness ended not here but also he set on Fire the City of Rome in twelve places and so continued it six dayes and seven nights burning and to avoid the Infamy thereby laid the fault upon the Christians and then caused them to be persecuted He reigned fourteen Years even so long in cruelty till at last the Senate Proclaiming him a publick Enemy of Man-kind condemned him to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to Death for the fear whereof he flying the Hands of his Enemies in the night fled to a Mannour of his Servants in the Country where he was forced to slay himself complaining that he had neither Friend nor Enemy that would do so much for him Ibid. In a word if Histories speak true few or none of the Persecuting Roman Emperors died in their Beds Decius the Persecutor being overcome in War to avoid his Enemies hands he leaped with his Horse into a Whirl-pool and was drowned Cla. Gen. Martyr 54. Valerianus his reward Valerianus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians was taken Prisoner of the Persians when he was Seventy Years of Age and Sapores the King of the Persians used him for his Riding-block for whensoever the King was minded to mount his Horse openly in the sight of the People Valerian the Quondam Emperor was brought forth instead of a Block for the King to tread upon his Back in going to his Horse-back and in the end he was condemned to be slain and powdered with Salt for a perpetual Monument of his own wretchedness Acts and Mon. 105. Ex. Euseb Gallienus Killed by Aureolus Acts and Mon. 51. Aurelianus his Persecution wonderfuly prevented Aurelianus the Emperor began his reign with moderation and discretion giving Toleration to the Christians but at length giving ear to evil counsel his nature inclinable to Severity was altered to plain Tyranny which he shewed in Murdering First his own Sisters Son then purposing in himself to persecute the Christians he framed a Proclamation against them for their Persecâ—â—â—n â—â—d being ready and about to sign it with his own hand was by thâ—â—â—ghty stroke of the hand of the Lord suddainly from above stopt in his purpose binding as a man might say the Emperors hands behind him for Utropius and Vâ—piscus affirms that as the said Aurelianus was purposing to raise Persecution against the Christians he was suddainly Terrified with Lightning and so stopped from his wicked Tyranny Dioclesian the Wicked Persecutor Poisoned himself Dioclesian that Wicked and Impious Persecuting Emperor ring whose life a great and most grievous Persecution was moved â—gainst the Christians ten Years together and then he deposed himself and as some say at Solona Anno. 319. Poysoned himself Acts and Mon. Fol. 51. and 121. Maximinus was hanged as it is said by Constantine at Massilia about the Year 310. Acts and Mon. 123. Galerius confesseth to the Judgment of God Galerius the chief Minister of the Persecution after his terrible Persecutions fell into a wonderful sickness having such a sore risen in the nether parts of his Belly which consumed his Privey Members and so did swarm with Wormes that being not curable neither by Chyrurgery nor Physick he confessed it happened for his cruelty against the Christians and so calling in his Proclamations against them notwithstanding he not able to sustain as some say the stanch of his sore slew himself Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Maximinus the cruel Persecutor confesseth to the just Judgment of God Maximinus the Son as it is thought that Arch-Enemy to the Christians and great Persecutor of tender Conscience and stirrer up of others thereunto as witness his advising his Idol-Priests to execute their Office with great Authority and Dignity and with World like Pomp being to Christian pity and Religion most incensed exerciâ—ing cruel Persecution towards the East Churches so called was by the just Judgment of God suddainly and sorely vexed with a fatal disease most filthy and desperate and very strange taking its first beginning in his Flesh outwardly and from thence proceeding into the inward parts of his Body for in his Members there happened to him a suddain Putrifaction and botchey corrupt Boyles with a Fistual consuming and eating up his Intrales out of the which came swarming forth an innumerable multitude of Lice with such a pestifferous stench that no man could abide him or to be near him by reason whereof the Physitians that had him in cure some of them not able to abide the intolerable stench were commanded to be slain others because they could not heal him being so swoln and past hope of cure were all cruelly put to
Blood was Arguments enough of the imprudence of that way of promoting Religion but since she hath given permission to them c. The great instance is in the differing Temper Government and Success which Margaret of Parma and the Duke of Alva had the clemency of the first had almost extinguished the Flame but when she was removed D. Alva succeeded and mannaged the matter of Religion with Fire and Sword he made the Flame so great that his Religion and his Prince too had both been almost turned out of the Countrey Pellie mediosapientiam quoties vi res agitur said Ennius Wisdom is driven out when the matter is acted by force And therefore the best of men and most glorious of Princes were alwayes ready to give Toleration Eusebeus in his second Book of the life of Constantine reports these words of the Emperor Parem cum fidelibus ij qui errant pacis quietis fruitionem gaudentes accipiant ipsa si quidem communicationis societatis restitutio ad rectam etiam veritat is viam perducere potest nemo cuiquam molestis sit quisque quod animo destinat hoc etiam faciat Let them which err with joy receive the like fruition of Peace and quietness with the Faithful sith the restoring of communication and society may bring them into the right Way of Truth Let none give molestation to any let every one do as he determines in his mind And indeed there is great reason for Princes to give Toleration to disagreeing persons whose Opinions cannot by fair means be altered for if the persons be confident they will serve God according to their perswasions and if they be publickly prohibited they will privately convene and then all those inconveniences and mischiefs which are Arguments against the permission of Conventicles are Arguments for the publick permissions of differing Religions c. they being restrained and made miserable indears the discontented persons mutual and makes more hearty and dangerous confederations King James in his Letters to the States of the United-Provinces dated March 6.1613 thus wrot Ita ut prohibeatis Ministros vestros ne eas disputationes in suggestum aut ad plebem ferant ac districte impertis ut pacem colant se in vicem tolerando in ista opinionum ac sententiarum discrepantia So that you may forbid your Ministers that they bring not those Disputations into the Pulpit or to the People and strictly command that they embrace peace among themselves by Tolerating in that difference of Opinions and Judgments The like Counsel in the divisions of Germany at the first Reformation was thought reasonable by the Emperor Ferdinand and his excellent Son Maximilian for they had observed That Violence did exasperate was unblest unsuccesful and unreasonable and therefore they made Decrees of Toleration And the Duke of Savoy repenting of his War undertaken for Religion against the Piedmontans promised them Toleration and was as good as his word As much is done by the Nobility of Polenia so that the best Princes and the best Bishops gave Toleration and Impunities but it is known that the first Persecution of disagreeing Persons was by the Arrians by Circumcellians and Donatists and from them they of the Church took Example c. And among the Greeks it became a publick and authorized practise till the question of Images grew hot and high for then the Worshippers of Images having taken their example from the Empreis Irene who put her son's eyes out for making an Edict against Images began to be as cruel as they were deceived especially being encouraged by the Pope of Rome who then blew the Coales to some purpose I may upon this occasion give account of this affair in the Church of Rome it is remarkable that till the time of Justinian the Emperor A. D. 525. the Catholicks and Novatians had Churches indifferently permitted even in Rome it self but the Bishops of Rome whose interest was much concerned in it spoke much against it and laboured the eradication of the Novatians and at last when they got power into their hands they served them accordingly but it is observed by Sâ—crates that when the first persecution was made against them at Rome by Pope Innocent the first at the same instant the Goths invaded Itally and became Lords of all it being just in God c. And I have heard it observed as a blessing upon S. Austin who was so merciful to erring Persons as the greatest part of his life to tolerate them and never to indure that they should be given over to the seculer power to be killed that the very night the Vandals set down before his City of Hippo to besiege it he died and went to God being taken from the miseries to come But in the Church of Rome the Popes were the first Preachers of Force and Violence in matters of Opinion and that so zealously that Pope Vigilius suffer'd himself to be imprisoned and handled roughly by the Emperor Justinian rather then he would consent to the restitution and peace of certain disagreeing persons c. The first that preached that Doctrine was dominick the Founder of the Begging Order of Friars The Friars Preachers in memory of which the Inquitision is intrusted only to the Fryars of his order and if there be any force in Dreams or truth in Legends c. This very thing might be signified by his mothers Dream who the night before Dominick was born dreamed she was brought to bed of a huge Dog with a Fire-brand in his mouth sure enough however his Disciples expound the Dream it was a better sign that he should prove a Rabid furious incendiary then any thing else what ever he might be in the other parts of this life in this Doctrine he was not much better as appears in his deportment towards the Abligences against whom he so preached Adeo quidem ut centum hereticorum millia ab octo millibus catholicorum fuse interfecta fuisse probiantur saith one of him and of those who were taken one hundred and eighty were burned to death because they would not abjure their Doctrine this was the first Example of putting erring Persons to death that I find in the Romish Church By this time I hope it will not be thought unreasonable to say He that teaches mercy to erring Persons teaches indifferency in Religion unless so many Fathers and so many Churches and the best of Emperors and all the World till they were abused by Tyranny Popery and Faction did teach indifferency For I have shewn that Christianity doth not punish corporally persons erring Spiritually but indeed Popery doth The Donatists and Circumcelians and Arrians and Itaciani they of old did in the middle Ages the Patrons of Images did and the Papists at this day do and have done ever since they were taught it by their St Dominick Let all Errors be as much and as zealously supprest as may be but let it be done by such means as are
to sin in yielding a Conformity contrary to their own Faith for whatsoever is not of a mans own Faith is sin 12. Because that Imposition and Force wrestles with flesh and blood and carnal Weapons which are contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said Our Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual and Mighty through God and we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood 13. Because there is but One Judge Law giver and King in and over the Conscience as the Saints have testified in the Scriptures of Truth and whosoever would intrude so as to be Judge and Lawgiver over the Conscience intrencheth upon the Perogative of Christ Isa 33. 22. James 4.12 14. Because it is prophesied in Isa 11. The Woâ—lf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and there shall be no Destroyer in all the Holy Mountain And therefore no Imposition upon mens Consciences 15. Because to impose upon mens Consciences for differences in Faith is contrary to the Advice of the Apostle who directs People to wait upon God to be satisfied and not to the Magistrates or others to be forced who saith Whereunto we have attained let us walk and wherein any man is otherwise minded God shall reveal even that unto him 16. Because to force mens Consciences and to lay Yoaks upon them is to make void the Bloodshed and Sufferings of Christ who fits upon the Throne of the Conscience and gives liberty there and commands us to stand fast in that liberty and not to be entangled through the Impositions of men or Yoke of bondage â—alat 5.6 17. Because in all Nations the different Professions and Perswasions of Religion are either Friends or Enemies to the Governors if Friends then obliged by that bond if Enemies then Christ's Command is to take place who saith Love your Enemies which if observed Persecution for Conscience will be avoided 18. Because Toleration of different Perswasions in Religion was allowed in the Jewish State as not inconsistant with their Safety and that in things contrary each to other as the Sadduces Pharisees Esaeans Herodians with others 19. Because the true Religion cannot be preached up by force of ARMES and the primitive Christians detested that Form of Proceedings 20. Because no man hath such power by outward compulsion over the Souls and Consciences of other men as to lay a necessity on them to believe that which they do not believe or not to believe what they do believe true Faith being the Gift of God 21. Because If the Magistrate imposeth upon the Conscience he must either do it as a Magistrate or as a Christian Not as a Magistrate for then Heathens being Magistrates have the same power to impose and so by Revolutions and Conquests may come to give Laws to Christians and compel them to Idolatry 2. Not as Christians for that contradicts Christ's saying The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but it shall not be so among you for all ye are Erethren 22. Because by the same Rule and Reason that the Magistrates of one Nation ought to impose upon and persecute for Conscience the Magistrates in all other Nations ought to do the same and so the greatest part of Mankind may come to be destroyed there being more that Dissent then are at Unity in Metters of Faith and Religion 23. Because the strength of Truth and its Conquest over Falsity and Deceit is best discovered by letting both have their Liberty from outward Compulsion For no doubt had outward Force been less used the prevalency of Truth had been more manifest and that wise Saying truly experienced in the World viz. That which is of God will stand and that which is not will come to nothing 24. Because the Disciples of Christ are rebuked by him for desiring the Destruction of those that were contrary to him and would not receive Him which zeal is sharply reproved in his Saying They knew not what Spirit they were of 25. Because to impose upon mens Consciences and to destroy their Persons for difference in Religion is contrary to the end of Christ's coming who saith He came not to Destroy mens Lives but to save them 26. Because People of divers Religions in one Nation if not tolerated must some of them be destroyed or removed by banishment If destroyed the Constancy and Patience of the Sufferers for their Faith moving Pity and Commiseration makes men more ready to own then to reject their Faith and so rather multiplies then lessens the number of its Professors if banished this renders the Banished as so many Enemies abroad ready upon all occasions to disturb the Peace and Tranquillity of their own native Country There is therefore in order to the outward welfare of all Nations a kind of necessity for a Toleration in them of all Religions 27. Because to impose upon mens Consciences begets a hatred against the Imposers in those who are imposed upon and forced thereby to violate their Consciences towards God in matters of Worship 28. Because men are commanded to be subject to the Powers that are for Conscience sake and therefore such Powers ought not to persecute men for Conscience sake being that is prescribed for the Rule of Obedience the Scriptures saying Be ye subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake SECT IX Several Sayings collected from the Speeches and Writings of King Charles the First ANd we find asserted by King Charles the â—â—rst in his Book known by the Name of ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ as followeth Pag. 67. In his Prayer to God he said Thou seeft how much Cruelty among Christians is acted under the colour of Religion as if we could not be Christians unless we crucific one another Pag. 28. Make them at length seriously to consider that nothing violent and injurious can be religious Pag. 70. Nor is it so proper to hew out religious Reformations by the Sword as to pollish them by fair and equal Disputations among those that are most concerned in the Differences whom not Force but Reason ought to convince Sure in Matters of Religion those Truths gain most upon mens Judgments and Consciences which are least urg'd with Secular Violence which weakens Truth with Perjudices Pag. 115. It being an Office not only of Humanity rather to use Reason then Force but also of Christianity to seek Peace and ensue it Pag. 91 92 In point of true conscientious tenderness I have often declared how little I desire my Laws and Scepter should intrench on God's Soveraignty which is the only King of mens Consciences Pag. 123. Nor do I desire any man should be further subject unto me then all of us may be subject unto God Concerning Oaths P. 76. The injoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtful be Dangerous as in things unlawful Damnable Some words of Advice from CHARLES the First to the then Prince of Wales now King of England c. Pag. 165. My Counsel and Charge to you is That you seriously
in England he said Well of this you may be assured That you shall none of you suffer for your Opinions or Religion so long as you live peaceably and you have the Word of a King for it and I also have given forth a Declaration to the same purpose That none shall Wrong you or Abuse you And further in the Kings Declaration dated December 26. 1662. wherein he declares first his wonderful Restoration without the least blood shed by the Military Sword And he expresseth his Clemency or the Clemency of his Nature And he vindicates himself from divers suggestions of disaffccted Persons particularly from that of intending to subject Persons and Estates to revenge or spoil c. and from intending to introduce a Military or Arbitrary way of Government Also he expresses these words as a malicius Scandal viz. That having made use of such solemn Promises from Bredah and in several Declarations since of ease and liberty to tender Consciences instead of performing any part of them we have added streighter Fetters then ever And further adds viz. We find it as artificially as maliciously divulged throughout the whole Kingdom that at the same time we deny a fitting Liberty to those other Sects of our Subjects whose Consciences will not allow them to conform to the Religion established we are highly indulgent to Papists even to such a degree of countenance as may even endanger the Protestants Religion These and such like in the said Declaration are related as venomous Insinuations most false and malicious Scandals wicked and malicious Suggestions and the Fomenters of them as the most dangerous Enemies of his Crown and of the Peace Happâ—ness of the Nation And these words are further added viz. It having been always a constant profession of ours That we do and shall ever think our royal dignity and greatness much more happily and securely founded on our own Clemency and our Subjects Loves then in their Fears and our Power To give our People a Testimony of our founding all our security rather in their affections then in any Military Power the sole strength and security we shall ever confide in shall be the hearts and affections of our Subjects indeared and confirmed to us by our Gratious and Steady manner of Government according to the antient known Laws of the Land there being not any one of our Subjects who doth more from his heart abhor then we our selves all sorts of Military and Arbitrary Rule As concerning the non-performance of our Promises we remember well the very words of those from Bredah viz. We do declare a liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon Mature deliberation shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence We remember well the Confirmations we have made of them since upon several occasions in Parliament and as all there things are still fresh in our memory so are we still firm in the Resolution of performing them to the full We do conceive our selves so far engaged both in honour and in what we owe to the Peace of our Dominions which we profess we can never think secure whilst there shall be a colour left to the disaffected to inflame the minds of so many Multitudes upon the scores of Consciences with dispair of ever obtaining any effect of our Promises for their ease Such an Act as in pursuance of our promises the wisdom of our Parliament shall think fit to offer unto us for the ease of tender Consciences We profess it would be grievous unto us to consent to the putting any of our Subjects to death for their Opinions in matter of Religion only Our expressing according to Christian Charity Our dislike of Blood-shed for Religion only Our Parliament is an Assembly so eminent in their Loyalty and their Zeal for the Peace and Prosperity of our Kingdoms can no wayes be doubted in the performance of all our Promises and to the effecting all those gracious intentions which God knows our heart is full of for the PLENTY PROSPERITY and UNIVERSAL SATISFACTION of the NATION We think to give them the most important Marks of our care First In punishing by severe Laws that Licentiousness and Impiety which we find to our great grief hath overspread the Nation And lastly so to improve the good consequence to the advancement of trade that all our Subjects finding the advantage in that Prime foundation of plenty they may all with minds happily composed by our clemency and indulgence instead of taking up thoughts of deserting their professions apply themselves comfortably and with redoubled industry to their several vocations c. Also in the Votes and Advice of the House of Commons Febr. 5. 1662. Upon reading the Kings Declaration and Speech are these words viz. And our hearts are further enlarged in these returns of Thanks-giving when we consider your Majesties most Princely and Heroick professions of relying upon the affections of your People AND ABHORING ALL SORTS OF MILITARY AND ARBITRARY RULE c. And in the Kings Declaration March 15th 1671. Pag. 4. But it being Evident by the sad Experience of twelve years that there is very little fruit of all those forceable courses And in Pag. 8. It s said we do in the next place declare our will and pleasure to be that the Execution of all and all manner of penal Laws in matters Ecclesiastical against whatsoever sort of Non-conformists or Recusants be immediately suspended and they are hereby suspended c. THE END