No evill example was to bée séene there nor ought that savoured of feigned hinesse but such as procéeded from uprightnesse of heart and sincerity But the Inquisitors who alwayes lye in waite to take hold though but with the least thréed of their net caught these foure women with other their neighbours in the same when God knew they were fitted for the confession of his holy truth Now as the Latine tongue did much aide the said Mary Bohorques to retaine her in reading of the holy Bible whilest the Popes Tyranny forbad the same to be read in the vulgar tongue so she came quickly to be invironed with the more adversaries during her captivity Doctor Egidus whose memory was renowned throughout Spaine among all such as truly worshipped God had béen her Instructor and was wont to say of this Maide that he alwaies went from her more learned by conferring with her then when he came to her Would to God many maids in these dates might deserve to be so commended During her Captivity there came many Monkes to dispute and reason with her above all those of the order of Saint Dominicke who were enforced to admire the spirit of wisdome wherewith this Damosell was inspired as also at the pregnant answers which she gave to their demands Shée suffered so many kindes of torments that by the violence thereof they forced her to nominate her sister Iane Bohorques and to confesse that she had often béen present at the Preaching of the Gospell This Iane was the wife of one called Francis Varquis Lord of Higueras a man of excellent note Shée was sixe Moneths gone with child when she was committed to prison and therefore was not so straitly used nor hardly dealt with all as other of the prisoners were But within eight daies after her delivery her childe was taken from her and then giving her no longer time of breathing they began to deale with her after the guise of the Spanish Inquisition forming her inditement agréeable to the rigour and severity thereof In which her extremity shée had comfort of none but of a vertuous young maiden who afterwards was burned for the profession of the truth which maid being one day brought by the Inquisitors to the torture was in a manner dismembred and then layd upon a bed of straw whereon both were laid in the prison serving rather to vexe then any way to ease them yet did the other yeeld her all the reliefe which her selfe or the place could possibly afford Scarse had this poore Damosell recovered some ease after these intolerable bruises but this aforesaid Iane Bohorques tasted of the same bitter Cup where shée was so cruelly tormented on the Burro as they call it which is a bench or forme whereon they give the Towell or Napkin that the cords pierced through the flesh into the bones both of her armes and leggs and in this pitifull plight the bloud gushing out shée was returned to her prison where within eight daies after it pleased God to frée her out of the clutches of these bloudthirsty into his eternall happinesse and glory Now they were very loth it should bee bruited abroad that this gentlewoman so well borne and delicately bred should dye under so cruell torments but they who were the beholders of such inhumanity could not be silent Yet these good fathers being under no controle take their liberty thus to imbrue their hands in the bloud of Gods saints Her sister Mary being led with the rest of her fellowes to the place where they were to suffer she went thereto with such joy and gladnesse as one triumphing over her enemies which the whole tribunall observing and fearing lest others would be imboldened by her constant defence of the truth and singing of Psalmes as she went gagged her And when she came to the place of execution that they might obscure the glory of this heavenly constancy they presently strangled her ¶ Iulian Hernandes burned in Sevill in Spaine Anno 1559. THis Iulian who for his small stature was called le petit was servant to Iohn Piers Spaniard and minister of the Gospell in Geneva where through much resrot of many learned men thither religion flourished At which time being moved with godly zeale rather then being counselled thereto he undertooke a businesse which as it was of great importance so of no small perill and imminent danger for he brought with him thence and caused a great number of Bookes of the holy Scriptures in Spanish to be conveied into Spaine earnestly thirsting after the increase and growth of the light of the Gospell in his native countrey which godly enterprize of his the Lord so guided that he brought the same to a prosperous Issue Yea which is yet the more admirable even within the walles of Sevill notwithstandinh all the watch and ward the Officers of the Inquisition used These books to the poore Chrstians there were welcommed with no lesse joyfulnesse then the rain when it showers downe upon the parched ground For the Gospell by meanes hereof grew and was Psal 〈◊〉 enlarged so as the Lord thereby reaped a very great Harvest But the newes hereof comming to the eares of the holy Fathers first by the indiscretion and foole-hardinesse of one more zealous then wise and then by the treachery of wily spies of the Inquisition who counterfeited a profession of the Gospell meerely to ensnare and betray the sincere professors thereof by their disloyall practises no sooner had these venerable Fathers or hunters rather gotten a sent of this game where it lay but comming violently upon them tooke the damme with her young ones By which Deut. 21. 6. great surprisall the whole flocke was scattered but so many was the number of them even at their first apprehension that it amased the huntsmen themselves For the prisons were so replenished that they See what great increase God can bring out of weake beiginnings were faine to borrow private houses to shut up the prisoners in At once they burned twenty and upwards of them together whilst in Sevill they detayned in bonds 800. Amongst whom this Iulian was one of the first which they met withall whom they kept in prison above thrée yéeres laden with Irons during which time every day afforded new spectacles of catching their prey But such was his wonderfull constancy that he wearied his tormentors from vexing him any more so as new forces never failed this little leane body to suffer any tortors the Inquisition could devise He was naturally of a chéerefull spirit and God so increased the same in him that he came from the torture with no lesse courage then when he was wont to come unto it so as neither paine of the racke nor the threats of the Officers nor yet the cruelties they exercised upon him could withhold him from manifesting to his prison fellowes as he went along by them his conquest and victory to the shame and reproach of his adversaries using to say
intreats for a pacification that those of her sex being with childe might not bee affrighted the péeces and pistols continually discharged sent in all haste to the Duke her husband with much entreaties to cease this persecution for frighting women with childe During this slaughter the Cardinall of Guise remained before the Church of the said Citie of Vassi leaning upon the wals of the church-yard looking towards the place where his followers were busied in killing and slaying whom they could Many of this assembly being thus hotely pursued did in the first brunt save themselves upon the roofe of the house not being discerned of those which stood without but at length some of this bloody crue espying where they lay hid shot at them with long pieces wherewith many of them were hurt and slain The houshold servants A lamentable spectacle of Dessalles Prior of Vassi shooting at the roofe people caused them to fall downe from the roofe like pigeons one of that wretched company was not ashamed to boast after the massacre was ended That he for his part had caused sixe at the least to tumble downe in that pittifull plight saying that if others had done the like not many of them could possibly have escaped The Minister in the beginning of the massacre ceased not to preach still till one discharged his piece against the pulpit where he stood after which falling downe upon his knées he entreated the Lord not onely to have mercy upon himselfe but also upon his poore persecuted floke Having ended his prayer he left his gowne behinde him thinking thereby to kéepe himselfe as unknown bâ—t whilest he approached towards the dore in his fear he stumbled upon a dead body where he received a blow with a sword upon his right shoulder Getting up againe and then thinking to get forth he was immediately laid hold on and grievously hurt on the head with a sword whereupon being felled to the ground and féeling himselfe mortally wounded he cryed Lord into thy hand I Psal 31. 5. commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me thou God of truth Whilest he thus prayed one of this bloody crue ran upon him to have houghed him but it pleased God his sword brake in the hilts Now to let you understand by what meanes he was delivered from so imminent a death two gentlemen taking knowledge of him as the rest were about to kill him said it is the Minister let him be conveyed to my Lord Duke These leading him away by both the armes brought him before the gate of the Monastery from whence the Duke and the Cardinall his brother comming forth said come hither and asked him saying Art thou the Minister of this place who made thée so bold to seduce this people thus Sir said the Minister I am no seducer for I have preached to them the Gospell of Iesus Christ The Duke perceiving that this short and pithy answer condemned his cruell fact began to curse and sweare saying Death of God doth the Gospell preach sedition Provost goe and let a Gibbet be set up and hang this bougrer At which words the Minister was delivered into the hands of two Pages who misused him vilely The women of the City being ignorant Papists caught up dirt to throw in his face and with extended outcries said Kill him kill this varlet who hath béen the cause of the slaughter of so many Much adoe there was to hold off the women from being revenged upon the poore Minister Whilst the Pages had him thus in their handling the Duke went into the barn to whom they presented a great Bible which they used for the service of God The Duke taking it into his hands calling his brother the Cardinall said Loe here the Title of the Huguenot books The Cardinall viewing it sayd There is nothing but good in this book for it is the Bible to wit the holy Scriptures The Duke being offended for that his answer suited not to his humor grew into a greater rage than before saying Blood of God how now what the holy Scripture It is a thousand and five hundred yéerey agoe since Iesus Christ suffered his death and passion and it is but a yéere since these bookes were imprinted how then say you that this is the Gospell by the death of God you say you know not what This imbridled fury of the Duke displeased the Cardinall so as he was heard secretly to mutter An unworthy Brother This Massacre continued a full houre the Dukes trumpeters sounding the whilst two severall times When any of these desired to have mercy shewed them for the love of Iesus Christ the murtherers in scorne would say unto them you use the name of Christ but where is your Christ now become And when they said Lord God they blasphemingly would A grievous scorne say Lord devill There dyed in this Massacre within a few daies fifty or thréescore persons besides these there were about two hundred and fifty others as well men as women who were wounded and spoiled Anno 1563. whereof some died some were maimed losing some a leg some an arme some their fingers cut off from their hands and caried away The poores The poores mony violently taken away and never after restored box which was fastned to the doore of the Church with two Iron hookes was wrested thence with twelve pounds therein and never restored again Nothing was to be séene in the stréets but Women with their haire hanging about their eares faces besmeared with blood being wounded in many places with swords and daggers with wéepings and lamentations Barbers and Chirurgians were so set on worke that he which had least had thréescore under his hand to be dressed and many perished for want thereof The Minister was kept close prisoner so as for foure and twenty houres none were permitted to supply him with any necessaries at all nor any suffered to sée him or speake with him and was oft threatned by his kéepers to be sowed up in a sack and drowned Faine would they have drawn him to have kept his Easter after the Popish guise under faire premises of his inlargement but he would by no means consent thereto Thus continued he prisoner untill the eight day of May 1563. at which time he was set frée by the suit of the most illustrious prince of Portion Whilest the Duke was at Esclairon the Lackeys and others of their sort put to sale unto such as would give most cloaks hats girdles Coifes Kerchiefes with other things which they had spoiled the massacred of Crying them with a loud voyce as if a common cryer had cryed houshold stuffe to be sold A memorable deliverance ONe called Iohn of the Gardens having lived a long time with his wife and childe in regard of the present troubles abroad in the fields nigh to a City called Seulis in France at length determining to goe backe againe into the Citie casting himselfe and his upon the providence of God were
chamber as we call it Bish These words must be taken of our ordinary eating which is cast saving your presence after it is eaten into the draught La Grange What becomes then of this swallowed flesh Bish The formes are turned into it and the flesh of Iesus Christ is gone but these things must not be too curiously examined La Grange This answer cannot stand the accidents which you call kindes cannot be changed thereinto it is the substance which is changed But let us come to a more substantiall argument you teach That whosoever receives this Bread which you call flesh receives Iesus Christ How 1 Cor 11. 27. 29. is it then that Saint Paul saith Hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himselfe c. Bish This argument hath some weight in it for thus you reason hee that receives Christ doth therewithall receive eternall life but by our Doctrine all receive Christ in the sacrament therefore they must needs have eternall life I confesse it is true according to your minor proposition that they receive him but I deny that all receive him unto life everlasting for if they receive not the flesh by the holy Ghost it profits them nothing La Grange I have taken the first part of my Iohn 11. 25. proposition out of Saint Iohn where Christ saith he is the life but séeing wée cannot receive so much as a common hearbe without the vertue of it much lesse can wee receive Christ without that life which is comprehended in him otherwise Simile we should receive a dead body without efficacy and not Iesus Christ who causeth those that eate him to live â—ternally For this sacrament was instituted of God by his sonne to manifest and set Iohn 6 51. forth his fatherly good will towards us not contenting himself to have received us once as strangers into his houshold by baptisme but as his owne Children and therefore hath ordained this Why the Lords supper was ordained We partake of Christ in the Sacrament by the effectuall working of the holy Ghost second sacrament of the holy supper that in his house wee might have wherewith to nourish and féed us continually Now as touching the holy Ghost it is by him that we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ and drinke his bloud conjoyning by his powerfull working those things together which by distance of place are severed farre off one from another causing all that is in Christ to become ours and as by a conduit pipe conveying unto us the true partaking of Christs flesh and bloud so as whosoever receives Christ hath eternall life Bishop That is if hee receive him by the holy spirit for otherwise the flesh profiteth nothing as Iohn 6. 63. saint Iohn saith La Grange Sir the place you alledge makes against you for Christ there reproves his disciples for thinking they should eate his flesh after a carnall manner as it appeares by the words following for the words said hée which I speake to you are spirit and life If then wee are so wise as to observe that the Sunne sending downe its substance on earth by the beames thereof doth after a sort cause the hearbes to spring forth and Simile grow shall not the influence of the spirit of Christ be of much more efficacy to bring us to the true participation of his flesh and bloud Bishop Then the Bishop was desirous to bée gone saying it grew late and so for want of time our conference ended The Bishop commended me to God and then tooke his leave of the company This is the summe of our communication so farre as I can remember By this briefe recitall we may observe what holy boldnesse mixed with meekenesse the Lord had indued this his worthy servant with even in the flower of his age being drawne from his studies and from the place of his birth to preach the Gospell to the Valencians and at length to seale up the same with his bloud A short narration of the life and death of these two valiant Champions of Christ Guy de Brez and Peregrin de La Grange Ministers and martyrs NExt to the pure preaching of the word nothing so much commends those whom the Lord culls out to give their lives for the same as doth an holy and blamelesse conversation continued unto their happy departure out of this world It remaines then in few words that we set forth the conversations of these two holy personages that thereby the mercies and graces of the Lord be stowed upon them may have the greater lustre Guy de Brez borne in Mons in Hainault béeing in his younger yeares much addicted to Popish superstitions came by continually reading of the Scriptures to taste the swéetnes of Christian Religion which knowledge brought forth no smal fruit in him in due season Yet so as it could by no meanes be relished or received by them of his Nation Whereupon he departed from Mons and having learned the art of painting Glasse came to London whilest good King Edward the sixth raigned who gave persecuted strangers leave to have harbour within his realme of England After his abode there a while and understanding that the preaching of the Gospell obtained some entertainment in the Low-Countries he went over to give his assistance to those of his owne Country The first fruits of his labours were most an end in bestwong some exhortations in such places where he found any willing to give him audience though never so few in number But above all he clave to them of the City of Lisle because he found there a great number of beléevers who desired nothing more than to heare the Gospell publiquely preached unto them At that time began also an holy conflict * Against which this godly man published a learned confutation in French which booke I have in my hands against the pestilent sect of the Anabaptists which as cockle mingled it selfe amongst the good corne In this city he continued untill the flock of Christ wer dispersed by reason of persecution and then went to Gaud where hée wrote his booke called the Staffe of Faith extracted out of the ancient Fathers After that béeing desirous to profit more and more in the knowledg of such things as were requisite to be in a Minister of the Gospell hée travelled towards Lausanna and thence to Geneva to furnish himselfe with the tongues and thence withdrawing himselfe into the Low-countries hée there established the churches of Lisle Tournay and of the Valencians in which cities God so prospered his labours that he was preserved by his divine providence as it were in the middest of the fiery flames from falling into the hands of his enemies And not to stand longer in relating the paines and travels of this faithfull servant of Christ not onely the reformed Churches of the said country can testifie but also these of Diex Mondidier and Amiens also which hée was an happy instrument to support whilest the
as now we may cry out with saint Paul O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory She was often admonished by him to make confession of her sinnes before God shewing that bodily diseases tended to the dissolution of nature and that death was the wages of sinne declaring Rom 6. 23. moreover that by this her chastisement she might discerne what she had deserved if God should now enter into iudgement with her not onely in regard of the fall of our first Parents in which guilt Rom. 5. 12. she was enwrapped as well as others but also by her owne personall sinnes séeing the best of men or women in the world are in themselves but poore miserable and wretched offendors yea if the Lord should punish us according to our demerits we could expect nothing at his hands but eternall death and condemnation At these words she began with her hands and eies lifted up to heaven to acknowledge that her Psal 19. â— sinnes which she had committed against the Lord were innumerable and therefore more then she was able to reckon up But yet she hoped that God for Christs sake in whom she put her whole affiance would be mercifull unto her From the later clause of her spéech the Minister tooke occasion to declare at large upon what ground she was to expect the fruit of this mercy of God in Christ séeing the whole have no need Mar. 2. 17. of Phisitian but they that are sicke and therfore Christ saith in that place Hee came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance And that he is ready to fill the hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. whereas in the meane while he sends the rich empty away Of all which said he you ought so much the rather to be perswaded in your conscience by how much the more the holy spirit witnesseth to your spirit that you are the childe of God Crying in you Abba Father For what is Rom. 8. 15. What faith is faith else but a firme trust and assurance of the good will of God manifested towards us in his blessed sonne Now the Minister fearing he might some way offend her by his overlong discourse held his peace the rather because the Physitians thought that a long continued spéech might bee hurtfull unto her but she on the contrary earnestly requested him not to forbeare speaking unto her about these matters of life and eternall salvation adding that she wow felt the want of it in regard that since her comming to Paris shee had béen somewhat remisse in hearing such exhortations out of the word of God And therefore I am now the more glad saith she to receive comfort out of it in this my so great extremity The Minister then endeavoured to set before her the happinesse of heaven and what those joyes Psal 16. 11. were which the faithfull there possesse in the presence of God which when the scriptures intend to discover unto us they onely tell us that the eie 1 Cor. 259. hath not seene nor hath the eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what these things are which God hath prepared for them that love him To which purpose he used this simllitude as if a King minding greatly to honor Simile some noble persome noble personage should bring him to his court and there shew him his state and attendance his Treasures with all his most precious Iewels even so saith he will the Lord one day reveale to all his elect and faithfull people his magniâ—cence and glory with all the treasures of his Kingdome after he hath gathered them home to himselfe decking and adorning them with light incorruption and immortality This happiness therefore being so great her highnesse he said ought to be the lesse carefull about the leaving of this transitory life seeing that for an earthly kingdome which she was now to forgoe she should inherit an heavenly and for temporall good things which vanish and come to nothing in the using she should for even enjoy those that were eterenall and everlasting For her faith being now firmely setled upon our Lord Iesus Christ she might be suffered to obtaine eternall salvation by him on which words he tooke occasion to direct his speech in more particualar manner unto her saying Madame doe you verily beleeve that Iesus Christ come into the world to save you and doe you expect the full forgivenesse of all your sinnes by the shedding of his bloud for you To which she readily answered she did believing that he was her only Saviour and Mediator looking for salvation from none other knowing that he hath abundantly satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world and therefore was assured that God for his sake according to his gracious promises in him would have mercy upon her Thus you have in part the goodly speeches which passed from this religious Lady in the beginning of her sicknesse all which was within the space of three or foure daies Howsoever before that and since also she ceased not to continue the same her fruitfull and comfortable communications now and then sending forth most affectionate slighings to God as a testimony of that hope and desire Anno 1567. she had in enjoying his presence often uttering these words O my God in thy good time deliver me from this body of death and from the miseries of this present life that I may no more offend thee and that I may attain to that felicity which thou in thy Word hast promised me Neither did she manifest her pious affection by these her words onely but therewithall shewed a joyfull and resolute countenance as the vehemency of her sicknesse could beare which gave sufficient proofe to all that beheld her that the feare of death could not drive her from the stedfastnesse of her Faith When she had finished these her consolatory spéeches they usually went to prayer intreating the Lord that he would arme her with constant patience and have mercy upon her Which praier it shall not be altogether impertinent to insert in this place serving as a forme of praier upon the like occasion ¶ The Prayer O Lord our God we confesse hee before thy Divine Majesty that wee are altogether unworthy of thy infinite mercies by reason of our manifold iniquities and that we are so farre off from deserving to be heard of thée in our requests that we are rather worthie thou shouldest reject both our persons and our sutes but séeing it hath pleased thée to make us a gracious promise of hearing and granting our requests we humbly beséech thee fréely to forgive all our offences and to cover them under the obedience and righteousnesse of thy deare Sonne that through him our selves and poore services may be well pleasing before thee For Lord we acknowledge that all our afflictions are measured out unto us by thine hand who art a most just Iudge in regard we have every way provoked
out his hand to receive you unto him Are you are you willing to goe unto him Yes I assure you saith she most willing and much more willing than to linger here below in this world where I see nothing but vanity The minister not willing to continue longer in this kinde of discourse asked if she were pleased that they should goe to prayer declaring that godly personages there present would willingly joyne their desires with hers To which she consenting the said Minister prayed by her a good space whilest this pious Lady manifested her ardent affection to call upon God When prayer was ended the Minister discerning in her the undoubted testimonies of her repentance and of the sorrow she conceived for the offences which she had committed against God together with the assured confidence which shée had in his mercies as a Minister of the Gospell amd Embassadour of the Son of God by the authority dispensed to him having committed to him the word of reconciliation he assured her in his name that all her sins were forgiven her of 1 Cor. 5. God and that they should never come into account before his judgement Seat yea that she should no more dount thereof then if the Sonne of God from heaven should say unto her Daughter thy sins are forgiven thee And to the end that troubled consciences might the better be quieted Christ hath used these words speaking to his Ministers saying Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted Mat. 16. 14. and whose sins ye unloose they are unloosed The reason is because the word which they pronounce is not the word of a mortall man but of the immortall God being of no lesse weight than if himselfe uttered the same Then he asked of her Majesty if he accepted of so gracious a Message which assured her of the frée pardon of all her sins Yea I doe saith shee and make no doubt thereof Not long after these exhortations the Admirall comming in and with him another Minister shée also gave care to him for a good space together whose discourse tended to prepare her for death as he had done who had spoken to her immediatly before who having finished his spéech prayed also with her and for her which she heard with great attention and affection Then she requested that these two ministers might stay with her all night in her Chamber and that they would in no wise leave her The greater part of this night was spent in holy admonitions which these two ministers gave to this gracious Lady and Princesse one after another Besides these admonitions she commanding that some Chapters of the holy Scripture which were pertinent for her condition should be read unto her one of the Ministers read in her hearing certaine Chapters out of the Gospell of Saint Iohn namely from the fouretéenth to the seventéenth After he had read to her these Chapters he went to prayer which being ended the Quéene desired to take some rest but it was not long ere she commanded them to reade again whereupon the other Minister having made choise of certaine Psalmes of David full of ardent and affectionate prayers suiting to this Princesses present affliction he read them unto her and for a conclusion read the one and thirtieth Psalme Psal 31. 5. where the Prophet among other things doth there commend his spirit into the hands of God because saith he thou hast redéemed me O Lord God of truth The Quéene willed them to pray with her again and thus as I have said was the most part of the night spent in such vertuous exercises namely in exhortation in reading the holy Scripture and in prayer during all which time the ministers never discerned in any of her spéeches or behaviour the least impatiency Nay whereas some dayes before she fell sick she shewed how affectionately she was bent to provide things most magnificent for the day of her Sons marriage according as the State of so great an alliance required it was admirable to observe that after thâ—s sicknesse had seized upon her God wrought in her such aforgetfulnesse and neglect of all such matters that she never made shew of having so much as a thought thereof This night being thus passed and spent by this noble Queene she persevering in the expressions of like pious actions and ardency of Faith the next day in the morning betwéen eight and nine of the clocke she departed this life to take possession of a far better life swéetly yéelding up her spirit into the hands of God the ninth of Iune 1572. the sixth day after she fell sick in the 44. yeare of her age She had her perfect spéech alwaies even to the houre of her death shewing not only the stayednesse and soundnesse of her judgement which ever in times past she had in her care about the salvation of her soule but in her other worldly affaires also Now to avoide all jealousies and suspitions of her being wronged by poyson or otherwise in this matter of her so sudden sickenesse her body was opened by sundry expert and learned Doctors of Physick and Chirurgery with all exquisite diligence who found her heart and liver very sound and untouched her lungs only excepted which long before on the right side had béen very ill affected by reason of an extraordinary hardnesse which they had contracted and withall a great imposthume which so far as man could judge they concluded was the cause of her death But they had no command given them to open the braine and therefore finding somewhat out of frame in her body they delivered their opinions only concerning the same Thus you have with as much brevity as I could and as the merit of the thing required the true report of the manner of this vertuous Princesses sicknesse and death thus ar related unto you only my request is saith my Author that if any have a more perfect and particular knowledge of the excellent parts wherewith the Lord had adorned and beautified her they would not suffer the same to be buried in silence but to cause it to sée the light that on the one side it may serve as an example to posterity and on the other side that we may learne to blesse God for her piety and constancy ¶ An Introduction first into that which Anno 1572. leads to the death of the Admirall of France Then to the massacre at paris and so in some other Cities And first what moved the Admirall to come to Paris AFter the death of the Quéene certaine Princes were sollicited by the King to give their attendance at Paris for the folemnising the mariage of the Prince of Navarre now made king by the death of his mother according to the ceremonies which were thereto appertaining Among the rest letters were directed to the Admirall by the King himselfe to come to this marriage which were delivered unto him by Cavagues wherein the King assured him be would not tarry long after him Willing
the Lord but the one to saint Walburgne called the Church of Andenard and the other to their Lady which is within the jurisdiction of the Lord of Pamelle Iohn Tuscaen directed his course towards this Church to performe that which long before he had in his owne thoughts projected Being come into the Quire of the Church in Pamelle beholding there a multitude of People utterly estranged from the true worship of God ready to fall downe and prostitute themselves before a breaden cake forthwith not casting what should be the issue being urged thereto through a zeale of Gods glory drew towards the Priest while he was elevating and shewing the people that which they call the host and with great vehemencie snatched it out of his hands cast it to the ground and brake it all to pieces speaking with a loud voice sée here my Masters your goodly God who you sée is not able to helpe himselfe but is here broken all to pieces How long how long O ye senselesse Priests will you thus defile the holy supper of the Lord shall wee never sée an end of your filthy Idolatries If the authority of the holy scripture can nothing move you yet at length be warned and admonished by this present example that there is not a jot of divinity in this bread séeing it is subject to be thus handled will yee worship a dead Idoll your selves being living men At this so vehement and bold an exhortation accompanied with such constancy all the people there present stood amazed and in such an extasie but yet withall such a noise and bustling throughont the Church that the Curate of the parish who before was in some by-corner there comming towards the Quire met Tuscaen as hee was passing through the prease without any feare or let The Curate saluted him not knowing what he had done much lesse suspecting that he was the cause of all that tumult and stirre for he was his cousin Howbeit Iohn would take no knowledge of his salutation but began to reprove him for deluding and abusing the poore silly people being their overseer for a day will come said he in which you shall render an account to God for them In the hearing of this the Curate called upon the people to lay hold upon the said Iohn Tuscaen as hee was going out of the Church faire and softly So that it had been easie for him to have quite himself out of their fingers if he had but hastned his pace a little because none offered to touch or apprehend him The Curate seeing that delaied not but with all speed got him to the under Bailiffe of Pamelle by whose outcries and importunities the Bailiffe could doe no lesse but goe with him to apprehend the great Heretique As they were making towards him hee shewed no more semblance of escaping then before Then they tooke and imprisoned him without any resistance Dinner being ended he was presented Anno 1567. before the Magistrates of Pamelle to be examined in the presence of the Curate after they had enquired of him who they were that incited and set him on to doe such an outragious act unto the host they asked him what he held the bread in the Masse to be and whether he did not beléeve it was the body of Christ If saith he you consider well what the Angell sayd to the Apostles at his assumption viz. Act. 1. 11. this same Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have séene him goe Where Christ is to bee sought into heaven You may plainely discerne that we are not to séeke him here below After many other questions and answers béeing sent againe to prison he was the second time examined and being asked whether he was himselfe when he did it or distracted Hée answered That he had done it not rashly but upon mature deliberation Béeing further demanded what should move him to commit so hainous an act If this saith he séemeth so strange unto you then I pray you tell me who moved Moses to breake the Tables of stone written with the finger of Exod. 32. 19. God They perceiving that he secretly aimed at their Idolatrie sent him to prison againe The eighth of Iune he was brought betimes in the morning into the judgment Hall to receive their sentence which was to be pronounced against him where two friers Minorites were purposely sent to sée if they could turne him from his constancy to which purpose asking him if he did not beleeve that God was included in the bread which is lifted up in the Masse He answered them by another question namely whether the Potter could make a pot They sayd yes but what was that to the purpose He asked them againe if the pot could make a Potter The good fathers séeing whereabouts he went forthwith left him When he saw he had thus stopped their mouths he thanked God Then the Magistrates of the city went up into the judgement seat and gave sentence against him which was first to have that hand stricken off with which he had taken the Host out of the priests hands and his body to bée burned to ashes which afterward was to be scattered into the river Hearing this sentence hée was very joyfull thanking his Iudges and the Lord of Pamelle But the Bailiffe of Audenard wished him rather to aske forgivenesse of God and of the people for the offence he had commited If I have offended any said hée I aske them forgivenesse Then was he led forth to be executed and as he went he sung in his own mother tongue the Lords praier with such confidence as argued the inward peace of his Conscience in dying in so good a quarrell The tormentor willed him to stretch forth his arme that his hand might be cut off which he did suffering the same with such a patience as if hée had felt no paine And then with his eyes lifted up to heaven he said O Lord God it is for the glory of thy name that I endure these things inable mee now with strength from above that I may finish this sacrifice Forthwith the fire was kindled which made him at the first to shrinke a little but by continuall and ardent prayer to God the violence of the torment was abated and asswaged Now standing in the middest of the flames his body being in a manner halfe consumed hée shewed apparent signes unto the beholders of his invincible courage by holding up as well as hée could his armes on a light fire Thus was this valiant Martyr handled in the presence of multitudes which caused many to cleave the rather to the Doctrine of the Gospell séeing him dye so constantly The River of Escant received his ashes that the Sentence given upon him might be fully accomplished Martin Smetius Martyr Anno 1567. MArtin Smetius being prisoner in the Castle of Vilvourd there came to him a Frier to examine him and with a purpose to turne him
this chaine and thus fettered with Irons I doubt not but they have given such a reason of their faith that whosoever shall read their answers and weigh the same without partiality must néeds judge thereof even as wée doe And for my owne part I am ready to make it good before any whom it conceres that the doctrine I now hold and 1. Tim. 6. 3. Deut. 12. 32. teach is according to godlinesse taken out of the pure fountaines of the holy scriptures without adding diminishing or varying any way therefrom Bishop We reade that in all times men have béen wont to shelter themselves under the Title of Gods word in so much that all the old heresies maintained by heretiques have run to this covert so as great héed is to be taken lest under this pretence men rush into errors La Grange I am not ignorant sir hereof in regard that Satan knows how to transform himselfe into an Angel of light thereby to establish his delusions causing darknesse thereby to be taken 2. Cor. 11. 14. Iohn 14. 17. for light But the holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth hath in such wise discovered his jugglings that none are deluded thereby but those who at noone day close their eyes that they may 2 Cor. 4. 4. not behold the light Bishop Doe you thinke that the holy Ghost hath given you such an illumination that the truth should only be revealed to you and to none other La Grange God forbid sir I should have any such thought I am not of the minde of those dreamers who at this day bragge of their having particular revelations of the holy Spirit He means the Anabaptists and their like Eph. 2. 20. But I speake of an ordinary and generall revelation such as is taught us out of the Bible which we call the holy Scriptures according as it is therein declared unto us by the Prophets and Apostles This was the effect of the Bishops first communication with de la Grange after which hée was heard to say twice or thrice to the Kings Commissioners that hée had no will to meddle any further with him Being called for to be examined elsewhere before the said Commissioners Peregrine tooke his leave of the Bishop entreating him to intercede for him that hée might be eased of his irons alledging that the Prison was strong enough and sufficiently garded The second time they met together the Bishop having a prompt memory made a rehearsall of what passed betwéen them the day before and after began thus with the said Peregrine Bishop Séeing that which I hold as touching the Sacrament of the Altar is agréeable to the Scriptures confirmed so long since by the consent of all the ancient fathers wherefore doe you not agrée with us therein Had you rather hold with these Novelists as with Calvin and with the confession of Auspourge Grange Sir I am neither Calvinist nor Papist I am a Christian and what I hold concerning religion is taken out of Christs doctrine who to the only Doctor of his Church What Calvin hath taught conformable to the word of God I am of the same minde with him and whereas you call your Religion the old Religion and ours the new it troubles me not at all since the Father of lies hath long since forged the same to disgrace the truth and to establish and maintaine the multitudes of falshoods and absurdities of your Tenents which you hold For example because Christ in giving his disciples bread in the Sacrament said This is my body thence they would make us beléeve that the bread is become the body of Christ as if the verbe est signified a change of the bread into another substance which is found in no language whatsoever Bishop We maintaine not the Transubstantiation of the bread from this Verbe est knowing that the Hebrews use the Participle of the Present tense in stead of a Verbe but rather from hence because Christ said This is my body La Grange I told * For they had many disputes touching this point which are not here inserted you that Iesus Christ in his Supper gives us that body which was conceived by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the virgin Mary which was crucified dead and buried raised againe the third day and is ascended into heaven yet wee utterly deny that there is any change made of the bread Therefore if you would have us beéeve it let us have some proofe of scripture for it Bish To speake properly the Transubstantiation of the bread cannot be proved by the Word of God and yet we must beléeve it for the reasons above said La Grange Your glorying then that you have the Word of God on your side is as you sée come to nothing And why have you then burned so many of Gods saints for denying that which you cannot maintaine by the scriptures For our parts we should blush to affirme that the substance of bread remaines after the words of consecration if we could not prove the same from the very forme of the institution of the sacrament wherein Christ tooke bread and having given thankes hee brake bread and gave to his Disciples bread and they tooke and did eat bread yea Saint Paul rehearsing 1 Cor. 11. 23 26. 17. the institution calls it bread thrice Bish You know that in the Hebrew Tongue bread is taken for the remainders of what was eaten Paul therefore in that place speakes of those viands which the Corinthians did eate in their Love-feaste reproving their abuse So also howsoever Paul calls it bread there and that in the second of the Acts of the Apostles mention is Act. 〈◊〉 42. made of the breaking of bread all this serves not your turne La Grange I grant that bread is taken in the Scripture in this sence but be it that bread be taken for the meat that was left yet you reade not that the substance was changed into the substance of other meate or lost the property thereof It is certaine that the Scripture useth not this phrase of breaking of bread in the use of the Lords supper for nothing for thereby we are given to understand that it is not a signe onely in appearance or shew but the true substance of bread Bish Let it be what it will wee hold close to the words of Iesus Christ where he saith This is my body and therefore also beéeve what wee speake I care not if I be deceived in this matter nor for bearing reproofe for the same either Vnderstand the words sacramentally and all is wel before God or men for before God himself I will pleade thus Lord thou hast said it and I beleeve it La Grange We rest in the same thing also but withall we have an eie unto Christs meaning and intent which was to establish a sacrament we also receive from his mouth the same words as well as you but sacramentally where the outward signe beares the name
men were assembled Bishops and Cardinalls swaying the same Schob I have read of some Councels where the Spirit of God was not present Marquesse Would you not now willingly returne into the bosome of the holy Romane Church Schob I will cleave to whatsoever God shall teach me out of his holy word And thus for this time they parted On the seven and twentieth of March Schoblant received sentence of death whereat he was nothing terrified but began to sing the song of Simeon and the fortieth Psalme The night following he wrote his last farewell to his brethren and excuseth Ioris for not being condemned with him although they were both presented at the same time before the Iudges I pray you deare friends be not offended saith he that Ioris my fellow prisoner is not offered a sacrifice with me It is not I assure you for denying his Saviour But let us meditate on that which the Lord said to S. Peter If I will Iohn 21. that he tarry till I come what is that to thée follow thou me This I apply to my selfe at this time for which I render humble and hearty thanks to God who hath counted me worthy not only to confesse the Lord Iesus with my mouth but also to seale the same confession with my blood I new brethren bid you farewell waiting with a joyfull heart the call and cry of my husband who now invites me to come unto him Out of prison the same right before the day wherein I must be offered up a sacrifice Written with mine owne hand Schoblant the Sonne of Barthel THe next day he entreated the Iaylour with a great deale of earnestnesse that he would not suffer the Fryers and Monks to come into trouble him for said he such kinde of people can do me no good séeing the Lord hath already sealed up the assurance of my salvation in my heart by his holy Spirit I am now going to my spouse putting off this earthly mantle to enter into the relestiall glory where I shall be fréed from all superstitions And then he added farther would to God I might be last that these Tyrants should put ot death and that their thirst after blood might be so quenched with mine that the poore Church of God from henceforth might enjoy her rest and quiet Having sung the fortieth Psalme with his fellow prisoner concluding the same with saying the Lords prayer they kissed one another and commended one another unto God with many teares After which the executioner came in and when he had bound him he led him away In going out of the prison he said farewell Ioris I goe before thée follow thou me Ioris answered so will I brother I will follow thée In his passage towards the place of execution he forgot not his brethren but manifested his love to them by such signes as he could Being tyed to the stake he was burned alive calling upon the name of the Lord in the yeare 1568. the tenth day of Iuly ¶ Iohn Hues finished his course in Prison ¶ Here followeth a Letter written by Ioris Coomans out of Prison to the Church of God in Antwerpe BRethren I write unto you being left alone whereas we were thrée in number Iohn Hues is now dead in the Lord. I did my best to comfort him whilest he breathed So as now I am alone and yet not altogether alone séeing the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is with me He is Gen. 15. 1â— my excéeding great reward and will not faile to reward me as soone as I shall have law downs this earthly Tabernacle pray unto God that he will strengthen me to the end for from hours to houre I expect the dissolution of this house of Clay Not long after Ioris was examined by the Magistrates who questioning with him of his faith he answered frély thereto proving what he said by the holy Scriptures The Marquesse asked him if he were resolves to die for the faith he professed Yes saith Ioris I will not only venture to give my body but my soule also for the â—tion of it Marquesse How came you to understand the Scripture séeing you have not the Latine Tongue Ioris Call in hither you Doctors and I will let them sée that I have learning sufficient to confute them You greatly admire them but Christ gives thankes to his heavenly Father for hiding his secrets Mat. 11 25. from the wise and prudent and revealing them to babes Marq. I hithero spared you in hope to sée you recant but you grow still worse and worse Ioris Sir during the time of my imprisonment I have shed many a salt teare and by the grace of God I am become much more resolute and better But to fashion my selfe according to your appetite I have no stomack at all no although you burne me as you have done my brother Scoblant Marq. And I can tell you that it will cost you but little better cheape Ioris I am ready if it be to morrow Then said one of the standers by Sir he hath neither wife childe nor goods to lose and that makes him so willing to die Ioris Be it that I have none of all these yet must I suffer death for conscience sake But what care you for that I would you could be silent and be thinke yourselves well what you doe you shall answer these your doings at the last day where you must all appeare and then there will be no respect of persons Marq. If you use this kinde of language I will commit you to the hole where you shall be fed only with bread and water and that I thinke will tame your tongue Therefore be quiet and sing me no more of these Psalmes Ioris Well sir I may well restraine my outward voice but neither you nor all the World besides shall ever be able to let me from praising God in my heart nor shall you sit as Lords over my conscience Marq. We have heard you preach but too long Then he said Iaylor take him and cast him into the hole Then was he put among théeves as a Lamb among so many Wolves Thus this constant witnesse of Christ remained firm scorning both their threats and torments till they had burned him as they did Scoblant August 14. the yeare 1568. ¶ Giles Annik Iohn Annik his son and Lovis Meulen Martyrs 1568. Persecution grew still hot in Flanders GIles Annik with Iohn Annik his son were driven from Renay in Flanders and retired unto Emden in East Friesland But by reason of their so sudden departure they could not take their wives with them and therfore returned thither again in the yeare 1568. to convey theÌ„ thence The tyranny of the Duke of Alva and his Spaniards was then in the height by reason whereof they durst not enter the towne openly but take up their lodging in the evening at an honest mans house called Lovis Meulin Now it was this night in which the enemies had foreappointed to
him elevate his God That hée used much to walke to and fro about the scaffold where the faithfull were executed with a kinde of delight coveting to stand neere unto them that by accustoming himselfe in beholding the place and torments he saw others indure he might bee the better emboldened to suffer the like when God should call him thereunto These were in effect the Articles which were inserted in his sentence a part whereof also was drawne out of the confession of his faith the sum being this First That a man is justified and accepted of God onely for the merrit of Iesus Christ apprehended by faith That the popes pardons and indulgences sent from Rome are méere delusions and that the Pope is Antichrist c. That it was the desire of his heart to be burned or to suffer some other extremity for the maintenance of the Faith which he professed That he endevored to imploy the goods and riches wherwith God had blessed him only for the defence and further inlarging of the doctrine of the Gospel Yea to forsake life wife children and all for the same to which end hee had daily sent up many hearty prayers to God In all this busines the holy tribunall labored by cunning devices to obscure this confession causing it to be bruited that he held not out to the end with many other like inventions to make the people beleeve they had turned him to their Law but herein they shewed themselves not well advised in that they belied both him and themselves For in publishing his crimes and offences with the manner of his death what did they else but declare and manifest the truth of the fact which plainly appeareth in these words of the sentence Iohn Ponce of Leon burned for an heretike and an obstinate Lutheran c. Which words made their fraudulent dealing apparent to such as doubted any way of the constancie and perseverance of this pious Christian knight Iohn Gonzalve a Preacher in Sevill Martyr with whom were executed two of his sisters their mother remaining in prison reserved to act her part in another tragedie GOnzalve a renowned Preacher throughout the Countrey of Andalousie was also led in this inquisitoriall triumph who forsaking his Schoole Divinity in which learning he excelled all his fellowes gave himselfe wholly to the study of the holy Scriptures according to the purity whereof his whole conversation was ordered both inwarly and outwardly Hee was often observed in all his Sermons to ayme at this marke namely to deliver mens minds from that blind conceit of meriting by works that so way might be made for justification onely by Faith in Christ Iesus and déeply to in graft into them the knowledge of the sole merit of his plenary satisfaction For which his labour hee expected to receive from man the same reward which all the true servants of God have had in their times Being then seized upon by those of this Spanish inquisition hee yeelded a reason of his faith in that purity and sincerity as did the aforesaid Iohn Ponce who as they had beene friends and of familliar acquaintance so were they joyned together in the same confession and led to the same execution together The night before he suffered he had a sore conflict with an old sect of Priests who were of the Inquisition but in the end he caused them to returne vanquished and ashamed He was led from the castle and prison of Trion with his two sisters unto the place appointed for his end that they with him might drinke of the same cup leaving his mother and one of his brethren behind him in prison reserved to be executed when their turn came about He never shewed the least signe of being dismaid but contrariwise with great constancy and courage of heart standing above all the people to whom he had formerly preached and delivered the patterne of sound Doctrine He began with a loud voyce to recite the Psalme which begins thus O Lord my Rocke Psal 28. 1. be not thou silent to me c. not changing his conntenance at all upon the Scaffold though they had gagged him there because he comforted and fréely exhorted one of his sisters to be constant whose spirit he feared might otherwise faint Hearkening very attentively to his sentence which was there againe recited he was not any thing at all abashed or troubled thereat but tooke his solemne degrading patiently receiving the markes and garments of his confession to wit his yellow robe an haltar and a painted miter with a joyfull and chéerefull heart knowing that howsoever they were disgracefull in the eyes of the world yet he estéemed of them as ornaments of honour in the sight of God and his Angels abhoring his massing attire whereof they had disrobed him When the time was come that those which should be burned were brought to the place of execution they were every one commanded to recite the articles of their beléefe which they willingly did but when they came to the Article I beleeve the holy Catholique Church they were bidden to adde this word Romane whereupon they were silent then did the Monkes and Fryers importune Gonzalves sisters and other Christian women who were to be burned with them to repeat the said word Romane who answered they would if they might heare Iohn Gonzalva pronounce it not that they intended so to doe but being confident of his renouncing the same hoping by this meanes to frée him of his gagge and so to obtaine the liberty of spéech by which he might render a reason of his faith and so of this article among the rest Being ungagged the first word he spake was that they should be of good courage and not to adde one word more than what they had recited Vpon this their last confession they were forthwith strangled as the fire was kindled upon them to burne and consume them ¶ Isabell of Vaenia Mary of Viroes Cornella Mary of Bohorques and Iane her sister burnt at Sevill in Spaine AMong all the most ancient professors of true religion that had their abode in the Church of God at Sevill who in a manner were all wasted by the Tyranny of the Inquisition the power of faith appeared in these foure women above specified Now howsoever they were all endued with singular piety and godlinesse yet the yonger of them named Bohorques being under the age of one and twenty was instructed above the rest in holy letters by dayly reading and conference with good and godly men wherewith Sevil at that time was well furnished shée had obtained such promptnesse in the knowledge of the Texts of the old and new Testament that many who were estéemed learned in that City have confessed they were often put to a non-plus by such reasons as shée alledged out of the Scriptures As touching the first of these Vaenia her house was a schoole or colledge of piety being the place also where all the méetings were to publish the praises of God