Friendship and cast off by her whom he took to be his surest Friend knew not which way to go at last he concluded to go to Oxford to some Friends there where a School was proposed to him in Gloucestershire which he accepted and as he was travelling it came into his mind that there was a quarters stipend due to him at Reading for teaching School and to look after his other things he had there he resolved to go to Reading where though he used what endeavours he could to be retired and private he was by the treachery of some Hypocrites discovered and apprehended being taken out of his Bed by Officers to whom he opened not his Lips but was led away as a Lamb to the Slaughter and was committed to Prison where the Keeper like a Ravening Woolfe greedy of his prey put him into a blind stinking and dark Dungeon and there left him for a time hanging by the hands and feet in a pair of Stocks in this Dungeon he remained about ten dayes under the Tyranny of this unmercifull Keeper After this he was brought before the Mayor where he was Accused by those that had Pilledged his Study of divers grieous Crimes but when he came to his Answer he did so deface their Evidence defend his own Innocency that the Mayor was ashamed that he had given so much credit to them and sought how they might convey him privily out of the Country when these Bloody Adversaries saw this Stratagem would not serve their turns they found another Snare which was to Accuse Palmer of Heresie and he was again called out of Prison before the Mayor and Justices to render an Account of his Faith before them and when they had intrapt'd him they caused him and a Bill of Instruction with him to be sent to Newberry to be Examined by Doctor Jeffery at the Visitation at Newberry the 16th of the Month called July 1556. In the mean time he Suffered some hardships in Reading Goal for want of Money to supply his Occasion The publick Examination of Julius Palmer at Newbery before Doctor Jefferies Bishop of Sarum and others Bishop called Palmer and said Art thou the jolly Writer of three half penny books we hear of Palmer I know not what you mean Bishop Have you taught Latine so long that now you understand not English To this he answered Nothing Bishop We understand by your Articles that you are convict of certain Heresies that you deny the Popes Holiness Supremacy that the Priest sheweth up an Idol at Mass and that there is no Purgatory c. Bishop askt him Whether he wrote some Books and he shewed him the Books Palmer answered yea he did Bishop threatned him that he would make him recant and would wring peccavi out of his lying Lips ere he had done with him Palmer I know that though of my self I am able to do nothing yet if you and all mine Enemies should do your worst you shall not be able to bring that to pass neither shall you prevail against Gods mighty Spirit by which we understand the Truth and speak it so boldly Bishop Ah are you full of the Spirit are you inspired with the holy Ghost Palmer No man can believe but by the inspiration of the holy Ghost therefore if I were not a spiritual man and inspired with Gods holy Spirit I were not a true Christian he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Bishop I perceive you lack no words Palmer Christ hath promised not only to give us store of words necessary but with them such force of matter as the Gates of Hell shall not be able to confound or prevail against it Bishop Christ made such a promise to his Apostles you will not compare with them Palmer With the Apostles I may not compare yet this promise I am certain pertaineth to all such as are appointed to defend Gods Truth against his Enemies in the time of their Persecution for the same Bishop Then it pertaineth not unto thee Palmer Yes I am right well assured that it pertaineth unto me as it shall appear if you give me leave to dispute with you before this Audience in the defence of all that I have there Written Bishop Thou art but a beardless Boy start up yesterday out of the Schools and darest thou presume to offer Disputation or to encounter with a Doctor Palmer Remember M. Doctor the Spirit breatheth where it pleases c. and out of the Mouthes of Babes c. And thou hast hidden these things from the wise c. God is not tyed to time wit learning place nor person The Register said if you suffer him thus impudently to trifle with you he will never have done Then the Bishop said It was not in his Commission to dispute with him but had a great deal more discourse with him and after he had done examining of him the high Sheriff after Dinner sent for Julius Palmer to speak with him and exhorted him to revoak his Opinion to spare his young years wit and learning and told him that if he would be conformable he would give him his meat and ten pound a year c. Palmer thankt him and said that as he had already in two places renounced his living for Christs sake so he would with Gods Grace be ready to surrender and yield up his life also for the same when God should send time Then one Winchcom upon the Bench said Take pity on thy golden Years and pleasant Flowers of lusty Youth before it be too late Palmer I long for those springing Flowers that shall never fade away Winchcom If thou be at that point I have done with thee Then was Palmer had to the Blind-house and in the afternoon John Gwin and Thomas Askin had the sentence of Condemnation and were delivered to the Sheriff and the next morning Palmer was condemned and the same afternoon they were all three burnt About an hour before they were executed Palmer comforted his Fellow-sufferers with these words Happy are you when meâ— revile you and persecute you for righteousness sake rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven fear not them that kill the Body and be not able to touch the Soul God 〈◊〉 Faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted further then we shall be able to bear it and being brought to the Stake and the Fire kindled they cryed Lord Jesus strengthen us Lord Jesus assist us Lord Jesus receiâ—e our Souls until they ended their lives A Remarkable Providence whereby Agnes Wardall was preserved from her Violent Persecutors in the Town of Ipwich This Agnes Wardal was a Woman that lived in Gods fear and was at defiance with their Romish Trash Agnes Wardals Sufferings desiring rather with hard Fair and ill Lodging to be abroad then to be at home in her House among the Tents of the ungodly her Husband also being a man living in the fear of God and for the Testimony
shut out because they made not themselves ready to suffer with Christ neither go about to take up his Cross Oh dear hearts how pretious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord for dear is the death of his Saints Oh fare you well and pray the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Amen pray pray pray By me Râ—chard Roth written with my own Blood I mentioned before how that ten persons suffered at Colchester amongst whom was one Agnes Bengeer who should have suffered with them six that went out of Mote-hall but her Execution was suspended for a time her name being mistaken in the Writ and instead of Agnes Bengeer called Agnes Boyer this poor woman when she saw she was seperated from her Prison-fellows and sent back to Prison and might not suffer with them for she had given up her self to suffer having provided a Nurse for her sucking Child and provided all things necessary for her suffering but when she saw she was put back she wept bitterly and made pitious mâ—an to her self esteeming her self as naked and desolate and bemoaning her condition when she was seperated from her Companions and this is written that the Reader may see how zealous these persons were in those dayes who esteemed death rather then life for their Testimonies sake but shortly after a Writ came down from London wherein her name was rightly incerted and she was burnt at Colchester Shortly after one John Noyes of Lacksfield in the County of Suffolk Shoe-Maker John Noyes Martyr he was apprehended for not going to their publick Service and Mass by one Thomas Levell and others who beset his House on both sides where they found John Noyes in his backside going forth one of the Persecutors seeing of him called to him and said Whether goest thou John replyed to my Neighbours the Persecutor said Your Master hath deceived you you must go with us now John replyed Take heed your Master deceive not you so they apprehended him and had him before the Justices next day who committed him to the Dungeon where he lay for some time and then he was had to Norwich before the Bishop and soon after Sentence of death was pronounced against him when he was bound to the Stake he speak these words Fear not them that can kill the Body but fear him that can kill both Body and Soul and cast them into Everlasting Fire And seeing his Sister weep and make moan for him he bid her that she should not weep for him but weep for her sins and so he yielded up his life Whilst he was burning one John Jarvis standing by said How the Sinews of his Arms shrink up two of the Sheriffs men hearing of him speak apprehended him and having him before the Justices they affirmed he should say what Villianous Wretches are these Whereupon the Justices commanded that he should be set in the Stocks next Market day and whipt about the Market naked but the Constable in friendship to him did not set him in the Stocks till that called Sunday morning and in the afternoon they whipt him about the Market with a Dog-whip having three Cords and so they let him go Whilst John Noyes was Prisoner his Wife desiring him to send her some tokens of Rememberance of him thereupon he sent her several Sentences of Scripture for a Rememberance as followeth Dearly beloved be not troubled with this heat that is now come among you to try you as though some strange thing had happened unto you but rejoyce insomuch as you are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his glory appeareth you may be glad if ye be railed on for the Name of Christ happy are you for the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you It is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing then for evil-doing 1 Pet. 3. So 1 Pet. 4. See that none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or an Evil-door or as a Busie-body in other mens matters but if any man suffer as a Christian-man let him not be asham'd but let him glorifie God in this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God If it first begin at us what shall the end of them be that believe not the Gospel of God Wherefore let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit their Souls to him in well-doing St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 3. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution St. John saith 1 John 2. See that ye love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World as the lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World which vanisheth away and the Lust thereof but he that fulfileth the Will of God abideth forever St. Paul saith Collos 3. If ye be risen again with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things that are above and not on things which are on Earth Our Saviour Christ saith Math. 18. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the Sea The Prophet David saith Psal 84. Great are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all fear the Lord ye his Saints for they that fear him lack nothing When the Righteous cry the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles but misfortune shall slay the ungodly and they that hate the Righteous shall perish Hear Oh my People I assure thee Oh Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me there shall so strange God be in thee neither shalt thou Worship any other God Oh that my People would obey me for if Israel would walk in my wayes I would soon put down their Enemies and turn my hand against their Adversaries Our Saviour Christ saith The Disciple is not above his Master nor yet the Servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master is and that the Servant be as his Lord is if they have called the Master of the House Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold so fear not them therefore St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 4. Set your selves therefore at large and bear not a strangers Yoke with the Unbelievers for what fellowship hath Righteousness with Unrighteousness What Company hath Light and Darkness Either what part hath the Believer with the Infidell c Wherefore come out from among them and seperate your selves now saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing so will I receive you and I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons
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
THE Spirit of the Martyrs REVIVED In a Brief COMPENDIOUS COLLECTION Of the Most Remarkable PASSAGES and Living Testimonies OF THE True Church Seed of God AND FAITHFUL MARTYRS In All AGES Contained in several Ecclesiastical Histories Chronological Accounts of the Succession of the TRUE CHURCH from the Creation the Times of the Fathers Patriarchs Prophets CHRIST and the Apostles Call to Remembrance what Acts our Fathers did in their time so shall ye receive great Honour and an everlasting Name 1 Mac. 2.51 Their Seed shall remain forever and their Glory shall not be blotted out but their Name liveth forevermore the People will tell of their Wisdom Eccles 44.13 14 15. Thy Testimonies are my Delight and Councellor Psal 1 19. Go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come TO THE READER Reader I Have hear Collected and brought together that which hath been scattered in divers great Vollums writ by several Authors judging these my Labours may prove more profitable to such who have a desire to be informed in these things those great Books being too Voluminous and costly for the generality to read or buy I have therefore for the sake of such who have but little leisure and cannot read much brought the History of these things into a nearer compass that so the meanest capacity may easily comprehend the Lords dealings with the Sons of men in all Generations and my chief aim in this work is for the good and information of all People that they may see how the Lord preserved his Church in all times and what great things he hath done for them who led the Ancient Fathers Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles by his mighty Power in which they served and worshipped him whereby they left a sweet Savour behind them as the Reader may see at large in the ensuing Treatise which containeth a Cloud of Witnesses to the Lords Work and Power And though these Testimonies may be slighted and dis-esteemed by the sensual wisdom which is from below yet I know it will be acceptable and a confirming and strengthening to the Faith of some who are Innocent and Upright to the Lord and have a delight in reading and meditating upon his Wayes and of his tender dealings with his Church and People who in all Ages preserved his little Remnant whom he raised up as righteous Branches to bring forth Fruits of Holiness in the middest of a perverse Generation And on the other hand the Reader many see in this ensuing Tract Satan's cruelty the great Enemy to mans good who hath in all Ages used all his Power to stop the increase and growth of this holy Seed by Persecuting Murdering and Destroying their Bodies and using his utmost indeavours by Cruelties to stop the least good Inclination that might at any time stir in any and this hath been the work of the Evil one ever since he got footing in mens hearts he hath alwayes sought to extinguish the Work of God and hath deceived Nations and all the World wondered after the Beast and John in his time saw a Terrible Day was to come on the Inhabitants of the Earth for the Devil was come down having great Wrath and when the Dragon saw that he was cast into the Earth he Persecuted the Woman which brought forth the Man Child the Woman fled into the Wilderness for a time and times and half a time and the Earth helped the Woman and the Earth opened her Mouth and swollowed up the Flood which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth and the Dragon was Wrath with the Woman and went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed which kept the Commandments of God and have the Testimonies of Jesus Christ but they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and the Lord still preserv'd a Remnant that bow'd not their knees to Baal And the Lord said David shall never want'a man to sit upon the Thrown of the House of Israel and this hath been fulfilled in that the Lord hath from time to time raised up his Living Witnesses both to testifie to and suffer for his Name and Truth as will appear in this Book to which I refer the Reader for satisfaction and remain a Lover of all the Upright in Heart Ellis Hookes The Author to the Book it self GO forth O Book and let the World reveiw The Blood-shed by a Persecuting Crew Let Popish Bishops and the Prelates see The dying Martyrs Words revived be Who though their Bodies for the Truth were slain Their Living Testimonies still remain Their Souls under the Altar still do Cry How long O Lord most just that rules on High Ere thou avenge our Cause who for thy sake Foyfully imbrace the Fire and the Stake Fear not O Book the Frowns of Mortal Foes Who alwayes did the blessed Truth oppose Though Foes enough thou shalt be sure to find 'Mong Priests that have the Souls of many pin'd And scornful Prelates too who will not preach Nor suffer those that carefully would teach Gods Truth and give Christs Sheep their wholesom Food All such Restrainers make the sinful Brood And of that Rank not one of them is found That feeds the Flock in wholsome Pasture Ground The Food they give they Poyson give withall Which proveth worse then Wormwood mixt with Gall They suffer not the Milk of Gods Word pure To work upon the Souls of men a Cure Though sincere Milk the same is it Which wakes for God the Soul of each man sit It made the Martyrs witnessing the same Rejoyce when that they suffered in the Flame Part I. The year of the World Sheweth how God under the several Dispensations of himself to Mankind alwayes led and guided his Church and Seed by his Spirit and Power to Worship and Serve him and to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness which was acceptable to him And how the Serpent and Evil-One hath from the beginning made it his work to deceive and lead man from God to Sin and work wickedness which alwayes brought the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Man AFter that God had Created Heaven and Earth Man at first created in Innocency and all things in them at last he created Man in his own Image that is to say pure holy and innocent giving him Power to Govern and Rule the Creation to God's Glory and God said It is not good for man to be alone I will make him an Help Meet for him and he caused a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam and he took one of his Ribs Woman made to be a help meet for man and closed up the Flesh thereof and of the Rib he made Woman and brought her unto the man and Adam said This is now Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman And the Lord placed them in the Garden of Eden there to live in a blessed
leave his great words and fall to ask him forgiveness so as taking off his Crown from his head he laid it down at the Legates feet to be disposed of as the Pope should please and the Legate stuck not to take up his Crown and to keep it three or four dayes in his hands before he restored it and did not then neither but upon Condition that he and his Successors should hold the Kingdom of the See of Rome at the Annual Tribute of a Thousand Marks This King John was shortly after as it is Recorded poysoned by one Simon a Monk who being absolved of his Abbot before hand for doing this fact to accomptish his Design he finds a Toad in the Garden and pricks him with a Pen-Knife until he had made him vomit up all his Poyson which he having conveyed into a Cup of Wine began to the King with a smiling countinance speaking these words If it shall please your Princely Majesty here is such a Cup of Wine as you never drank a better I turst this Wassel shall make all England glad The King having drunk and anon being ill enquired for Simon the Monk to whom some answered that he was departed this life for his Guts gushed out of his Belly the King replyed then God have mercy on my Soul and so he dyed much repenting of his former life About this time several persons were stirred up by the Lord to declare against the Pope as an Heretick and were by him condemned for their pains viz. Arnoldus Johannes Semeca Gulielmus de Santo amorie Gallus and Grosthead great Writers against the Popes Decrees giving many signs of false Teachers of whom see more in my Testimonies of the Martyrs The Pope being at odds with the Emperor Fredrick the second years since Christ 1248 would not at any hand be reconciled though the King of France strongly interceed and the Emperor himself cleared himself of all imputation and offered full saitsfaction for all pretended wrongs and to go out of his Empire if the Pope would not endure him there to the holy Land never to return into Europe again so as his Son Henry Nephew to King Henry of England might succeed him with offer of other most reasonable conditions These Oppositions of the Pope against Christian Emperours and Kings gave the Turks great advantage of prevailing against those called Christians and the grand Cause that God did not prosper the Christians in their wars in the holy-Land was imputed to the Christians adhering to their Masses and other Superstitions And thus having given a brief Relation of the most material Passages in the Affairs of the pretended Christian Church till this time I shall now Proceed to give a Discovery of the beginning and proceedings of the Monks Fryars and Jesuites who now began to swarm in the Apostized Church of the Papists We read that many Religious men heretofore contemning the World and all the Pomp Pride and Vanity thereof withdrew themselves into the Wilderness and Desart places in Syria Aegypt and other Countries it being in the time of great Persecution to the end they might the better being not troubled in the worldly cares and incumbrance bestow their time in reading the Scriptures Fasting Praying Meditating and such divine Exercises whereof Paul sirnamed the first Hermit Anthony Hilarion Basil and Jerome were the first and chiefest among the Christians who for their Sanctity of Life were in those dayes had in great Honour for then this kind of life was simple and free and not bound or Tyed to Unlawful Vows and Ridiculous Ceremonies as afterwards came to be observed by such as were called Monks and Fryars their Habit was then homely and yet decent as every man best pleased to wear neither were they bound to abide or remain in any one particular place nor tyed to one kind of life by Vow but free to stay there where they liked best or to go into any City or Country where they would at their own pleasure they sought out the most Desart place as they could find that is in the Wilderness working with their hands and getting their living with the sweat of their Brows gave a singular good Example to all men to live Virtuously and Godly instructing their Families and others that resorted unto them to lead a godly and Christian Life and were admired and honoured of all good men for their Doctrine Integrity of Life and godly zeal for as yet saith the History the Christians had but one Law and one Religion which afterwards fell out otherwise to the Grief and Sorrow of the Upright among them to see what Rents and Divisions Sects and Factions Superstitions and Ceremonies were brought in amongst them although good stirrings there might be amongst these that lived this private life Their Successors and Imitators were far unlike them for the words of Philo cited by Eusebius are these Now let our Monks saith he who live like Kings who swim in all manner of delights and pleasures who affect nothing more then Promotion and Honour and whose chiefest care and studdy is to gather Wealth and to hoord up Gold Silver c. About this time several Sects of Monks began to spread forth out of the Order of Benedictus years since Christ 562 their Habit was to wear a black loose Coat of Stuff reaching down to their heels with a Cowle or Hood to cover their bald Pates which hangs down to their Shoulders and under that Coat another white Habit as large as the former they shave the hairs off their heads except one little round Circle which they leave round about their heads which they call Corona they are bound to abstain from Flesh unless it be when they are sick These Benedictine Monks would have the World believe that they are godly and religious men and would not be ranked with the Jesuites who were States men for they poor Monks meddle not with matters of State or with Kings Affairs but for all their counterfeit holiness an English Benedictine Monk of Swinsted Abby Poysoned King John as is before related for the which fact he was still is highly honoured by all Papist in general and one saith on him thus Regem perimere Meritorium ratus est he thought it a meritorious deed for to kill the King About this time began to peep out another Sect of Monks years since Christ 1047 called Montelinetences at the time when there were three several Popes living who troubled all Christendom for their Papacy the Institutor of this Family of Monks was one Bernardus Ptolomeus they lived at the first at Sienna in Italy but afterwards having gathered their Crumbs together they built an Abby on the top of a hill not far from thence they wear a white Habit this Family was approved by Pope Gregory the twelfth The Bethlemite Fryars began 1257. their first dwelling was at Cambridge years since Christ 1257 and their Habit was like the Dominican Fryars saving that these did wear a Star
he did afore-time opened his windows towards Jerusalem and kneeled down and prayed and gave thanks before his God of which these Persecutors acquainted the King then the King commanded and they cast Daniel into the Den of Lions but the Lord preserved him that the Lions hurt him not because he believed in his God which the King hearing of caused Daniel to be taken up out of the Den A judgment of God upon Persecutors and commanded them that were his Persecutors to be cast into it which was done and they were soon destroyed The Constancy and faithful Suffering of some of the ancient people of the Jews rather then they would be forced to depart from the Laws of their Fathers and not to live after the Laws of God Eleazer one of the principal Scribes an aged man and of a well-favoured countenance was constrained to open his Mouth Eleazer persecuted and to eat Swines Flesh But he choosing rather to dye gloriously then to live stained with such an Abomination spit it forth and came of his own accord to the torment as it behoved them to come that are resolved to stand out against such things as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted But they that had the charge of that wicked Feast for the old acquaintance they had with the man taking him aside besought him to bring flesh of his own provision such as was lawful for him to use and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the Sacrifice commanded by the King That in so doing he might be delivered from death and for the old friendship with them find favour But he began to consider discreetly and as became his Age and the excellency of his ancient years and the honour of his gray Head whereunto he was come and his most honest Education from a Child or rather the holy Law made and given by God therefore he answered accordingly and willed them strait-wayes to send him to the Grave For it becometh not our Age said he in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazer being fourscore years old and ten were now gone to a strange Religion and so they through mine hypocrisie and desire to live a little time and a moment longer should be deceived by me and I get a stain to mine old Age and make it Abominable For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead wherefore now manfully changing this life I will shew my self such an one as mine Age requireth and leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and couragiously for the honourable and holy Laws and when he had said these words immediatly he went to the Torment they that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred because the foresaid speeches proceeded as they thought from a desperate mind But when he was ready to dye with stripes he groaned and said It is manifest unto the Lord that hath the holy knowledge that whereas I might have been delivered from death I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear him And thus this man dyed leaving his death for an example of a noble Courage and a memorial of vertue not only unto young men but unto all his Nation The Constancy and Cruel Death of seven Brethren and their Mother in one day because they would not eat Swines Flesh at the Kings Commandment Seven Brethren with their Mother were taken and compelled by the King against the Law The Mother and her seven Children persecuted to taste Swines Flesh and were tormented with Scourges and Whips but one of them that spake first said thus What wouldst thou ask or learn of us we are ready to dye ' rather then to transgress the Laws of our Fathers Then the King being in a rage commanded Pans and Caldrons to be made hot which forthwith being heated he commanded to cut out the Tongue of him that spake first and to cut off the utmost parts of his Body the rest of his Brethren and his Mother looking on Now when he was thus maimed in all his Members he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the Fire and to be fryed in the Pan and as the vapour of the Pan was for a good space disperced they exhorted one another with the Mother to dye manfully saying thus The Lord God looketh upon us and in Truth hath comfort in us as Moses in his Song which witnessed to their Faces declared saying and he shall be comforted in his Servants so when the first was dead after this manner they brought the second to make a mocking stock and when they had pulled off the skin of his Head with the hair they asked him ' Wilt thou eat before thou be punished ' throughout every member of thy Body but he answered in his own Language and said No wherefore he also received the next Torment in order as the former did and when he was at the last gasp he said Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life but the King of the world shall raise us up who have dyed for his Laws unto everlasting life After him was the third made a mocking stock and when he was required he put out his tongue and that right soon holding forth his hands manfully and said couragously ' These I had from Heaven and for his Laws I dâ—spise them and ' from him I hope to receive them again insomuch that the King and they that were with him marvailed at the young mans courage for that he nothing regarded the pains Now when this man was dead also they tormented and mingled the fourth in like manner so when he was ready to dye he said thus It is good being put to death by men to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him as for thee thou shalt have no resurrection to life Afterward they brought the fifth also and mangled him then looked he unto the King and said Thou hast power over men thou art corruptible thou dost what thou wilt yet think not that our Nation is forsaken of God but abide a while and behold his great power how he will torment thee and thy seed After him also they brought the sixth who being ready to dye said Be not deceived without cause for we Suffer these things for our selves having sinned against our God therefore marvelous things are done unto us but think not thou that takest in hand to strive against God that thou shalt escape unpunished But the mother was marvelous above all and worthy of honorable memory for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day she bare it with a good courage because of the hope that she had in the Lord yea she
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
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
this is in Spite of all holy Saints and in Spite of our most holy Father the Pope Gods Viccar here in Earth and in Spite of the reverend Father in God John our Diocesian and the Worshipfull Cannons Masters Priests and Clarks which serve God daily in this Cathedral Church fixed up with wax such Cursed and Heretical Bills full of Blasphemy upon the Doors of thâ—s and other holy Churches within this City Excommunicate be hâ— she or they plaenally and delivered over to the Devil as perpetual Malefactors and Schismaticks accursed they be and given Body and Soul to the Devil Cursed be they he or she in Cities and Towns in Fields and Wayes in Houses and out of Houses and all other places standing lying or rising walking running waking sleeping eating drinking and whatsoever thing they do besides we seperate them him or her from the Threshold and from all the good Prayers of the Church from the participation of the holy Mass from all Sacraments Chappels and Altars from Holy Bread and Holy water from all the Merrits of Gods Priests and religious men and from all their Cloisters from all their Pardons Priviledges Grants and Immunities which all the holy Fathers Popes of Rome have granted to them and we give them over utterly to the power of the Devil and let us quench their Souls if they be dead this night in the pains of Hell-fire as this Candle is now quenched and put out and with that he put out one of the Candles and let us pray to God if they be alive that their ey 's may be put out as this Candle light is so he put out another Candle let us pray to God and to our Lady and to Saint Peter and Paul and all holy Saints that all the Sences of their bodies may fail them and that they may have no feeling as now the Light of this Candle is gone and so he put out the third Candle except they he or she come openly now and confess their Blasphemy and by repentance as in them shall lie make satisfaction unto God our Lady Saint Peter and the Worshipfull Company of this Cathedrall Church Thomas Bennet being not able to digest these Fopperies writ other Bills and caused them to be set up upon the Gates of the Grave yard but the person that set them up being taken in the action Thomas Bennet was thereby discovered and being apprehended confest they were his Bills and that he could do it again to discover the Abominable Blasphemy of their Anti-christ the Pope and to let people see that he is the Bâ—ar come out of the Wood which destroyeth and throweth down the Hedges of Gods Church Whereupon he was committed to Prison and the next day was had to the Bishop who committed him to Prison again where he was kept in the Stocks with strong Irons with as much favour as a Dog should find then his Houâ—e was Searched for Books and his wife shamefully abused which she bore with patience being contented to bare the Cross with her Husband and to fare hardly with him and eat Course meat and drink A gray Fryar possessing Thomas Bennet with the many dangers that he was lyable to fall into in that condition Thomas replyed my life is not dear to me I had rather by death which I know is not far off depart this Life then to partake of your detestable Idolatries and Superstitions or be subject to Anti-christ your Pope During the time of his imprisonment the hate of the people through ignorance was great against him notwithstanding they could never move his patience during his imprisonment his wife provided Sustenance for him when she Lamented he Comforted her and gave her many good and godly Exhortations and desired her not to move him to comply with his Adversaries After the Clergy saw they could by no means cause him to recant they Condemned him to be burnt and delivered him to the Sheriff of Devonshire to see him Executed the mild man rejoycing to see his end approach so near as the Sheep before the Shearer yielded himself with all humbleness to abide and suffer the Cross of Persecution being brought to his Execution in a place called Livery Dole without Exeter he gravely and soberly spake to the people to seek the honour of God and the knowledg of him and to leave the devices and immaginations of mens inventions and saying Oh Lord receive my spirit patiently endured the Cruelty of the Fire untill his life was ended Thus the Reader hath an Account of such as sustained death for Christs Cause through the rigorous Proclamation aforesaid set out in the name of the King but indeed procured by the Bishops and by them so strictly Executed that no good man could peep out with his head never so little but he was caught by the back and either brought to the fire or else forced to abjure their Religion a great number of which are particularly mentioned in Foxe's Acts and Monuments which for Brevity sake are here omitted Thomas Phillip being one of them that was prosecuted and being asked by the Bishop whether he would abjure or not he said except ye shew me cause wherefore I should abjure I will not say yea or nay to it but will stand to my appeal then the Bishop read openly the Bill of Excommunication against him charging all men to have no company or any thing to do with him after this Excommunication what became of him whether he was burnt or died in the Tower no mention is made in the Register I mention him because a Letter that was found in his Pocket and the substance of one Tracy's Will are worth the taking notice of which are as followeth A Letter directed to Thomas Phillip in the name of the Brethren and given him by the way going to the Tower is as followeth The favour of him that is able to keep you that you fall not and to confess your name in the Kingdom of Glory and to give you strength by his Spirit to confess him before all his Adversaries be with you ever Amen The Brethren think that there be divers false Brethren craftily crept in among them to seek out their freedom in the Lord that they may accuse them to the Lords Adversaries as they suppose they have done you wherefore if it be so that the Spirit of God move you thereunto they as Councellers desire you above all things to be stedfast in the Lords Truth without fear for he shall and will be your help according to his promise so that they shall not diminish the least hair of your head without his will unto the which will submit your self and rejoyce for the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and how to reserve the Unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punisht and therefore cast all your care on him for he careth for you and in that you suffer as a Christian man be not ashamed but rather glorifie God on
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
Shortly after were four others burnt at Canterbury viz. John Bland John Frankish Nicholas Shetterden and Humfrey Middleton all condemned for their denying the real Presence in the Sacrament Shetterden being at first illegally committed when he was brought before the Chief Priâ—sts and examined upon certain Articles he required 〈◊〉 see their Commission which they shewed and read to him whereby he perceived that upon suspition they might examine upon two Aâ—â—ieles viz. â—hather Christs real Presence were in the Sacrament so called and whether the Church of England were Christs Catholick Church Whereupon Shâ—â—terden said I have been a Prisoner three quarters of â—â—â—ar and as I think wrongfully reasâ—n would therefore that I should answer to those things wherefore I was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ed. The Susâ—â—agan said his Commission was You mâ—st ansâ—er directly yea or â—â—y Shâ—tterden This Commission was not general to examine whom you woodd bâ—t upon just sâ—spâ—â—ion Susâ—ragan said You are suspected and presented to me Shetterden I require the Accusation may be shewed Suffr I am not bound to shew it Shetterden For what I have done I ask no favour but as I am a Subject I require Justice Suffr You are suspected Shetterden Prove vour suspition or shew the cause of it Suffr Thou wast cast into Prison for that cause Shetterden Because I was cast into Prison contrary to the Law of God must I now to make me amends be examined upon suspition with uâ—a cause to hide all the wrong done to me before Then said the Bishop I my self do suspect thee Whereby said Shetterden Suffr It isâ—nâ— matter whereby you are suspected Shetterden It is not meet for you to be my Accuser and my Judge If I have offended the Law let me be punished I ask no favour Then said they You are obstinate and will not answer Shetterden Because you greedily seek Blood I will answer only to what you have against me Suffr No we seek not thy Blood but thy Conversion Shetterden That we shall sâ—e if you first prove that you have against me before you condemn me upon suspition Shâ—râ—ly after he was had before the Bishop of Winchester Bishop I have sent for you because I hear you are indictedof Heresâ—â—â— and being called before the Commissioners you will not answer nor submit your self Shetterden I did not refuse to answer but did plainly answer that I had been in Prison a long time and I thought it was but reason that I should bâ— charged or discharged for that and not to be examiced upon Articles to hide my wrong imprisonment neither did I know any Indictment against me if there were any it could not be just for I was not abroad since this Law was made Bishop Yet if you be suspected you ought to clear your self Shetterden I thought it sufficient to answer to my Offences c. Bishop If thou wilt declare thy self thou shalt go and then thou wayst have a Writ of wrong Imprisonment Shetterden I am not minded to sue but require Justice to be done me and if I have offended the Law let me be punished and after some other discourse the Bishop departed Middleton being examined who was one of the four burnt at this time concerning his belief in the Sacrament he said he believed in his own God my living God and no dead God After their Examinations they were condemned by the Bishop of Dover the five and twentith day of the Month called June 1555. and were delivered to the secular power and all burnt in one Fire at Canâ—erbury Nicholas Shetterden before his death prayed to this Effect O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in Heaven and Earth Maker of all things visible and invisible I am thy Creature and Work of thy Hands Lord God look upon me and other thy People which at this time are oppressed of the Worldly minded for thy Lawes sake Yea Lord thy Law it self is now trodden under foot and mens Inventions exalted above it and for that cause do I and many thy Creatures refuse the Glory Praise and Commodity of this Life and do choose to suffer adversity and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy Word for the hopes sake that is laid up in store for Lord thou knowest if we would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word we might by their permission enjoy these Comodities that others do as Wife Children Goods and Friends all which I acknowledge to be thy Gifts given to the end I should serve thee and now Lord that the World will â—ot suffer me to enjoy them except I offend thy Laws behold I give unto thee my whole Spâ—rit Soul and Body I leave all the pleasures of this life in hopes of Eternal life purchased by Christs Blood for all them that are content to suffer with him for the Truth In the conclusion of his Prayer he cryed Lord Jesus receive my Spirit into thy Hands Amen In the same Month next after the suffering of the aforesaid Kentish men Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waid Martyrs followed the death and Martyrdom of Nicholaâ— Hall Bricklayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford both condemned by the Biship of Rochester about the last day of the Mouth called June upon Articles much to the same effect as the Kentish mens were As that they should hold and maintain that in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine is not the very Body and Blood of Christ and that the Mass was nought and Abominable Three others burnt in Kent In the Month called July three others were condemned by the same Bishop whose names were Joan Beech widdow John Harpolt of Rochester and Margery Polly Derick Carver John Launder Martyrs The twenty second day of the same Month Derick Carver was burnt at Lewis in the County of Sussex and the next day John Launder was burnt at Stenning in the same County they were first apprehended by one Edward Gage as they were at prayer within the dwelling house of the said Derick Carver and by him sent up to the Council who after examination sent them to Newgate and shortly after were examined privately by Bonner who used many fair words to perswade them to recant of their Religion who when he saw that way would not do he caused them to be brought to the publick Consistory at Pauls where the Bishop first beginning with Derick Carver causing his Articles and Answers to be openly read asking him whether he would stand to the same to whom Derick replyed he would for said he your Doctrine is Poyson and Sorcery and if Christ were here you would put him to a worse death then he was put to before your Ceremonies are beggerly and your Auriculer Confession is very Poyson The Bishop seeing his constancy and that neither his accustomed flatteries nor yet his cruel threatnings could once move him to encline to their Idolatry he pronounced his usual Sentence against him and also
Heart that feareth God For therewith bless we God above and therewith Curse we men And thereby Murders do arise through Women now and then And seeing God hath given a Tongue and put it under power The surest way is for to set a hatch before the door For God hath set you in a seat of double low degree First unto God and then to man a subject for to be I write not that I see in you those things to be suspect But only set before your Face how sin should be correct For flesh and Blood I know you are as other Women be And if ye dwell in Flesh and Blood there is infirmity Receive a Warning willingly that to thy teeth is told Account the gift of greater price then if he gave thee Gold A wise man saith Solomon a warning will imbrace A Fool will sooner as he saith be smitten on the Face And as your members must be dead from all things that are vain Even so by Baptism you are born to live with Christ again Thus farewel free and faithful Friend the Lord that is above Encrease in thee a perfect faith and lead thee in his Love And as I pray with perfect Love and pour out bitter tears For you and all that are at large abroad among the bryars Even so I pray thee to prefer my person and my bonds Unto the Everlasting God that hath me in his Hands That I may pass out of this Pound wherein I am opprest Inclosed in a clod of Clay that here can have no rest That as he hath begun in me his mercies many one I may attain to overtake my Brethren that be gone That when that death shall do his worst where he shall point a place I may be able like a man to look him in the Face For though he catch away my Cloâ—k my body into dust Yet am I sure to save a Soul when death hath done his worst And though I leave a little dust dissolved without blood I shall receive it safe again when God shall see it good For my Redeemer I am sure doth live for evermore And sitteth high upon the Heavens for whom I hunger sore Even as the Deer with deadly wounds escaped from the spoile Doth haste by all the means he may to seek unto the soile Of whom I hope to have a Crown that always shall â—emain And eke enjoy a perfect peace for all my wo and pain The God that giveth all encrease and seeketh still to save Abound in thee that perfect peace which I do hope to have And I beseech the living God to hold thee in his Hands And wish thee even withal my heart the blessing of my bands Which I esteem of higher price then Pearl or precious Stone And shall endure for evermore when earthly things are gone For though the Fire do consume our Treasure and our Store Yet shall the goodness of the Lord endure for evermore And where thou art a Friend to him that is to me full dear The God of might make thee amends when all men shall appear That hath shewed Mercy to the meek and rid them out of pain And thus the Lord possess thy Spirit till we do meet again If thou wilt have a Recompence Abide still in obedience The Exhortation of Robert Smith unto his Children GIve ear my Children to my words whom God hath dearly bought Lay up my Law within your heart and print it in your thought For I your Father have foreseen the frail and filthy way Which flesh and blood would follow fain even to their own decay For all and every living beast their Crib do know full well But Adams heirs above the rest are ready to rebel And all the Creatures on the Earth full well can keep their way But man above all other Beasts is apt to go astray For Earth and Ashes is his strengh his glory and his reign And unto Ashes at the length shall he return again For flesh doth flourish like a flower and grow up like a Grass And is consumed in an hour as it is brought to pass In me the Image of your years your treasure and your trust Whom you do see before your face dissolved into dust For as you see your Fathers flesh converted into Clay Even so shall ye my Children dear consume and wear away The Sun and Moon and eâ—e the Stars that serve the day and night The Earth and every earthly thing shall be consumed quite And all the Worship that is wrought that have been heard or seen Shall clean consume and come to nought as i ft had never been Therefore that ye may follow me your Father and your Friend And enter into that same life which never shall have end I leave you here a little Book for you to look upon That you may see your Fathers Face when I am dead and gon Who for the hope of heavenly things while he did here remain Gave over all his golden years in Prison and in Pain Where I among mine Iron bands enclosed in the dark A few dayes before my death did dedicate this work To you mine heirs of earthly things which I have left behind That ye may read and understand and keep it in your mind That as you have been heirs of that which once shall wear away Even so you may possess the part which never shall decay In following of your Fathers foot in Truth and eke in Love That ye may also be hâ—â— heirs for evermore above And in example to your youth to whom I wish all good I preach you here a perfect faith and seal it with my Blood Have God alwayes before your Eyes in all your whâ—le intents Commit not sin in any â—ise keep his Commandments Abhor that arrant Whore of Rome and all her blasphemies And drink not of her decretals nor yet of her decrees Give honour to your Mother dear remember well her pain And recompence her in her age in like with love again Be alwayes aiâ—ing at her hand and let her not decay Remember well your Fathers fall that should have been her stay Give of your Portion to the poor as Riches doth arise And from the needy naked soul turn not away your eyes For be that will not hear the Cry of such as are in need Shall cry himself and not be heard when he would hope to speed If God hath given you great increase and blessed well your store Remember you are put in trust to minister the more Beware of foul and filthy last let whoredom have no place Keep clean your Vessels in the Lord that he may you imbrace Ye are the Temples of the Lord for ye are dearly bought And they that do defile the same shall surely come to nought Possess not pride in any case build not your nests too high But have alwayes before your face that ye be born to die Defraud not him that hired is your labours to Sustain But give him alwayes out of hand his
penny for his pain And as ye would that other men against you should proceed Do you the same again to them when they do stand in need And part your portion with the poor in money and in meat And feed the fainted feeble soul with that which ye should eat That when your members lacketh meat and cloathing to your back You may the better think on them that now do live and lack Ask counsel at the wise give ear unto the end Refuse not you the sweet rebuke of him that is your Friend Be thankful alwayes to the Lord with prayer and with praise Desire you him in all your deeds for to direct your wayes And sin not like that swearing sort whose bellys being fed Consume their years upon the Earth from belly unto bed Seek first I say the living God set him alwayes before And then be sure that he will bless your hasket and your store And thus if you direct your dayes according to this book Then shall they say who see your wayes how like me you do look And when you have so perfectly upon your fingers ends Possessed all within your book then give it to your Friends And I beseech the living God replenish you with grace That I may have you in the Heavens and see you face to fact And though the sword have cut me off contrary to my kind That I could not enjoy your love according to my mind Yet do I hope when that the Heavens shall vanish like a scrole I shall receive your perfect shape in body and in soul And that I may enjoy your love and ye enjoy the the Land I do beseech the living God to hold you in his hand Farewel my Children from the World where ye must yet remain The Lord of Hosts be your defence till we do meet again Farewel my Love and loving Wife my Children and my Friends I hope to God to have you all when all things have their ends And if you do abide in God as you have now began Your course I le warrant will be short ye have not far to run God grant you so to end your years as he shall think it best That ye may enter into Heaven where I do hope to rest Robert Smith to his Brother AS Nature doth me bind because thou art my blood According to my kind to give thee of my good That thou mayst have in mind how I have run my race Although thou bide behind but for a little space I give thee here a Pearl the price of all my good For which I leave my life to buy it with my blood More worth then all the World or ought that I can note Although it be clad in such a simple Coate For when I had obtained this pearl of such a price Then was I sure I gained the way for to be wise It taught me for to fight for to dispise my flesh To stick unto the Light and for to leave the Lyes In sending out my Seed with bonds and bitter tears That I might reap with joy in Everlasting years And have for all my loss my travail and my pain A thousand times and more of better goods again And for because the good that hath been got and gain'd And that the Lords Elect hath evermore obtain'd Is closed in this book which I do give to thee Wherein I have my part as thou thy self mayst see In which I hope thou hast a stock also in sâ—ore And wilt not cease to sayle till God has made it more I will thee to beware be sure thou keep it well For if thou do it loose thy part shall be in Hell And here I testifie before the living God That I detest to do the things that are forbad And as my Judgment is my body to be brent My heart is surely set therewith to be content And sith it is his will to put me in his Power Upon his holy Hill to fight against this Whore Full well I am content if he allow it so To stand with all my might the Whore to overthrow Even with a willing mind the death I will out-face And as I am assured the Battel to imbrace That they which hear the Truth how I have past the pike May set aside their youth and learn to do the like And though it be my lot to let her suck my blood Yet am I well assured it shall do her no good For she is set to kill the thing she thinks accurst And shall not have her fill of blood until she burst And when as thou shalt see or hear of my decease Pray to the living God that I may pass in peace And when I am at rest and rid out of my pain Then will I do the like for thee to God again And to my woful wife and widdow desolate Whom I do leave behind in such a simple state And compassed with tears and mournings many one Be thou her staying staff when I am dead and gone My mouth may not express the dolours of my mind Nor yet my heaviness to leave her here behind But as thou art my Bone my Brother and my Blood So let her have thy heart if it may do her good I took her from the World and made her like the Cross But if she hold her own she shall not suffer loss For where she had before a man unto her make That by the force of fire was strangled at a Stake Now shall she have a King to be her helping hand To whom pertains all things that are within the Land And eke my Daughter dear whom I bequeath to thee To be brought up in fear and Learn the A B C That she may grow in Grace and Ruled by the Rod To learn to lead her Life within the fear of God And alwayes have in mind thy Brother being dead That thou art left behind a Father in my stead And thou my Brother Dear and eke my Mothers Son Come forth out of all fear and do us I have done And God shall be thy Guide and give thee such encrease That in the Flames of Fire thou shalt have perfect Peace Into Eternal Joy and pass out of all pain Where we shall meet with mirth and never part again If thou wilt do my Daughter good Be mindfull of they Brothers Blood Teach me O Lord to walk thy Wayes my living to amend And I shall keep it all my dayes even to my lives end Give me a mind to understand so shall I never start But I shall keep all thy precepts even wholy with my heart Make me to go a perfect pace in that I have begun For all my love and my delight is in thy Wayes to run Encline my heart unto thy Wayes set thou thereon my thought And let me not consume my dayes to covet that is nought O quicken me in all thy Wayes the VVorld for to despise And from all fond and foolish toyes turn thou away mine Eyes O plant in me thy
way look not back have the Eye of your heart fixed upon God and so run that you may get hold of it cast away all your Worldly Pelf and Worldly respects as the favour of Friends the fear of men sensual Affâ—ction respect of Person Honour Praise Shame Rebuke Wealth Poverty Riches Lands Possessions carnal Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children with the love of your own selves and in respect of that Heavenly treasure you look for let all these be denied and utterly refused of you so that in no condition they do abate your zeal or quench your Love towards God in this case make no account of them but rather repute them as vile in comparison of Everlasting life away with them as Thorns that cheak the Heavenly Seed of the Gospel where they be suffered to grow they are burthens of the Flesh which encumber the Soul exchâ—â—ge thâ—â— therefore I beseech you for advantage doth not he gain that findeth Heavenly and immortal treasure for Earthly and corruptible Riches looseth that man any thing which of his carnal Father and Mother is forsaken when therefore he is received of God the Father to be his Child and Heir in Christ Heavenly for Earthly for Mortal Immortal for transistory things permanant is great gains to a Christian Conscience Therefore as I began I exhort you in the Lord not to be afraid shrink not my Brethren mistrust not God be of good comfort rejoyce in the Lord hold fast your Faith and continue to the end deny the World and take up the Cross and follow him which is your Lead man and is gone before if you suffer with him you shall reign with him What way can you glorifie the Name of your Heavenly Father better then by suffering death for his Sons sake What a Spectacle shall it be to the World to behold so godly a fellowship as you Servants of God in so just a Quarrel as the Gospel of Christ is with so pure a Conscience so strong a Faith and so lively a hope to offer your selves to suffer most cruel Torments at the hands of Gods Enenies and so to end your daies in Peace to receive in the resurrection of the Righteous life Everlasting Be strong therefore in your Battel the Lord God is on your side and his Truth is your cause and against you be none but the Enemies of the Cross of Christ as the Serpent and his Seed the Dragon with his Tail the marked man of the Beast the Off-pring of the Pharisees the Congregation Malignant the Generation of Vipers and Murtherers as their Father the Devil hath been from the beginning To conclude such are they as the Lord God hath alwayes abhorred and in all Ages resisted and overthrown God from whom nothing is hid knoweth what they are he that searcheth the hearts of men he hath found out them to be crafty subtle full of Poyson Proud Disdainfull Stiff-necked Devourers Ravenours and Barkers against the Truth filthy and shameless and therefore doth the Spirit of God by the Mouthes of his holy Prophets and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes Serpents Cockatrices Lyons Leopards Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Swine Beasts teaching us thereby to understand that their natural inclination is to deceive poyson and destroy as much as in them lyeth the faithfull and Elect of God but the Lord with his right Arm shall defend his little Flock against the whole rabblerment of these Worldlings which have conspired against him he hath numbered all the hairs of his Childens Heads so that not one of them shall perish without his Fatherly will he keepeth the Sparrows much more will he preserve them whom he hath purchased with the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb he will keep them until the hour appointed wherein the Name of God shall be glorified in his Saints in the mean time let them work their wills let them Envy let them Malign let them Blasphem let them Curse Ban Betray Whip Scourge Hang and Burn for by this means God will try his Elect as Gold in the Furnance and by these Fruits shall they also bring themselves to be known what they be for all their Sheep skins for as he that in suffering patiently for the Gospel of God is thereby known to be of Christ even so also is the Persecutor of him known to be a member of Anti-christ Besides this their extream cruelty shall be a means the sooner to provoke God to take pity upon his Servants and to destroy them that so Tyranniously entreat his People as we may learn by the Histories as well in the Bondage of Israel under Pharaoh in Eygpt as also in the miserable Captivity of Judas in Babylon where when the People of God were in most extream thraldom then did the Lord streath forth his mighty Power to deliver his Servants though God for a time suffered them to be exalted in their own pride yet shall they not escape his Vengeance To conclude my Brethren I commit you to God and the Power of his Word which is able to establish you in all Truth his Spirit be with you and work alway that ye may be mindfull of your duties towards him whose ye are both Body and Soul whom see that ye Love Serve Dread and Obey above all worldly Powers and for nothing under the Heavens defile your Conscience before God dissemble not with his Word God will not be mocked Nay they that dissemble with him deceive themselves such shall the Lord deny and cast out at the last day such I say as bear two faces in one hood such as play on both hands such as deny the known Truth such as obstinately rebel against him all such with their partakers shall the Lord destroy God defend you from all such and make you perfect unto the end your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy This aforesaid Robert Smith the valiant and constant Martyr of Christ thus replenished as you have read with the fortitude of Gods Spirit was condemned at London by Bishop Bonner the 12th day of the Moneth called July and suffered Death at Uxbridge the Eighth day of the Moneth called August Anno 1555. A Letter sent to his Wife Anne Smith The God and Father eternal which brought again from death our Lord Jesus Christ keep thee dear Wife now and ever Amen and all thy Parents and Friends I praise God for his Mercy I am in the same state that ye left me in rather better then worse looking daily for the living God before whom I hunger full sore to appear and receive the Glory of which I trust thou art willing to be a partaker I give God most hearty thanks therefore desiring thee of all loves to stand in that Faith which thou hast received and let no man take away the Seed that Almighty God hath sown in thee but lay hands of Everlasting Life which shall ever abide when both the Earth and all earthly Friends shall perish desiring them also to receive thankfully our
that I hear no more complaint of thee and come to the Church when thou wilt and if thou be complained upon so far as I may I promise thee I will not hear of it VVilliam said in reply I was brought hither by a Law and by a Law I will be delivered at the Sessions the said VVilliam was committed to the Castle at VVisbidge Robert Pygot a Painter by Trade was at the same Sessions presentde for not going to Church and being called before Sr. Clement Higham Judge of the Sessions who said to Pygot Ah are you the holy Father the Painter How chance you come not to Church Robert Pygot I am not out of the Church I trust in God No Sr. said the Judge this is no Church this is a Hall Rob. Pygot I know very well it is a Hall but he that is in the true faith of Jesus Christ is never absent but present in the Church of God Ah Sirrah said the Judge you are too high learned for me to talk withal wherefore I will send you to them that be better learned and committed him to the Goal where VVoolsey lay and from thence they were both carried to Ely where they remained Prisoners till the day of their death About the nineteenth day of the same Month they were had to Judgment before Doctor Fullor then Chancellor and others who laid several Articles to their charge viz. that they denied the Sacrament of the Altar whereunto their answer was that the Sacrament of the Altar was an Idol One of the Commissioners drew up a Paper that he would have Robert Pygot sign No said Pygot that is your Faith and not mine When these two men were burnt there was a great Sheet knit full of Books burnt with them It is further testified concerning those two Martyrs by one William Fulk of Cambridge that they were burnt at Ely Pygot he said was milde humble and modest promising that he would be conformable to his Persecutors if they could perswade him by the Scriptures Wolsey he said was stout strong and vehement and detested all their doings as of whom he was sure to receive nothing but Cruelty and Tyranny he was wonderous jealous over his Companion fearing least his gentle Nature would have been overcome by the flatering inticements of the World and therefore the same day that they were burned when they would have talked with him alone he pulled him away from them almost by force Ridley and Latimer burnt at Oxford About the same time were burned at Oxford Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer both Bishops when the Faggot was brought kindled and laid at Nicholas Ridley's feet Latimer spake to him in this manner Be of good comfort we shall this day light such a Candle by Gods Grace in England as I trust shall never be put out Three burnt at Canterbury About the thirtieth of the Month called November 1555. John Web George Roper and Gregory Porke were all burnt together in one Fire at Canterbury abiding most patiently the torment counting themselves happy and blessed of the Lord that they were made worthy to suffer for Christs Gospel sake William Wiseman a Clothworker of London the thirtieth of December following died a Prisoner for the Gospel in Lollards Tower after he was departed the Papists commanded that no man should bury him but he was cast out into the fields accounting him as a prophane person and worthy of no burial yet some faithful Brethren buried him in the evening as they did the rest thrown out in like sort whom they were wont privily by night to bury In the same Month James Gore died Prisoner in Colchester for the Truth of Gods Word John Philpot Martyr The next followeth the Martyrdom of John Philpot who suffered for the sake of the Gospel of Christ and a Witness against the Antichristian Sea of Rome He was a Knights son and was born in Hampshire and was brought up in learning he was of a pregnant wit of singular courage and zealous in Religion When Queen Mary came to the Crown she caused a Convocation to be held where this John Philpot was present where he vindicated the cause of the Gospel manfully against the adverse party for the which cause he was called to account by Bishop Gardner the Chancellor notwithstanding the Liberty of the House promised before after Gardner had examined him he sent him to Bonner and his Commissinors Q. Mary An. 5515 with whom he had sundry conflicts the most material passages in which examinations I have here inserted Doctor Story looking on him said He was well fed Philpot If I be fat it is no marvel since I have been staled up in Prison a year and a half in a close corner Roper We here say you are out of the Catholick Church and have been a disturber of the same wherefore if you will come into the same you shall be received and find favour Philpot I am come before you and I would know my Offence and if I have done nothing contrary to the Laws I desire I may have the benefit of a Subject and be delivered out of my wrong imprisonment Story Thou art an Heretick and holdest against the blessed Mass Philpot What I spoke in the Convocation House the Queen and Council gave Liberty to every man of the House to utter his Conscience and to speak his mind freely of such matters in Religion as were propounded by the Prolocutor for which I ought not to be molested nor compelled by you to answer for the same Story Thou shalt go to the Lollards Tower and there shalt thou be handled like a Heretick as thou art and be Judged by the Bishop of London Philpot I have been Examined and imprisoned by the Chancellor mine Ordinary and by the Law I may have exceptionem fori and it s against all equity that I should be twice vexed for one cause and that by such as by the Law have nothing to do with me Story Thou shalt be had to the Lollards Tower Philpot Since you will needs shew me this Extremity I desire to see your Commission that gives you Authority so to do Roper Let him see the Commission Story Shall we lit every vile person see our Commission Cholmly Let him go from whence he came and on Thursday he shall see our Commission Story No let him lie in the mean while in the Lollards Tower I will sweep the Kings-Beach and all the other Prisons of these Hereticks so that they shall not have that resort as they have had to scatter their Heresies Philpot You have power to transfer my Body from place to place at your pleasure but you have no power over my Soul and I pass not whither you commit me for I cannot be worse entreated then I am kept all day in a close Chamber Story Marshall Take him home with you again and bring him on Thursday and then we shall rid your fingers of him and afterwards of your other
good to rost a shoulder of Mutten but evil in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed when the Articles were answered the Chancellor read their Condemnation and so delivered them to the Sheriff to whom John Spicer said now you must be their Butcher that you may be guilty also with them of Innocent Blood before the Lord. The 24th day of the Moneth called March they were had to the place of Execution where they kneeled down and prayed secretly and then being disclothed to their Shirts John Mundrell spoke with a Loud voice Not for all Salsbury which words men judged to be an answer to the Sheriff who offered him the Queens Pardon if he would recant and after this in like manner spake John Spicer This is the joyfullest day that ever I saw Thus did they most constantly give their Bodies to the Fire and their Souls to the Lord for a Testimony to his Truth Six persons burnt in Smithfield About the 23th day of the Moneth called April 1556 were burned in Smithfield at one Fire these six persons viz. Robert Drakes William Tymis Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge John Cavel Q. Mary An. 1556 and George Ambross they were all of Essex and so of the Diocess of London they were sent up at sundry times by Lord Rich and others and by Gardner Bishop of Winchester then Lord Chancellor of England committed some to the Marshal-sea and some to the Kings-Bench where they remained almost the whole year before they were brought to Examination Some Passages in their Examination are as followeth After six or seven hours discourse between the Bishop of London and Bath with William Tymis they were weary and began to pity Tymis's case and to slater him saying Ah good Fellow thou art bold and thou hast a good fresh Spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy Spirit I thank you said he and both you be learned and I would you had a good Spirit to your learning The Bishop seeing Tymis his hoase part white and part of a sheeps russet in a mocking manner said Ah Sirrah are you a Deacon Yea that I am said he So me thinketh said the Bishop you are decked like a Deacon Said Tymis Me-thinks my Vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but your Apparel doth as much vary from an Apostle And one of the Bishops men said Scoffingly my Lord give him a Chair a Tost and Drink and he will be Lusty But the Bishop said Have him away till another time The 28th day of March the aforesaid six Martyrs were brought to the open Consistory in Pauls before Bishop Bonner to be condemned for Heresie Bishop said Tymis I le begin with thee for thou art and hast been the Ring-leader of these thy Companions thou hast taught them Heresies and Confirmed them in their Errâ—ous Opinions endeavouring to make them like thy self Tymis said I Marvel you will begin with a Lye you call me the Ring-leader and Teacher of this Company There is none of all these my Brethren which are brought hither as Prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of Prison dissented from you and your doings as much as they do now and for that cause they are now Prisoners so that they learned not their Religion in Prison and as for me I never knew them till I was committed Prisoner with them and as for my fault which you make so greivous whatsoever you judge of me I am well assured that I hold no other Religion then Christ Preached the Apostles Witnessed the Primitive Church received and now of late hath been faithfully taught by Evangelical Preachers for which you have cruelly burned them and now you seek our Blood also proceed on hardly by what rule you will I fear not Then the Bishop proceeded to pass the Sentence upon him and then upon the rest and after he had condemned them he ridded his bloody hands of them delivering them to the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained till the 14th day of the Moneth called April and then sealed their Faith with their Blood The Substance of a Letter of William Tymis to his Friends in Hookly The Grace of God the Father through the Merrits of his dear Son Jesus our Lord and only Saviour with the continual aid of his holy and mighty Spirit to the performance of his will to our Everlasting comfort be with you my dear Brethren both now and evermore Amen My dearly beloved I beseech God to reward the great goodness that you have shewed unto me seven fold into your Bosoms and as you have alwayes had a most godly love unto his Word even so I beseech him to give you grace to love your own Souls and then I trust that you will flee from all those things that should displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhor all the Company of these that would have you to Worship God any otherwise then is contained in his holy Word and beware of those Masters of Idolatry that is these Papistical Priests My dear Brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I have said unto you and also written the which I am now ready to seal with my Blood I praise God that ever I lived to see the day and blessed be my good and mercifull God that ever he gave me a body to glorifie his Name And dear hearts I do now write unto you for none other cause but to put you in rememberance that I have not forgot you to the end that I would not have you forget me but to remember well what I have simply by word of Mouth and Writing taught you the which although it were most simply done yet truely as your own Conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own Conscience doth condemn therefore come out of Sodom and go to Heaven-ward with the Servants and Martyrs of God least you be partakers of the Vengeance of God that is coming upon this Wicked Nation from the which the Lord God defend you c. Thus now I take my leave of you forever in this World except I be burned amongst you which thing is uncertain unto me as yet By me your poorest and most unworthy Brother in Christ William Tymis in Newgate the 12th day of April condemned to die for Christs Truth Joan Beech of Tumbridge and John Harpool of Rochester were both condemned for the Truth of the Gospel by Morrice Bishop of Rochester and were Sufferers together at one Fire in Rochester the first day of the Moneth called April 1556. The next day after suffered in the like Cause at Cambridge one John Hullier Some Sentences taken out of a Letter written by the said John Hullier are as followeth John Hullier being of long time Prisoner and now openly judged for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus wisheth heartily to the whole Congregation of God the strength of
his holy Spirit to their Everlasting health both for Body and Soul I now most dear Christians having the Sweet Comfort of Gods saving health and being confirmed with his free Spirit be he only praised therefore am constrained in my Conscience thinking it my very Duty to admonish you as ye tender the Salvation of your Souls by all manner of means to seperate your selves from the Company of the Popes Hirelings considering what is said in the Revelation of St. John by the Angel of God touching all men the words be these If any man Worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured into the Cup of his wrath and he shall be punished with Fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the Smoak of their Torment ascendeth up evermore Come out from among them and joyn not your selves to their unlawfull Assemblies yea do not once shew your selves with the least part of your Body to favour their Wicked doings but glorifie God as most right is so well in your whole Body outwardly as inwardly in your Spirit or else you can do neither of both well for your Body doth belong to God as well asyour Spirit at the Dreadfull Day of judgment we shall all receive the Works of our Bodies according to that we have done whether it be good or bad Therefore whatsoever we do we may not bring the Spirit in bondage to the Body but contrary wise we may subdue the Body and the will of the Flesh to the Spirit that the Spirit may freely accomplish the will of God in all things for otherwise we shall never be Partakers of his Promise with the true Children of Abraham for as Paul saith they which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God if we live according to the Flesh we shall die for to be carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because that the fleshly mind is Emnity to God for it is not obedient to the Law of God neither can be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Now choose you which way you will take either the narrow Way that leadeth to Life which Christ himself and his faithfull Followers have gone through before or else the broad Path-way which leadeth to Destruction which the Wicked Worldlings take their pleasure in for a while I for my part have now written this short Admonition unto you of good will as God be my Witness to exhort you to that Way which at length you your selvos shall prove and find to be best yea and rejoyce thereof And I do not only write this but I will also with the assistance of Gods Grace ratifie confirm and sâ—al the same with the effusion of my Blood when the full time shall be expired that he hath appointed which so far forth as I may judge must needs be within these few dayes Therefore I now bid you all most heartily farewell in the Lord whose Grace be with your Spirit Amen Watch and Pray Watch and Pray Pray Pray so be it John Hullier On the 24th day of April so called there were six men burnt at one fire in Colchester Six men burnt at Colchester where the most part of them did inhabit there names were Christopher Laster of Dingham Husband-Man John Mace of Colchester Apothecary John Spencer Weaver of Colchester Symon Joyne Sawyer Richard Nicholes of Colchester Weaver John Hammond of Colchester Tanner Being had to the Bishops House at Fulham several Articles were objected against them concerning the Sacrament of the Altar and other things the same in effect that were propounded to others that suffered before them to the which they made there several Answers agreeing altogether there in one Truth and standing most firmly unto their Christian-profession though they were by divers wayes and means tryed and proved whether they would revoke their Faith and return to Anti-christs-Church which thing when they refused the Bishop stoutly pronounced the Sentence of condemnation against them committing them unto the temperal power who receiving the writ De Hereticis Comburandis the 28th day of the Mon. called April as aforesaid they cheefully ended their lives to the glory of God and the great encouragment of others The next that suffered were Hugh Laverock of Barking Hugh Laverock and Jo. Apprice Martyrs a Lame man and John Apprice a Blind man They were Accused of some of their Neighbours to the Bishop and others and being sent for by an Officer were brought to the Bishops House where he Examined them upon his nine Common-Articles to the which they having answered were sent to Prison till further Examined which was about nine dayes after in the Consistory at Pauls where he urged them to recant their Opinions against the Sacrament of the Altar Hugh Laverock said I will stand to mine answers and I cannot find in the Scriptures that the Priests should lift up over their heads a Cake of Bread John Apprice said your Doctrine you teach is so agreeable with the World and imbraced by them that it cannot be agreeable with the Scriptures of God The Bishop soon after pronounced the Sentence against them and delivered them to the Temperal Officer and on the 15th day of the aforesaid Month they were carried in a Cart from Newgate to Stratford where most quietly in the Fire they praised God yielding up their Souls into his hands The next day after they were burnt there suffered Death at the Fire in Smithfield three Women viz. Katherine Hut of Bocking Widdow Joan Hornes of Billerica Maid Elizabeth Thackvell of Great-Bursted Maid Three Women burnt in Smithfield Bonner brought his usal form of Articles against them to which when they had answered he past his Sentence upon them Katherine Hut Widdow at her last Examination told the Bishop she denyed their Sacrament to be God because said she it is a dumb God and made with mens hands Joan Hornes said That Way you call Heresie I trust to serve the Lord my God in At the same time there was one Margaret Ellis who for the same Truth was brought in Question and was by Bonner adjudged and condemned but before the time of her burning came she died in Newgate whose Innocent suffering was also thought meet to be recorded with the rest of her Faithfull Friends A Relation of the burning of Thomas Drowry a Blind Boy and Thomas Croker Bricklayer In Examination before Doctor Williams Chancellor of the Consistory Court at Gloucester amongst other Articles Thomas Drowry and Tho. Croker Martyrs he chiefly urged the Articles of Transubstantiation saying Chancellor Dost not thou believe that after the Words of Consecreation spoken by the Priest there remaineth the very real Body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar To whom the Blind Boy answered No that I do not Chancellor
hand This John Fortune was a man of a Zealous Spirit and ready in the Scriptures in Christs Cause Stout and Valiant and no less patience in his wrongful Suffering then constant in his Doctrine The Examination is as followeth First Doctor Parker asked How I believed in the Catholick Faith Fortune I asked him which Faith he meant whether the Faith that Stephen had or the Faith of them that put Stephen to death Parker being moved said What a naughty Fellow is this you shall see anon he will deny the blessed Sacrament of the Altar and said How sayest thou by the blessed Mass Fortune And I stood still and made no answer Then said one Foster Why speakest thou not and make the Gentleman an answer Fortune I said Silence is a good answer to a foolish Question Parker I am sure be will deny the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Fortune I said I knew none such Parker You deny the order of the seven Sacraments and why dost thou not believe in the Sacrament of the Altar Fortune Because it is not written in Gods Book Foster You shall be Whipped and Burnt for this Fortune If you knew how these words do rejoyce my heart you would not have spoken them Away with him said he for he is ten times worse then Samuel and so he was carried away to Prison again At the second Examination Bishop asked me If I did not believe in the Catholick Church Fortune I believe that Church whereof Christ is the head Bishop Dost thou not believe that the Pope is Supream head of the Church Fortune No Christ is Head of the true Church Fortune Then I asked him whether the Pope were a Spirtual Man To which he said Yea. Fortune I said They are spightfull men for in seventeen Months there were three Popes one Poisoned another for that presumptous seat of Anti-chhist Bishop It is Malishiously spoken for thou must obey the power and not the man well said he What say you to the Ceremonies of the Church Fortune All things that are not planted by my heavenly Father shall be blucked up by the roots saith Christ Bishop They are good and godly and necessary to be used Fortune Paul called them weak and beggerly At the third Examination Bishop How believest thou in the Sacrament of the Altar Dost thou not believe that after the Consecration there is the real substance of the Body of Christ Fortune That is the greatest Plague that ever came into England Bishop Why so Fortune If I were a Bishop and you a poor man as I am I would be ashamed to ask such a Question for a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learn Bishop Is it Idolatry to Worship the blessed Sacrament or no Fortune God is a Spirit and will be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth At another Examination Bishop asked me If I would stand to my Answers that I had made him before Fortune Yea for I have spoken nothing but the Truth And after that he made a great Circumstance upon the Sacrament Then I desired him to keep to the Text and he read the Scripture which said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven believest thou not this Fortune Yea truly Bishop Why dost thou deny the Sacrament Fortune Because your Doctrine is false Bishop How can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture Fortune Christ said I am the Bread and you say the Bread is he therefore your Doctrine is false Bishop Dost not thou believe the Bread is he Fortune No. Bishop I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures Fortune Hold that fast for that is the best Argument you have yet Bishop Thou shalt be burnt like an Heretick Fortune Who shall give Judgment upon me Bishop I will judge a hundred such as thou art and never be shreven for it Fortune Is not there a Law for the Spirituality as well as for the Temporality Clement Higham said Yes what meanest thou by that Fortune When a man is perjured by the Law he is cast over the Bar and sitteth no more in judgment and the Bishop is a perjured man and ought to sit in Judgment of no man Bishop How provest thou that Fortune Because you took an Oath in King Henry's dayes to resist the Pope so both Spiritual and Temperal are perjured that here can be no true Judgment Bishop Thinkest thou to escape Judgment by that no for my Chancellor shall judge thee he took no Oath for he was then out of the Realm Clement Higham It is time to Weed out such Fellows as you be indeed The Bishop commanded the Bailiff to take him away thus much touching the Examination of this man but whether he died by Fire or were otherwise prevented by Death is not recorded only his Sentence of Condemnation was drawn up and registred by the Register of Norwich but most certain it is he never recanted John Careless Examined before Doctor Martin Martin askt him Where he was born Careless said John Careleses Examination At Coventry Martin said How camest thou hither Careless By a Writ Martin Thou art a hansom man and its pity but thou shouldest do well and play the Wise mans part Careless I put you out of doubt that I am most sure and certain of my Salvation by Christ Jesus so that my Soul is safe already whatsoever pains my Body suffer here for a little time After much more discourse between them about predestination Martin said The Lord knows that I would gladly make some means to preserve thy life but thou speakest so much of the Lord the Lord How sayest thou wilt thou be content to go into Ireland and serve the Queen there Careless I am ready to do service to the Queen or her Officers but if they require me to do any thing contrary to Christs Religion I am ready also to do my service in Smithfield for not observing it as other my Brethren have done He endured Imprisonment two whole years in Coventry and the Kings-Bench where at last he died and was buried in a Dunghill in the Fields Sentences taken out of a Letter written by John Careless in the time of his Suffering and Imprisonment To my most dear and faithful Brethren in Newgate condemned to die for the Testimony of Gods Everlasting Truth The Everlasting Peace of God in Christ Jesus the continual Joy Strength and Comfort of his most pure Holy and Mighty Spirit with the increase of Faith and lively feeling of his Eternal Mercy be with you my most dear and faithful loving Brother Tyms with all the rest of my dear hearts in the Lord you faithful fellow Souldiers and most constant Companions in bonds yea of men Condemned most cruelly for the sincere Testimony of Gods Everlasting Truth to the full finishing of that good work which he hath so gratiously begun in you all that the same may be to his glory the commodity of his poor afflicted Church and to your Everlasting comfort in him
and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty For neither Eye hath seen nor the Ear hath heard neither can it enter into the heart of man what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. Ye are brought neither with Silver nor Gold but with the pretious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1. There is none other Name given to men wherein we must be saved Acts 4. So fare ye well Wife and Children and leave worldly care and see that ye be dilligent to pray Take no thought saith Christ Mat. 6. saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed for after all these things seek the Gentiles for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things but seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be ministred unto you The Sufferings of Cicely Ormes Wife of Edmund Ormes of Norwich Worsted-Weaver burnt about the twenty third day of September The occasion of her first apprehending was for that she being persent at the death of two Martyrs burnt in the Lollards-pit Ciâ—ely Ormes Martyr without Bishops-gate in Norwich for that she said she would pledge them of the same Cup that they drunk of she was apprehended and had before the Chancellor who Examining her concerning the Sacrament of the Altar He askt her What it was the Priest held over his head she replyed It was Bread and if said she you make it any better it is worse Whereupon the Chancellor with threatning words sent her to the Bishops Prison shortly after she was brought before him again who offered her If she would go to Church and keep her Tongue she should be at liberty but she refusing his offer he past Sentence of Death upon her and delivered her to the Sheriff to see her burnt when she came to the Stake she said Welcome the sweet Cross of Christ and when the Fire was kindled about her she said My Soul doth Magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour and so finished her Testimony in patience At this time the rage of Persecution was very hot in many Counties and many were Persecuted at Litchfield and about seventeen were put to death in Sussex in the Diocess of Chichester a particular Relation whereof there is little left upon record to make manifest but the Popes Tyranny was great in many Counties in England in this Queens time The Examination of Thomas Sprudence before the Chancellor of Norwich Chancellor askt him Whether he had been with a Priest and confest his sins Tho. Spancer Martyr He replyed I have confest my sins to God and that is sufficient for me Then said the Bishop Wilt thou be sworn to the Pope as supream head of the Church No said he not as long as I live for you cannot prove by the Scripture that the Pope is head of the Church Yes said the Bishop As the Bell-weather which weareth the Bell is head of the Flock of Sheep even so is the Pope the head of the Church of Christ and now good fellow thou hast wandered long out of thy way like a scattred Sheep therefore hear this Bell-weather and come home with us to thy Mother the true Church again Thomas answered All this is but Natural reason and no Scripture Oh said the Bishop I see you are stout and will not be answered therefore you shall be compelled by Law Thomas replyed So did your Fore-fathers intreat Christ and his Apostles they had a Law and by their Law they put him to death and likewise you have a Law which is Tyranny and by that you would force me to believe as you do but I trust the Lord will assist me against all your beggerly Ceremonies and make your Foolishness known to all the World Then said the Bishop When were you at Church Thomas said Never since I was born How old are you then said the Bishop I think said he about forty Then the Bishop not well understanding him he explained himself saying never since I was born anew for Christ said unto Nicodemus Except you be born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Then the Bishop told him He was a stubborn Fellow and an Heretick and speaking to him of Obedience to the Laws of the Realm Thomas relyed You must consider that I have a Soul and a Body and my Soul is none of the Queens but my Body and Goods is the Queens and I must give God my Soul and all that belongeth unto it that is I must obey the Laws and Commandments of God and whosoever commandeth obedience to Laws contrary to Gods Laws I may not obey them lest I loose my Soul but must rather obey God then man and further told the Bishop that their graven Images and Ceremonies were but the Inventions and Imaginations of their own brain Then one standing by said to the Prisoners Are you wiser then all men Will you willingly cast away your selves My Lord would fain save you therefore chuse some man where you will and take a day my Lord will give it you Then Thomas replyed If I save life I shall lose it and if I lose my life for Christs sake I shall find life Everlasting and if I take a day when the day cometh I must say then even as I say now except I will lye and therefore that needeth not Well then said the Bishop Have him away and after he had been kept some time a Prisoner in Bury in Saffolk he was burnt in November In the same Moneth were three persons put to death in Smithfield viz. John Hallingdal William Sparrow and Richard Gibson Three persons burnt in Smithfield they were several times brought before Bonner who produced several Articles against them and used Arguments to perswade them to recant before he past Sentence upon them to which John Hallingdal replyed Because I will not come to your Babylonical Church therefore you go about to condemn me then the Bishop askt him Whether he would persevere in his Opinions He replyed He should persist in them until the death whereupon Bonner read the bloody Sentence against him William Sparrow being asked the same Question by the Bishop he made answer to this effect That way which you call Heresie is good and godly and if every hair of my head were a man I would burn them all rather then go from the Truth and said their Laws and Mass was naught and abominable whereupon the Bishop Immediately read the Sentence of death against him and delivered him to the Secular Power who sent him again to Prison After the Bishop had ministred several Articles against Rich. Gibson the said Richard proposed several Articles to him to answer yea or nay or else to say he could not tell viz. Whether any man by the holy Ordinance of God ever was is or shall be Lord over mens faith And by what Lawfull Authority any man of what
dignity Estate or calling by Office soever he or they be may use Lordship or Power over any man for Faith or Conscience-sake By what lawful authority or power any man of what dignity estate or calling soever he or they be may be so held as to alter or change the holy Ordinances of God or any of them or any part of them By what evident tokens Anti-christ and his Ministers may be known seeing it is written that Satan can change himself into the simillitudo of an Angel of Light What is the Beast which maketh War with the Saints of God and doth not only kill them but also will suffer none to buy nor sell but such as worship his Image or receive his mark in their right-hands or in their fore-heads his Name or the number of his Name or do worship his Image which by the just and terrible Sentence of God already decreed shall perish in Fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and they shall have no rest day nor night but the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for evermore Also what is the Gordious Glittring Whâ—re that sitteth upon the Beast with a Golden Gup in her hand full of Abominations with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication and the Inhabitants of the Earth and she her self also is drunken with the blood of the Saints which is the Wine of her Fornication whose flesh the â—orns of the Beast shall tare in pieces and burn her with Fire At the last time of his appearing at the Consistory before the Bishop the Bishop asking him If be knew any cause why Sentence should not be past against him He answered That they had nothing against him justly to condomn him for the Bishop replyed saying He was an evil man Richard Gibson answered I may say so of you also Then the Bishop hastning on to his Sentence Admonisht him to remember himself and save his Soul Gibson told the Bishop He would not hear his babbling and said further blessed am I that am cursed at yours hands and so the Sentence was read against him and he was committed to Prison and shortly after was burnt with the two before mentioned At the bottom of his Articles he incerted these two Scripture following Ascribe unto the Lord Oh ye mighty ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the Honour of his Name and bow your selves to the Majesty of the Lord. I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he shall spake peace unto his people that they turn not themselves unto foolishness April the 6th 1557. By me Richard Gibson John Rough Margaret Mearing Martryrs In this furious time of Persecution J. Rough and Margaret Mearing were also burnt at London on the 22th day of the Moneth called December this John Rough was born in Scotland and in his zeal for the Truth he abhorred the Idolatry and Superstition in Religion practiced in that Country and therefore traveled into England where after the death of King Edward the sixth perceiving the alteration that was like to be in Religion and the Persecution that would thereupon arise and looking at his own weakness fled with his Wife into Freezland where they laboured with their hands for their maintenance but shortly after he returned again into England and arriving at London he heard of a Society of godly People that assembled privately in Religious Exercise to whom he joyned himself and continued Exercising his gift in preaching unto them until he was through the treachery of a false Brother betrayed and apprehended by the Vice-Chamberlain of the Queens House being taken at a religious Meeting at the Sarrisons head in Islington after Examination before the Council he was sent to Newgate and his Examination in a Letter to Bonner to proceed against him as an Heretick Bonner being minded to make quick dispatch with him within three dayes after the receipt of the Letter sent for him from Newgate to his Palace at London where he had several Articles ready drawn up against him for denying the seven Sacraments the Latine Service and the Popes Supremacy c. After he had answered to these Articles he was dismissed till next day and then he was brought again before the Bishop and others who perceiving his constancy to his profession they ordered him to be brought the next day to the open Consistory and there condemned him as an Heretick and delivered him to the Secular Power who sent him to Newgate and shortly after he was burnt in Smithfield Q. Mary An. 1558. at half an hour past five a clock in the morning A Letter written by John Rough unto certain of his Friends confirming and strengthening them in the Truth The comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to give consolation unto others in these dangerous dayes when Satan is let loose but to the tryal only of the chosen when it pleaâ—eth our God to sift his Wheat from the Chaff I have not leasure and time to writ the great Temptations I have been under I speak to Gods Glory my care was to have the sences of my Soul opened to perceive the voice of God saying Whosoever denyeth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his Angels and to save the life Corporal is to lose the life Eternal and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reign with him therefore most tender Ones I have by Gods Spirit given over the Flesh with the fight of my Soul and the Spirit hath the victory the Flesh shall now ere it be long leave off to sin the Spirit shall reign Eternally I have chosen the death to confirm the Truth by me taught what can I do more Consider with your selves that I have done it for the confirmation of Gods Truth pray that I may continue unto the end the greatest part of my assault is past I praise my God I have in all my assaults felt the present aid of my God I give him most hearty thanks for it look not back nor be ashamed of Christs Gospel nor of the Bonds I have suffered for the same thereby you may be assured it is the true Word of God the holy Ones have been sealed with the same Mark. It s no time for the loss of one man in the Battel for the Camp to turn back up with mens hearts blow down the daubed Walls of Heresie let one take the Banner and another the Trumpet I mean not to make corporal resistance but pray and ye shall have Elias's defence Elizeas Company to right for you the cause is the Lords Now my Brethren I can write no more time will not suffer and my heart with Pangs of Death is assaulted but I am at home with my God yet alive pray for me and satute one another with a holy Kiss the Peace of God rest with you all Amen From Newgate Prison in haste the day of my Condemnation John Rough.
pray to his God and preach if he could the Priests stuffing the dead Mouth with the leaves of Bibles and said to the dead Corps Preach the Truth of your God and call upon him now to help you A Letter written by Wouter Oom Prisoner and Martyr in the City of Antwerp full of Consolation against the fear of Persecution directed to a Brother and Sister of his Grace and Peace from God the Father and from his Son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Well beloved Brother and Sister whom I love dearly for the Truths sake and for your Faith in Christ Jesus these are to certifie you that I am in bodily health and enjoy the comfort of a good Conscience I praise my Lord God therefore who is able to encrease the same more and more by the powerful Operation of his holy Spirit whosoever they be that will forsake this present evil World and become Followers of their Captain Christ must make account to meet with many Persecutions and Afflictions for Christ hath told us afore-hand That we should be Hated Persecuted and Banished out of the for his Names sake An. 1562. and this they will do saith he Because they have neither known the Father nor me but be not afraid saith he for I have overcome the World St. Paul also Witnesseth the same thing saying All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution And again To you it is given for Jesus Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake And doth not our Lord Jesus Christ say Blessed are you when men persecute you and speak all manner of evil falsly against you for my Names sake Rejoyce therefore and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle Saint Peter leaving us an Example that we should walk in his steps who also endured the Cross and despised the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became Poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that state of Grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the Glory of God knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience c. Wherefore dear Brother and Sister be not afraid of the fiery Tryal which is now sent among us to prove us for what Father loving his Child doth not correct it Even so doth the Lord chastice those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction whereof all true Christians are partakers then were we Bastards and not Sons And therefore Solomon faith My Son despise not the Chastning of the Lord neither faint when thou art corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth fear not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the Head and we are his Members even as Christ then hath obtained full Joy and Glory by suffering of Anguishes and Sorrows so we also according to his Example must through many Tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the New Jerusalem Let us then say with Saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O wretched Creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this Body of Death See here how the Faithful have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an Eye to that holy City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Let us then my beloved cheerfully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our Souls by Patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Jeremiah both to hope and quietly to wait for the Salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to bear the Yoke in his Youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his Salvation Lo here dear Brother and Sister what Consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy Word for us I say whose desire it is to fear the Lord and to trust in his Grace and Mercy for the Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of Trouble wherefore giving all diligence let us add to Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Love for if these thing be in us and abound An. 1567. they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sons sake our Lord Amen Out of my Hole December the 11th 1562. Wouter Oom Prisoner for the Truth A Relation of such things as fell out under the Goverment of Alva And of many men put to death Anno 1567. The Afflictions of the Protestants in the Low-Countries were multiplyed this year under the Dominion of Ferdinando of Toledo Duke of Alva It is well known that the Spaniards using all their endeavorus to rule over this Country at their pleasures had no better opertunity to accomplish their designs then to establish among them their Inquisition thereby todomineer over the goods honors and lives of every one the noble Citizens and Commons did what they could to oppose the same to which purpose they had instantly besought the King to afford them his Royal presence that hearing once their Complaints his Majesty might take some order for matters of so great Importance alledging to this end the Example of the Emperour Charles his Father who upon a business far inferiour to this adventured himself with much diligence to pass through the Enemies Country who were but a while before reconciled only to stay some Mutinies begun in the City of Cand. These things had so moved the King that he made them a promise by Letters of his coming but his intentions were broken of by such as were the upholders of the Inquisition that so they might with the more facility attain the end of their desires instead of their King then they had sent unto them the Duke of Alva who at his Entrance found the Prisons replenished with Gentlemen and other Personages of note whom the Dutchess of Parma had left in bonds after her death Long did they languish in this Captivity whilst the Duke of Alva by fair promises dissembled a kind of meek and gentle carriage of mind towards them giving them some hope of a General pardon proceeding from the Kings Clemency that thus he might catch the Lords and Governours the more cunningly into his Nets whereof the Lord Lemoral Earl of Egmond Prince of Gaud Governour of Planders and Artois and others of quality gave but too Lamentable experience who being led with vain hopes were at length inhumanly put to death The
blessing upon any thing you take in hand The Lord my Brethren and Sisters hath not forgotten to be gracious unto Sion you shall yet find dayes of peace and rest if you continue faithful This standing and treading of us under his feet this subverting of our cause and right in Judgment is done by him to the end that we should search and try our wayes and repent us of our Carelesness Prophaneness and Rebellion in his sight but he will yet maintain the Cause of our Souls and redeem our lives if we return to him yea he will be with us in Fire and Water and will not forsake us if our Hearts be only and especially of the Building of Zion whithersoever we go Let not those of you then that either have Stocks in your hands or some likely Trades to live by dispose of your selves where it may be most commodious for your outward Estate and in the mean time suffer the poor ones that have no such means either to bear the whole Work upon their weak Shoulders or to end their dayes in sorrow and mourning for want of outward and inward comforts in the Land of Strangers for the Lord will be an Avenger of all such dealings but consult with the whole Church yea with the Brethren in other places how the Church may be kept together and built whithersoever they go let not the Poor and the Friendless be forced to stay behind here and to break a good Conscience for want of your support and kindness unto them that they may go with you And here I humbly beseech you not in any outward regard as I shall answer before my God that you would take my poor and desolate Widdow and my mess of Fatherless and Friendless Orphans with you into exile whithersoever you go and you shall find I doubt not that the blessed Promises of my God made unto me and mine will accompany them and even the whole Church for their sakes for this also is the Lords Promise unto the holy Seed as you shall not need much to demand what they shall eat or wherewith they shall be clothed and in short time I doubt not but they will be found helpful and not burthensome to the Church only I beseech you let them not continue after you in this Land where they must be inforced to go again unto Aegypt and my God will bless you even with a joyful return unto your own Country for it There are you who I doubt not will be careful of the performance of the will of your dead Brother in this point who may yet live to shew this kindness unto yours I will say no more Be kind loving and tender-hearted the one of you towards the other labour every way to encrease love and to shew the duties of love one of you towards another by visiting comforting and relieving one the other even for the reproach of the Heathen that are round about us as the Lord saith Be watching in prayer especially remember those of our Brethren that are especially endangered particularly those our two Brethren M. Studley and Robert Boule whom our God hath strengthned now to stand in the fore-front of the Battel I fear me that our carelesness was over great to sue unto our God for the lives of these two so notable Lights of his Church who now rest with him and that he took them away for many respects seeming good to his Wisdom so also that we might learn to become careful in prayer in all such causes pray for them then my Brethren and for our Brother M. Fran. Johnson and for me who am likely to end my dayes either with them or before them that our God may spare us unto his Church if it be his good pleasure or give us exceeding faithfulness and be every way comfortable unto the Sister and Wife of the dead I mean unto my beloved M. Barrow and M. Greenwood whom I most heartily salute and desire much to be comforted in their God who by his Blessings from above will countervail unto them the want of so notable a Brother and Husband I would with you earnestly to write yea to send if you may to comfort the Brethren in the West and North Countries that they faint not in these Troubles and that also you may have of their advice and they of yours what to do in these desolate times and if you think it any thing for their further comfort and direction send them conveniently a Copy of this my Letter and of the declaration of my Faith and Allegiance wishing them before whomsoever they be called that their own Mouthes be not had a Witness against them in any thing yea I would wish you and them to be together if you may whithersoever you shall be banished and to this purpose to bethink you before hand where to be yea to send some who may be meet to prepare you some resting place and be all of you assured that he who is your God in England will be your God in any Land under the whole Heaven for the Earth and the fulness thereof are his and blessed are they that for his Cause are bereaved of any part of the same Finally my Brethren the eternal God bless you and yours that I may meet with you all unto my comfort in the blessed Kingdom of Heaven Thus having from my Heart and with tears performed it may be my last duty towards you in this Life I salute you all in the Lord both men and women even those who I have not named as heartily as those whose names I have mentioned for all your names I know not And remember to stand stedfast and faithful in Jesus Christ as you have received him unto your Immortallity And he Confirm and Establish you to the end for the praise of his Glory Amen The 24th of the 4th Moneth April 1593. Your Loving Brother in the Patience and Sufferings of the Gospel John Penry a Witness of Christ in this Life and a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed I found also a Letter of the said Penry to his Wife which being large I have only inserted some particular sentences thereof as followeth To my beloved Wife Ellinor Penry Partaker with me in this life of the sufferings of the Gospel in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and resting with me in undoubted hope of the glory that shall be revealed all strength and comfort with all other spiritual graces be multiplyed through Christ Jesus our Lord. I see my blood layd for my Beloved and so my dayes and Testimony drawing to an end for ought I know and therefore I think it my duty to leave behind me this Testimony of my love towards so dear a Sister and loving a Wife in the Lord as you have been unto me First then I beseech you stand fast in that Truth which you and I profess at this present in much outward discomfort and danger let nothing draw you to be subject
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
as if he by his Power were unable to perform it The Church formerly by enduring Misery and Imprisonment was known to be a true Church The pretended Church now do terrifie others by Imprisonment Banishment and Misery and boasteth that she is highly esteemed of the World when as the true Church cannot but be hated of the same Tertul. ad scapulam It agreeth both with human Reason and natural Equity that every man worship God uncompelled neither beseemeth it any Religion to compel another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be imbraced and not by constraint forasmuch as the Offerings were required of those that freely and of good will offered and not from the contrary Jerom in Proaem lib. 4. in Jeremiam Heresie must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit let us strike through with the Arrows of the Spirit all Sons and Disciples of mis-led Hereticks that is with Testimonies of Scriptures the slaughter of Hereticks is by the Word of God Brentius upon the first of the Corinthians chap. 3. No man hath power to make or give Laws to Christians whereby to bind their Consciences for willingly freely and uncompelled with a ready desire and cheerful mind must those that come run unto Christ Luther in his Books of the Civil Magistrate saith The Laws of the Civil Magistrates Government extends no further then over the Body or Goods and to that which is external for over the Soul God will not suffer any man to rule only he himself will Rule there wherefore whosoever doth under take to give Laws unto the Souls and Consciences of men he usurpeth that Government himself which appertaineth unto God c. Therefore upon 1 Kings 5. In the building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and a willing People not compelled and constrained by Laws and Statutes Again he faith upon Luke 22. It is not the true Catholick Church which is defended by the secular Arm or humane Power but the false and feigned Church which although it carries the name of a Church yet it denies the power thereof And upon Psal 17. he saith For the true Church of Christ knoweth not Brachium seculare which the Bishops now adayes chiefly use Again in Postil Dom. 1 post Epipham he saith Let not Christians be commanded but exhorted for he that willingly will not do that whereunto he is friendly exhorted he is no Christian wherefore they that do compel those that are not willing shew thereby that they are not Christian Preachers but worldly Beadles Again upon 1 Peter 3. He saith If the Civil Magistrate shall command me to believe thus and thus I should answer him after this manner look you to your civil or worldly Government your Power extends not so far as to command any thing in Gods Kingdom therefore herein I may not hear you for if you cannot bear it that any should usurp Authority where you have to command how do you think that God should suffer you to thrust him from his Seat and to seat your self therein SECT IV. The Fourth Reason It s no prejudice to a Kingdom or Common-wealth if Liberty of Conscience be suffered to such as fear God as is or will be manifested in such mens lives and conversations as Scripture Examples testifie AEraham abode among the Cananites a long time yet contrary to them in Religion Gen. 13.7 and 16.13 Again he sojourned in Gerar and King Abimelech gave him leave to abide is his Land Gen. 20.21 23 24. Isaac also dwelt in the same Land yet contrary in Religion Gen. 26. Jacoh lived Twenty years in one house with his Unckle Laban yet differed in Religion Gen. 31. The People of Israel were about Four hundred and thirty years in that infamous Land of Egypt and afterwards seventy years in Babylon all which time they differed in Religion from the State Exod 12. and 2 Chron. 36. Come to the time of Christ when Israel was under the Romans where lived divers Sects of Religion as Herodians Scribes and Pharisees Saduces and Libertines Thudeans and Samaritans besides the common Religion of the Jews Christ and his Apostles all which differed from the common Religion of the State which was like the worship of Diana which almost the whole World then worshipped Acts 19.20 All these lived under the Government of Caesur being no thing hurtful to the Common-wealth giving unto Caesar that which was his and for their Religion and Consciences towards God he left them to themselves as having no dominion over their Souls and Consciences and when the Enemies of Truth raised up any Tumults the wisdom of the Magistrate most wisely appeased them Acts 18.14 and 19.35 SECT V. Several Testimonies shewing that Conscience ought to be free and not to be imposed upon and no person be compelled to accuse himself or purge himself by Oath c. ACcusare se nemo tenetur saith Vasquius nisi coram deâ— secundum illud Chrysostomi non tibi dico ut teprodas Valque Coâ—irs illustraes p. 124. num 27. No man is bound to accuse himself but before God according to that of Chrisostome I do not say that thou shouldst betray thy self Quis sibi utrumque audeat assumere ut unquam sit ipse accusator Judex Aug. hom 50. Who dares assume to himself to be both an Accuser and a Judge saith Austin That famous Lawyer Cooke saith Juramentum in propria est inventio Diaboli ad detrudendum anim as miserorum in infernum The Oath Ex officio saith he is an invention of the Devil to cast the Souls of miserable people into Hell Let the Judges saith Tindall judge and condemn the Trespasses under lawful Witnesses Tindals Obed. of Christ p. 22. Col. 2. and not break up into the Consciences of men after the Example of Antichrists Disciples and compel them either to forswear themselves or to testifie against themselves which abomination saith he our Prelates learned of Caiphas Matth. 26. saying to Christ I adjure or charge thee in the name of the Living God that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the Son of the Living God SECT VI. Some remarkable Observation collected out of a Book entituled ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΕΚΛΕΚΤΙΚΗ A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying shewing the unreasonableness of prescribing to othermens Faith and the Iniquity of persecuting different Opinions by Jer. Tayler D. D. so stiled Chaplin in Ordinary to his late Majesty IN his Epistle Dedicatory are these words viz. As contrary as Cruelty is to Mercy as Tyranny to Charity so is War and Bloodshed to the Meekness and Gentleness of Christian Religion And further speaks to dispute men into Mercies Compliances and Tolerations mutual and further adds I designed a Discourse to this purpose with as much greediness as if I had thought it possible with my Arguments to have perswaded the rough and hard handed Souldiers to have disbanded