Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 1

A communication or debating between Robert Smith prisoner in Newgate, and W. Flower, concerning his striking of the priest at Westminster.

Articles objected and ministered by Boner, against William Branch, alias Flower, late of Lambeth, in the County of Surrie.

FIrst, that thou being of lawful age and discretion, at the least of 17. year old, wast professed a Monk in the late Abbey of Eli, wherein after thy profession thou remainedst until the age of 21. years, using all the mean time, the habit and religion of the same house, and wast reputed and taken notoriously for such a person.

Item, that after the premisses, thou wast ordered and made priest, according to the laudable custom of the Catholic Church, and afterward thou didst execute and minister as a priest, and was commonly reputed, named, and taken for a priest.

Item, that after the premisses, thou forgetting God, thy conscience, honesty, and the laudable order of the Catholic church, diddest contrary to thy profession and vow, take as unto thy wife, one woman, commonly called Alice Pulton, in the parish church of Tewkesbury, in the Dioces of Gloucester, with whom thou haddest mutual cohabitation and carnal copulation, as man and wife, and begatest of her two children.

Item, that thou being a religious man and a Priest, diddest contrary to the order of the ecclesiastical laws, take upon thee to practice in diverse places within the diocese of London, Physic and Surgerie, when thou wast not admitted, expert, nor learned.

Item, that upon Easter day last past, that is to wit, the 14. day of this present month of April, within the parish Church of S. Margaret's at Westminster, within the County of Middlesex and Diocese of London, thou dydst maliciously, outrageously, and violently pul out thy weapon, that is to wit, thy Woodknife or hanger. And whereas the priest and minister there called sir John Cheltam, was executing his cure and charge, especially in doing his service, and ministering the sacrament of the alter to the communicants, then didst thou wickedly & abominably smite with thy said weapon the said priest, first vpō the head very sore, & afterwards upon his hands or other parts of his b / dy, drawing blood abundantly upon him: the said priest then holding the said sacrament in his hand, and giving no occasion why thou shouldest so hurt him: the people grievously being offended therewith, and the said church polluted thereby, so that the inhabitants were compelled to repair to another Church to communicate, and to receive the said sacrament.

Item, that by reason of the premisses, thou wast and art by the ecclesiastical laws of the church, amongst other penalties, excommunicate and accursed, ipso facto, and not to be companied withal, neither in church, nor otherwhere but in special cases.

Item, that thou concerning the veritye of Christ's natural body and blood in the sacrament of the alter, haste ben by the space of these years. 20.19.18.17.16.15.14.13.12.11.10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2. and 1. or any one of them, and yet art at this present of the opinion: that is to say, that in the said sacrament of the altar, after the words of consecration, there is not really, truly, and in very deed, contained (under the forms of bread) the very true and natural body of our savior Jesus Christ.

Item, that thou for the hatred and disdain that thou hadst & didst bear against the said sacrament, and the virtue thereof, and against the said priest ministering the same, (as before) did smite, wound, and hurt him in manner and form as before is declared.

Iem, that thou over and besides the pains due unto thee for the doing of the cruel fact, art also by the order of the ecclesiastical laws of the church, and the laudable custom & ordinance of the same, to be reputed, taken, & judged (as thou art in deed) a very heritike, and to be punished by and with the pains due for heresy, by reason of thy said heresy and damnable opinion.

Item, that all the premisses be true, manifest, and notorious and famous, and that upon the same, and every part thereof, there was and is within the said parish of Saint Margaretes and other places thereabout, a public voice and fame

After this examination done, the bishop began after the best sort of his fine Divinity to instruct him, and to exhort him to return again to the unity of his mother the Catholic church, with such reasons as he is commonly wont to use to others, promising many fair things if he would so do, besides the remitting of that was past.

To this William Flower answering again, thanked him for his offer: and where it was in his power to kill or not to kill his body, he stood therewith contented, let him do therein what he thought: yet over his soul he had no such power, which being once separated from the body, is in the hands of no man, but only of God, either to save or spill. As concerning his opinion of the sacrament, he said, he would never go from y ^t he had spoken, do he with him what he would.

Then the B. assigned him again to appear in y ^e same place at after noon, betwixt 3. or 4. In the mean time to advise himself of his former answers, whether he would stand to the same his opinions or no? which if he so did, he would further proceed against him. &c.

At after noon the said William Flower appeared again before the said B. the hour and place appointed. To whom the B. sitting in his Consitory, spake these words. Branch, ye were this forenoon here before me, and made answer to certain articles: and thereupon I respited you till now, to the intent you should consider and weigh with yourself your state, and to remember while you have time, both your abhominable act, and also that evil opinion which ye have conceived touching the verity of Christ's true natural body in the sacrament of the alter.

To whom the said Branch answered again, and said as followeth: That which I have said, I will stand too: and therefore I require that the law may proceed against me. Wherupon the Bish. commanded his Notary (Harward by name) to read to him again his articles, as before. Which being read, the said W. Flower persistyng in his godly sentence, answered to all partes of the articles, as in the forenoon before, save only that he requested the B. concerning the fifth article, he might alter something his answer therein, after this tenor and manner of words: to wit. And moreover confesseth and saith, that where as he strake the priest on Easter day last past, in S. Margaret's church in Westminster, he hath since that time, & yet doth mislike himself in that doing, and doth now judge and believe that the same his act was evil and naught. Howbeit he saith and believeth, that as for the matter and cause wherefor he so stroke the said priest (which was for ministering of the sacrament of the alter, which he taketh and judgeth abhominable) he did nor doth not mislike himself at all therein.

Moreover, he desireth of the said B. license to be granted him, to alter and take out somewhat of the ix. Article, & in place thereof, these words to be placed: to wit, Herein he referreth himself to the laws, custom and ordinance specified in this article, &c. At which request, Boner granted to the altering of both the articles according as he desired, and so put in the acts.

After this, the B. turning again to his old manner of exhorting, went about with words (and words only) to persuade him to submit himself to the Catholic church, and to the faith thereof. Which all his persuasions notwithstanding, Will. remained still in the constancy of his sentence, saying, that he would not be removed from that he had spoken, to die therefore. Whereupon the Bish. assigned him the next day (being the xx. day of April) to appear in the same day and place, between the hours of 8. and 9. before noon, there and then to hear the sentence pronounced, in case he would not relent, &c.

The last appearance of William Flower, before Bishop Boner.

IN the which day, hour, and place, the said Will. Flower as he was appointed, was brought by his keeper, belonging to the Warden of the Fleet, before Boner, who after his wonted manner of persuasion, going about to reduce him to his catholic church and the unity thereof, that is, from Christ to Antichrist: sometimes with fair promises alluring, sometime with manasses and terrors, fearing him, &c. To this Will. answering, said on this wise Do what ye will, I am at a point: for the heavens shall as soon fall, as I will forsake mine opinion, &c. Wherupon the B. after he had commanded these words to be registered, called for the depositions of certain witnesses, producted for the better information of this matter, y ^e names of which witnesses were these: Will. Genings, I. Bray, Rob. Grant, Richard Dodde, William Pampion, Rob. Smalwood, the parish Priest of S. Margaret's at Westminster. The sum and effect of whose depositions here ensueth.

The depositions or attestations producted upon the answers of Will. Flower.

RObert Grant of Westminster, examined upon the said answers of Will. Flower, saith and deposeth: That he did hear and see the said Flower, acknowledge & recognise the said answers, and subscribe to the same with his own hand, and also was present in the church of S. Margaret's in Westminster, when the said Will. Flower did smite and wound the Priest, when (as he saith) he was ministryng the Sacrament: and how this examinate amongst other, preased towards him to take him, and was hurt thereby vpō his chin, & after he was takē, this examinate holp to conduct him to the gatehouse at Westminster.

RIchard Dod of Westminster, examined upon the said answers, saith and deposeth: that he did hear and see the said Flower acknowledge and recognise the said answers, & subscribe to the same with his own hand: & also did see & was present, when the said Flower vpō Easter day last past, drew his woodknife and strake the priest upon y ^e hed, hand, and arm: who being wounded therewith, and having a chalice with consecrated hosts therein in his hand, sprinkled with the said priests blood, was holpen & rescued by this examinate, and the said Flower carried to the Gatehouse at Westminster, and his woodknife takē away by this Examinate.

WIlliam Pampion, one of the churchwardens of the said parish church of S. Margaretes in Westminster, examined upon the said answers of the said Flower, saith and deposeth, that the same answers be true, & in his sight were subscribed with the hand of the said Flower. And that upon Easter day last past, about xi. of the clock in the forenoon, in the parish church at S. Margaret's in Westminster, among a great number of the people ready to be houseled, the priests back being turned toward the said Flower, he the said Flower suddenly drew forth his woodknife, and strake sir John Cheltham the priest, both upon his head, hand, and arm, whereby he was wounded, and bled abundantly, and the chalice with consecrated hosts being in his hand, were sprinkled w ^t his blood, and the people in great fear cried out lamentably, and thought they should presently have been killed.

RObert Smalwood of Westminster, examined upon the said answers, saith and deposeth: that he did hear and see the said Flower acknowledge and recognise the said answers, and subscribe the same with his own hand, and saith further, touching the striking and woundyng the priest in S. Margaret's church in Westminster, upon Easter day last, this examinate saith, he was not there when y ^e fact was done, but immediately after, he came to church, and found sir John hurt, and wounded in the head, hand, and arm, by the said Flower, and the people in great heuines by reason thereof. Also the people did report (as this examinate saith) that Flower did the deed, as the priest had the chalice in his hand, ministering the Sacrament to the people.

WIlliam Ienings of Westminster, being examined upon the answers of the said Will. Flower, saith & deposeth by virtue of his oth: that he did hear and see the said Flower, acknowledge and recognise the said answers, and subscribe to the same with his own hand in the consistory place: and further deposeth, that he (upon Easter day last past) was present in the church of S. Margaret's in Westminster, where Flower strake the said Sir John Cheltham priest, first upon the head, and afterward upon his arm two sore strokes, whereby the said priest is like to loose his hand. Also this Iurate deposed, that the said sir John Cheltham had a chalice with certain consecrated hosts therein (in his hand) which were sprinkled with the blood of the said priest, and after the said Flower was apprehended by this examinate and others, they carried him immediately to the gatehouse in Westminster.

John Bray one of the churchwardēs of the parish church of S. Margaret's in Westminster, sworn and examined upon the said answers, saith and deposeth, that he did hear and see the said Flower acknowledge and recognise the said answers, & also subscribe unto the same. And further deposeth of Flowers strikyng the priest, in effect, as the rest of the examinates do, and that this said Iurate was present there at the deed doing.

After the depositions of these foresaid witnesses being taken, published, and denounced, the said B. speaking to Will. Flower, asked him if he knew any matter or cause why his sentence should not be red, and he to be pronounced as an heretic. Wherevnto the martyr of God answereth again as followeth: I have nothing at all to say, for I have already said unto you all that I have to say, & that I have said, I will not go from, and therefore do what you will, &c.

Which when he had spoken, the Bish. proceeded to the sentence, condemning and excommunicating him for an heretic, & after pronounced him also to be disgraded, and so committed him to the secular power. Upon the 24. day of the foresaid month of April, which was S. Markes even, he was brought to the place of martyrdom, which was in S. Margaret's churchyard at Westminster, where the fact was committed, and there coming to the stake

A prayer and confession of W. Flower.

OH eternal God, most mighty and merciful father, who hast sent down thy son upon the earth, to save me & all mankynd, who ascended up into heaven again, and left his blood here upon the earth behind him, for the redemption of our sins, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, for thy dear son our savior Jesus Christ's sake, in whom I confess only to be all salvation and justification, and that there is none other mean, nor way▪ nor holiness, in which, or by which any man can be saved in this world. This is my faith, which I beseech all men here to bear witness of.

Then he said the Lord's prayer, and so made an end.

Then M. Cholmley came to him, willing him to recant his heresy, whereby he might do good to the people, or else he would be damned.

Flower answered as followeth. Sir, I beseech you for God's sake be contented: for that I have said, I have said, and I have been of this faith from the beginning: and I trust to the living God he will give me his holy spirit to continue to the ende. Then he desired all the world to forgive him whom he had offended, as he forgave all the world.

This done, first his hand being held up against the stake, was stricken of, his left hand being stayed behind him. At the which striking of his hand, certain that were present beholders of the matter, and purposely observing the same, credibly informed us, that he in no part of his body did once shrink at the strikyng thereof, but once a little he stirred his shoulders.

And thus fire was set unto him, who burning therein cried with a loud voice: Oh the son of God have mercy upon me, Oh the son of God receive my soul, three times, and so his speech being taken from him, he spake no more, lifting up notwithstanding his stump with his other arm, as long as he could.

And thus endured this constant witness and faithful servant of God, the extremity of the fire, being therein cruelly handled, by reason that to his burning little wood was brought, so that for lack of fagots there not sufficient to burn him, they were fain to strike him down into the fire. Where he lying along (which was doleful to behold) upon the ground, his nether part was consumed in the fire, whilst his upper part was clean without the fire, his tongue in all men's sight still moouyng in his mouth.

May. 1555.

The 3. of May a letter was sent to George Colte and Thom. Daniel, to make search for, and apprehend John Bernard and John Walshe, who used to repair to Sudbury, and carrying about with them the bones of Pigotte that was burned, do show them to the people, persuading them to be constant in his religion, and upon examination to commit them to further orderyng according to the laws.

This day Stephen Appes was committed to the little ease in the Tower, there to remain two or three days, until further examination.

The 12. day M. Thomas Ross preacher, was by the counsels letters delivered from the Tower to the Sheriff of Norfolk, to be conveyed and delivered to the B. of Norwich, and he either to reduce him to recant, or else proceed against him according to the law.

The 16. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer, signifying what the L. had done for Ross, and that order should be given according to his L. request, for letters to the Bishops, & as Appes (whom the Lieuetenant of the Tower reporteth to be mad) his L. perceiving the same to be true should commit him to Bedlem, there to remain until their further order.

The 26. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer, to confer with the B. of London, and the Justices of Peace of that County, wherein they are to be executed, that are already condemned for religion, & upon agrement of places, to give order for their execution accordingly·

The 28. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer, to cause speedy preparation to be made of such money as was appointed for such persons as should carry the joyful tidings of Queen Mary's good delivery of child, to diverse princes: so as they be not compelled to stay when time shall come. The Ambassadors were to the Emperor, the L. Admiral, to the French King the L. Fitzwaters, to the king of Romans Sir Henry Sidney, to the K. of Portingall, Rich. Shelley, whose free passage through France M. Doctor Wootton was willed to procure by letters the 24. of June.

The 29. was a letter directed to Sir Frances Inglefield to make search for one John D. at Londō, and to apprehend him and send him to the Counsaile, and to make search for such papers & books as may think may touch the same D. or one Benger.

Articles objected by Boner against John. Taylor, alias Cardmaker, with his answers unto the same.

FIrst, I Edmund B. of London, object against thee Sir John Taylor alias Cardmaker, that thou wast and art of the city and Dioces of London, and so of the jurisdiction of me Edmund B. of London.

Item, that thou in times past diddest profess the rule of S. Francis, and diddest by vow promise to keep poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to the rule of S. Frances.

Item, that thou in times past didst receive all the orders of the church then used, to wit, tam maiores, quam minores.

Item, that thou after thy said entry into religion and profession and orders aforesaid, didst take to wife a widow and with her hadst carnal copulation, and didst get of her a woman child, breaking thereby thy vow and order, & also the ordinance of the church.

Item, that thou hast believed and taught, and so doest believe that in the sacrament of the alter under the visible signs there: that is to say, under the forms of bread and wyne, there is really and truly the true and very natural body and blood of our savior Jesus Christ.

Item, that the belief of the catholic church is, that in having the body and blood of Christ really and truly contained in the sacrament of the altar, is to have (by the omnipotent power of almighty God) the body and blood of Christ there invisibly and really present under the said sacrament, and not to make thereby a new God, or a new Christ, or a new body of Christ.

Item, that it may stand well together, & so is the faith of the Catholic church: that the body of Christ is visibly and truly ascended into heaven, and there is in the visible form of his humanity: and yet the same body in substance is invisibly and truly contained in the said Sacrament of the altar.

Item, that Christ at his last supper taking bread into his hands, blessing it, breaking it, giving it to his apostles, and saying: Take, eat, this is my body, did institute a Sacrament there, willing that his body really and truly should be contained in the said sacrament, no substance of bread and wyne there remaining, but only the accidents thereof.

Next to these articles of M. Cardmaker, I thought best to infer the articles and answers likewise of John Warne his martyr fellow, in manner as followeth.

John Warne being examined upon these foresaid articles by the Bish. before certain witnesses, whose names were John Boswel, John Heywood, Robert Ravens, the xxiij. of May, did answer to the same, confessing and granting the articles and the contents thereof to be true, according as they were objected in every part, subscribing also the same with his hand. Such strength and fortitude gods holy spirit wrought in him, to stand stoutly and confidently to the defense of the sincere doctrine of his son.

Whereupon the B. exhorting him with many words to leave his heresies (as he called them) and to return to the bosom of his mother the holy church, commanded him to appear again the next day, being the xxiiij. of the same month.

Who so doing (and answering as he did before) was willed to come thither again at after noon, & so he did: where and at what time he was earnestly exhorted by the said Bish. to recant his opinions. To whom he answered, that he would not depart from his received profession, unless he were thereunto thoroughly persuaded by the holy scriptures.

Upon which answer he was willed to come again the next day, being the 25. day of the same month, at one of the clock in the after noon. At which day and hour, the B. examined him again upon all his former articles before objected, to the which he most constantly did stick, with his further answer thereunto added: I am persuaded, quoth he, to be in the right opinion, and that I see no cause to repent, for all filthiness & Idolatry is in the church of Rome.

The B. then seeing that notwithstanding all his fair promises & terrible threatenings (whereof he used store) he could not anything prevail: finished this examination with the definitive sentence of condemnation pronounced against the said John Warne, and so charged the Shiriffs of London with him, under whose custody he remained in the prison of Newgate, until the 30. day of the same month of May.

Upon the which 30. of May, being the day appointed for their execution, John Cardmaker with the said John Warne, were brought by the shiriffes to the place where they should suffer. Who being come to the stake, first the Sheriffs called Cardmaker aside, and talked with him secretly, so long, that in the mean time Warne had made his prayers, was chayned to the stake, and had wood and reed set about him, so that nothing wanted, but the firyng: but still abode Cardmaker talking with the shiriffes.

The people which before had heard that Cardmaker would recant, and beholding this manner of doing, were in a marvelous dumpe and sadness, thinking in deed that Cardmaker should now recant at the burning of Warne. At length Cardmaker departed from the Sheriffs, and came towards the stake, and (in his garments as he was) kneeled down & made a long prayer in silence to himself: yet the people confirmed themselves in their fantasie of his recanting, seeing him in his garments praying secretly, & no semblance of any burning.

His prayers being ended, he rose up, put of his cloths unto his shirt, went with bold courage to the stake, and kissed it sweetly: he toke Warne by the hand, and comforted him heartily, & so gave himself to be also bound to the stake most gladly. The people seeing this so suddenly done, contrary to their fearful expectation, as mē delivered out of a great doubt, cried out for joy (with so great a shout as hath not lightly ben heard a greater) saying: God be praised,

The confession of the faith of John Warne Citizen of London, which he wrote the day before he was burned, the 30. day of May. 1555.

I believe in God the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

A Father, because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the everlasting word, whom before all worlds he hath begotten of himself, which word was made flesh, and therein also manifested to be his son: in whom he hath adopted us to be his children, the inheritors of his kingdom, and therefore he is our father: An almighty God, because he hath of nothing created all things visible and invisible, both in heaven and in earth, even all creatures contained therein, and governeth them.

And in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord.

The eternal word, perfect God with his father of equal power in all things, of the same substance, of like glory, by whom all things were made, and have life, & without whom nothing liveth: he was made also perfect mā, and so being very God, and very man in one person, is the only Savior, Redeemer, and Ransomer of them which were lost in Adam our forefather. He is the only mean of our deliverance, the hope of our health, the surety of our salvation.

Which was conceived by the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary.

According to the Fathers most merciful promise, this eternal son of God, forsaking the heavenly glory, humbled himself to take flesh of a virgin, according to y ^e scriptures, uniting the substance of the Godhead, to the substance of the manhood, which he took of the substance of that blessed virgin Mary, in one person, to become therein the very Massiah, the anointed king and priest, forever appointed to pacify the fathers wrath, which was justly gone out against us all for our sin.

Suffred under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, and descended into hell.

He was arraigned before Pontius Pilate the ruler of Jewry, and so unjustly accused of many crimes, that the Ruler judged him innocent, and sought means to deliver him: but contrary to known justice, he did let go Barabbas which had deserved death, and delivered Christ to be crucified, who deserved no death: which doth declare unto us manifestly, that he suffered for our sins, & was buffeted for our offenses, as the prophets do witness: thereby to have it manifested to all men, that he is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Therefore suffering for our sins, he received and did bear our deserved condemnation, the pains of death, the taste of abjection, the very terror of hell, yielding his spirit to his father, his body to be buried in earth.

The third day he rose again from death to life.

To make full and perfect the whole work of our redemption and justification, the same crucified body which was laid in the grave, was raised up again the third day from death, by the power of his Father, and glory of his Godhead: he became the first fruits of the resurrection, & got the victory of death, that all by him might be raised up from death. Thorough whom all true penitent sinners may now boldly come unto the father, and have remission of their sins.

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty.

After that in his death and resurrectiō he had conquered sin, death, and the devil, and had been conversant 40. days in the earth being seen of the Apostles, & more then v. hundred brethren at once, in the same body in which he wrought the work of our salvation, he ascended into heaven with eternal triumph, for the victory over death, sin and hell, leaving the passage open, by which all true believers may and shall enter into his kingdom, where he now sitteth at his fathers right hand, that is to say, in power & glory equal, in majesty coeternal.

From thence he shall come to judge the quick & the dead.

He shall appear again in great glory to receive his elect unto himself, & to put his enemies under his feet, changing all living men in a moment, and raising up all that be dead, that all may be brought to his judgment. In this shall he give ech man according to his deeds. They which have followed him in regeneratiō, which have their sins washed away in his blood, & are clothed with his righteousness, shall receive the everlasting kingdom, and reign with him forever: and they which after the race of the corrupt generation of Adam have followed flesh and blood, shall receive everlasting damnation with the devil and his angels.

I believe in the holy ghost.

I do believe that the holy ghost is God, the third person in Trinity, in unity of the Godhead equal with the father & the son, given through Christ to inhabit our spirits, by which we are made to feel and understand the great power, virtue, & loving kindness of Christ our lord. For he illumineth, quickeneth, and certifieth our spirit, that by him we are sealed up unto the day of redemption, by whom we are regenerate and made new creatures, so that by him and through him, we do receive all the aboundāt goodness promised us in Jesus Christ.

The holy Catholic Church.

This is an holy number of Adams posterity, elected, gathered, washed, and purified by the blood of the Lamb from the beginning of the world, and is dispersed through the same, by the tyranny of Gog & Magog, that is to say, the Turk and his tyranny, and Antichrist, otherwise named the Bish. of Rome and his angels, as this day also doth teach.

The Communion of Saints.

Which most holy congregation (being as Paul teacheth, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ being the head corner stone) though it be by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers persecuted, some by imprisonment, some by death, and some by other afflictions & painful torments: yet doth it remain in one perfect unity both in faith and fellowship: which unity is knit in an unspeakable knot, as well of them which are departed from this mortal life, as of them which now be living, and hereafter shall be in the same, and so shall continue until they all do meet in the kingdom, where the head Jesus Christ, with all his holy members (of which number thorough Christ I assuredly believe that I am one) shall be fully complete, knit, and united together for evermore.

The forgiveness of sins.

I do believe that my sins and all their sins which do rightly believe the holy Scripture, are forgiven only thorough that Jesus Christ, of whom only I do profess that I have my whole and full salvation and redemption, which S. Paul saith, cometh not through our works and deseruyngs, but freely by grace, lest any should boast himself. Thorough the blood of his Cross all things in heaven and earth are reconciled, and set at peace with the Father, without him no heavenly life is given, nor sin forgiven.

The resurrection of the body.

I do believe, that by the same my savior Christ, I, and all men shall rise again from death: for he, as Paul saith, is risen again frō the dead, and is become the first fruits of them which sleep. For by a man came death, and by a man cometh the resurrection from death. This man is Christ, through the power of whose resurrection, I believe that we all shall rise again in these our bodies: the elect clothed with immortality to live with Christ forever: the reprobate also shall rise immortal to live with the devil and his angels in death everlasting.

And the life everlasting.

Through the same Jesus & by none other, I am sure to have life everlasting. He only is the way and entrance into the kingdom of heaven. For so God loved the world, that he did give his only son Jesus Christ, to the ende that so many as do believe in him, might have everlasting life. The which I am sure to possess so soon as I am dissolved, & departed out of this tabernacle, & in the last day shall both body and soul possess the same forever: to the which God grant all men to come,

I believe that the sacraments, that is to say, of Baptism and of the Lord's supper are seals of God's moste merciful promises towards mankind. In Baptism, as by the outward creature of water I am washed from the filthiness which hangeth on my flesh: so do I assuredly believe, y ^t I am by Christ's blood washed clean frō my sins, through which I have sure confidence of my certain salvation. In the partaking of the Lord's supper, as I receive the substance of bread & wyne (the nature of which is to strengthen the body,) so do I by faith receive the redemption wrought in Christ's body broken on the cross, life by his death, resurrection by his resurrection, and in sum, all that ever Christ in his body suffered for my salvation, to the strengthening of my faith in the same. And I believe that God hath appointed the eating & drinking of the creatures of bread and wine in his holy supper according to his word, to move and to stir up my mind to believe these articles above written.

This is my faith: this I do believe, and I am content by God's grace to confirm and seal the truth of the same with my blood.

A letter of John Cardmaker to a certain friend of his.

YOu shall right well perceive, that I am not gone back as some men do report me, but as ready to give my life, as any of my brethren that are gone before me, although by a policy I have a little prolonged it, and that for the best, as already it appeareth unto me, and shortly shall appear unto all. That day that I recant any point of doctrine, I shall suffer twenty kinds of death, the Lord being mine assistance, as I doubt not, but he will. Commend me to my friend, and tell him no less. This the Lord strengthen you, me, and all his elect. My riches and poverty is as it was wont to be, and I have learned to rejoice in poverty, as well as in riches, for that count I now to be very riches. Thus fare ye well in Christ. Salute all my brethren in my name. I have conferred with some of my adversaries, learned men, and I find that they be but Sophistes and shadows.

A note concerning M. Cardmaker.

MAister Cardmaker being condemned, & in Newgate one Beard a Promooter came to him two or three dais before he was burned, and said unto him: Sir, I am sent unto you by the Counsaile, to know whether ye will recant or no?

And furthermore, to conclude the matter briefly with him, he asked of him, whether the Sacrament he spake of, had a beginning, or no? Whereunto when he had granted and affirmed the same to be, then master Cardmaker again thus inferred thereupon: If the Sacrament (said he) as you confess, have a beginning, and an ending, then it cannot be God: for God hath no beginning nor ending, and so willing him well to note the same, he departed from him.

June. An. 1555.

The 5. day M. Secretary Bourne, the M. of the Roles Sir Frances Englefield, Sir Richard Read and Doctor Hughes, anchorising them or two or three of them at the least, to proceed to further examination of Benger, Cary, D. and Field, upon such points as they shall gather out of their former confessions, touching their lewd & vain practices of calculing or coniuryng, presently sent unto thē with the said letters.

The 7. day there was another letter to sir John Tregonwel, willing him to join in commission with the said L. North, and others abovenamed, about the examination of the said parties & others, for conjuring & witchcraft. And the 29. of August Cary and D. were set at liberty upon bands for their good abearyng until Christmas after.

The 12. day a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer, to cause Writs to be made to the Shirife of Sussex, for y ^e burning and executing of Dirike a Brewer, at Louis, and other two, the one at Stainings, the other at Chichester.

The 23. of June a letter was sent to Boner, to examine a report given to the counsel of 4. parishes within y ^e Soken of Essex, that should still use the English service, and to punish the offenders if any such be.

To the right reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well-beloved, the Bishop of London.

RIght reverend father in God, right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. And where of late we addressed our letters to the Justices of peace within every of the Countyes of this our Realm, whereby amongst other instructions given them for the good order and quiet government of the Country about them, they are willed to have a special regard unto such disordred persons, as forgetting their duetyes towards God and us, do lean to any erroneous and heretical opinions, refusing to show them selves conformable to the Catholic Religiō of Christ's church: wherein if they cannot by good admonitions and fair means reform them, they are willed to deliver them to the Ordinary, to be by him charitably traveled withal, and removed (if it may be) from their noughty opinions, or else if they continue obstinate, to be ordered according to the laws provided in that behalf: understanding now, to our no little marvel, that diverse of the said disordered persons, being by the Justices of peace for their contempt and obstinacy, brought to the Ordinaryes to be used, as is aforesaid, are either refused to be received at their hands, or if they be received, are neither so traveled with, as Christian charity requireth, nor yet proceeded withal according to the order of Justice, but are suffered to continue in their errors, to the dishonor of almighty God, and dangerous example of others: like as we find this matter very strange, so have thought convenient, both to signify our knowledge & therewith also to admonish you to have in this behalf such regard henceforth to the office of a good pastor and Bishop, as whē any such offenders shall be by the said Officers or Justices of peace brought unto you, you to use your good wisdom & discretiō in procuring to remove thē frō their errors, if it may be, or else in proceeding against them (if they shall continue obstinate) according to the order of the laws: so as through your good furtherance, both God's glory may be better advanced, and the common wealth more quietly governed. Yeuen under our signet, at our honor of Hampton Courte, the 24. of May, the 1. and 2. years of our reigns.

This letter thus coming from the Court to the Bishop, made him the more earnest and hasty to the condemnation, as well of others, as of these men, of whom now we have presently to entreat, of John Symson, I mean and John Ardeley. Whyche both being of one country, and of one Town together, and of one trade, that is, being both husbandmen in the town of Wigborow in Essex, and also almost both of one age, sane that Symson was of the age of 34. the other of 30. were brought up both together, by the under Shyriffe of Essex, to Boner Bishop of London, vpō the accusation (as in that time it was called) of heresy.

As touching the order & manner of their examinations before the bishop, as the articles ministered against them, were much like: so their answers again unto the same were not much discrepant in manner & form, as out of the Bishops own Registers here followeth expressed.

Articles objected against John Symson, and John Ardeley, of the Parish of Wigborow the great in Essex, husbandmen, by Boner Bishop of London, at Fulham. 22. of May. 1555.

1. FIrst, that thou John. Symson (or John. Ardeley) husbandman, of the age of 34. years, or thereabout, wast and art of the parish of great Wigborow, within the diocese of Londō, and thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that there is here in earth one Catholic and universal whole Church, which doth hold and believe all the faith & religiō of Christ and all the necessary articles and sacraments of the same.

2. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that thou art necessarily bounden under the pain of damnation of thy soul, to give full faith and credence unto the said Catholic and universal Church, and to the Religion of the same, in all necessary points of the said faith and Religion, without wavering or doubting in the said faith and Religion, or in any part thereof.

3. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that that faith and Religion: which both the Church of Rome, Italy, Spayn, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and all other Churches in Europe, being true members and partes of the said Catholic & universal church do believe and teach, is both agreing with the said Catholic and universal Church, and the faith and Religion, of Christ, and also is the very true faith & Religion, which all Christian people ought to believe, observe, follow & keep, but contrariwise thou hast believed, and doest believe, that that faith and Religion, which the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid have heretofore believed, and do now believe, is false, erroneous and naught, & in no wise ought to be believed, observed, kept, and followed of any Christian man.

4. Item, that albeit it be true, that in the Sacrament of the alter there is in substance the very body and blood of Christ under the forms of bread and wyne, and albeit, that it be so believed, taught & preached undoubtedly in the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid, yet thou hast not so believed, nor doest so believe, but contrariwise thou hast & doest believe firmly, & steadfastly, that there is not in the said sacrament of the alter, under the said forms of bread and wine, the very substance of Christ's body and blood, but that there is only the substance of material and common bread and wine, with the forms thereof: and that the said material & commō bread and wine are only the signs and tokens of Christ's body and blood, and by faith to be reciued, only for a remembrance of Christ's passion & death, without any such substance of Christ's body and blood at all.

5. Item, that thou hast believed and taught, and thou hast openly spoken, and to thy power maynteined and defended, and so doest believe, think, maintain and defend, that the very true receiving and eating of Christ's body & blood, is only to take material and commō bread, and to break it, and to distribute it amongst the people, remembering thereby the passion and death of Christ only.

6. Item, that thou hast likewise believed, taught, and spoken, that the Mass now used in this Realm of England, and others the churches aforesaid, is abhominable & naught and full of Idolatry, and is of the ordinance of the Pope, and not of the institution of Christ, & hath no goodness in it, saving the gloria in excelsis, and the Epistle and the Gospel, & that therefore thou hast not, nor wilt not come and be present at the Mass, nor receive the Sacrament of the alter, or any other Sacrament of the Church as they are now used in this Realm of England, and other the Churches aforesaid.

7. Item, that thou hast in times past believed precisely, and obstinately affirmed and said, & so doest now believe & think that auricular confession is not needful to be made unto the Prieste, but it is a thing superfluous and vain, and ought only to be made to God & to none other persō: and likewise thou hast condemned as superfluous, vain, and unprofitable, all the ceremonies of the church and the service of the same, & hast said that no service in the church ought to be said, but in the English tongue, and if it be otherwise said, it is unlawful and naught.

Thus these articles being to them objected, and their answers made unto the same, as before, the Bishop according to the old trade of his Consitory Court, respited them to the after noon, bidding them to make their appearance the said day and place, between the hours of two and three. At what time the said Bishop repeatyng again the said articles unto them, and beginning with John Ardeley did urge and solicitate, according to his manner of words, to recant.

To whom John Ardely again constantly standing to his professed Religion, gave answer in words, as followeth: My Lord (quoth he) neither you, nor any other of your Religion, is of the Catholic Church, for you be of a false faith: and I doubt not but you shall be deceived at length, bear as good a face as ye can. You will shed the innocent blood, and you have killed many, and yet go abot to kill more. &c.

And added further, saying: If every hear of my head were a man, I would suffer death in the opinion and faith that I am now in. These with many other words he spake. Then the Bishop yet demanding if he would relinquish his erroneous opinions (as he called them) and be reduced again to the unity of y ^e Church, he answered, as followeth: No, God foreshield that I should so do: for then I should loose my soul.

After this, the said Bishop asking John Ardeley (after his formal manner) if he knew any cause why he should not have sentence condemnatorie against him, so read the condemnation, as he also did against John Simson, standing likewise in the same cause and constancy with John Ardeley: which was done the xxv. day of May, and so were they both committed to the secular power, that is, to the hands of the Sheriffs, to be conveyed to the place where they should be executed. But before I come to their execution, here is not to be passed a thing not unworthy the looking upon, which happened in the closing up of the examination of these two innocent martyrs of God, which is this.

The writ of Mandate of Boner B. of London, set up at Charing Cross, on Paul's Church door, and at S. Martins in the field, for the cityng and further inquiring out of the case of John Tooly.

EDmond by the sufferance of God, Bishop of London, to all and singular Parsons, Uicares, Curates, and others, Clerks and learned men, being within our Dioces of London, and specially unto Richard Clony our sworn Sumner, greeting, salutation, & benediction. For so much as it is come to our hearing by common fame, and the declaration of sundry credible persons, that one John Tooly late Citizen and Pulter of London, the son of perdition and iniquity, coming to the profundity of malice, in the self same time in the which he should go to hanging, according to the laws of the Realm, for the great the • e by him lately committed, at which time chie • ely he should have cared for the wealth of his soul, and to have died in the unity of the Catholic Church, did utter diverse and sundry, damnable, blasphemous, and heretical opinions, & errors, utterly contrary & repugnant to the verity of the Catholic faith & unity of the same, and did exhort, stir up, and encourage the people there standing in great multitude, to hold & defend the same errors and opinions: And moreover, certain of the people there standing, as it did appear, infected with errors and heresies, as • authors and defenders of the said John, did confirm and give express consent to the foresaid words, propositions, and affirmations: which thing we do utter with sorrow and bytternesse of heart.

We therefore the foresaid Edmond & bishop abovesaid, not being able, nor daring pass over in silence, or wink at the foresaid heinous act, least by our negligence and slackness, y ^e blood of thē might be required at our hands, at the most terrible day of judgment, desiring to be certified and informed, whether y ^e premises declared unto us be of truth & least that any scabbed sheep, lurking amongst the simple flock of our Lord do infect them with pestiferous heresy, to you, therefore, we straitly charge and command, that you cite, or cause to be cited all and singular, having or knowing the truth of the premisses, by setting up this Citation upon the Church door of Saint Martines in the field, being within our Dioces of London, and also upon the Cathedral Church door of S. Paul's in London, leaving there the copy hereof, or by other means or ways, the best you can, that this Citation and Monition may come to their knowledge.

All which and singular by the tenor of these presents, we cite and admonish that they appear, and everyone of them do appear before us or our Uicar general, or Commissary, whatsoever he be in that behalf, in our cathedral Church of S. Paul in London, in the Consistory place up on thursday the second day of May, now next ensuing, betwixt the hours of 9. & 10. of the clock in the forenoon the same day, to bear witness to the truth in this behalf, and to depose and declare faithfully the truth that they know or have heard of the premisses: and moreover, to do and receive, that law and reason doth require.

Further, we commit unto you, as before, and straytlye enjoining you do command, that ye will generally cite the wife of the said Tooly that is dead & his children, his kynred by father and mother, his friends, and his familiars in especial, and all other and every of thē, if there be any perhaps that desire to defend and purge the remembrance of the person in the premisses, and that ye admonish them after the manner and form aforesaid, whō we likewise by the tenor of these presents, do in such sort cite and monish that they appear all, & that everyone of thē do appear (under pain to be compelled to keep silence forever hereafter in this behalf) before us, or our Uicar general in spiritual matters, or such our Commissary at the day, hour, and place a foresaid, to defend the good name and remembrance of him that is dead, and to say, allege, & propose in due form of law, a cause reasonable, if they have any or can tell of any why the said John Tooly that is dead, ought not to be determined and declared for such an heretic and excommunicate person, and his remembrance condemned, in the detesting and condemning of so heinous a deed and crime, & his body or carkas to lack Church burial, as a rottē menber cut of from the church, and the same to be committed to the arm & power secular, and they compelled hereafter forever to hold their peace.

And furthermore, to do, receive, & to suffer, as law and reason will, and as the quality of such matter, and the nature of themselves do constrayne and require: and moreover, that you cite and monish after the manner aforesaid, all and every of the receivers, fautours, and creditors of the said John Tooly that is dead, especially if any of them do accline and give consent to th • se wicked and detestable affirmations, propositions, and rehearsals aforesaid, that on this side the said thursday, they return and submit themselves unto us, and to the lap of the mother holy Church: which thing if they do, we trusting upon the mercy of almighty God, do promise that we will receive them being penitent for such their errors & faults, with thanks, benignity, mercy and favor, to the comfort and health of their own souls, and in that behalf save their honesties to the uttermost of our power: otherwise if they will not provide thus to come of their own accord, but to abide y ^e ordinary process of the law, let those mē know that we will punish more severely this offense, according to the uttermost of the law, and as far as the law will bear it: & what you shall do in the premisses, let him among you which shall execute this our present Mandate, certify us, or our vicar general in spiritual matters, either by his own person, or by his letters patents, tog • there with these autētically sealed. Dated at London under our seal, the last day save one of April. 1555. and of our Translation the 16.

When the time of this Citation was expired, and this Tooly being cited, did not appear: next in order of law came the suspension (where as one suspension had been enough for him) and after that cometh the Excommunication, that is, that no man should eat or drink with him, or if any met him by the way, he should not bid him good morrow, and besides that, he should be excluded from the Communion of the Church. These things being prepared in such manner, as in such cases full wisely they use to do, at length one stood out for the nonce, that made answer to certain articles, rehearsed in judgment openly, and that in the behalf of the dead man. But when the poor dead man could neither speak for himself, nor did, (as they said) sufficiently answer them by the other, to avoid the name of an heretic: first witnesses were producted against him, whose names were Henry Clarke Esquire, Thom. Way keeper of the Marshalsey, Philip Andrew Undermarshal, William Holingworth Fishmōger, William Gellard, William Walton Chaundler, Richard Longman Marchaunt Taylor, Philip Britten, John Burton Brewer, Thomas Smyth Sergeant. Then he was for an heretic condemned, and so committed to the secular power, namely to the Sheriffs of London, which with like diligence went about to execute their charge. Therefore receiving the man being suspēded, excommunicated, condemned as an heretic, and besides that being dead, they laid him on the fire to be burned, namely, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, for a continual remembrance thereof. This was done the fourth day of June.

A Letter of the Earl of Oxford to Boner.

MOst reverend father in God, be it known unto you, that I have sent you one Thomas Haukes, dwelling in the County of Essex, who hath a child that hath remained unchristened more then three weeks, who being upon the same examined, hath denied to have it baptized, as it is now used in the Church: wherevpo n I have sent him to your good Lordship, to use as ye think best, by your good discretion.

Whē the bishop had perused this letter, and afterward read it to M. Haukes, he hearing the same, thought with himself, that he should not be very well used, seeing he was put to his discretion. Then wrote the bishop a letter again to him that sent the prisoner, with many great thanks for his diligence in setting forth the Queens proceedynges. Then began the bishop to enter communication with M. Haukes, first asking what should move him to leave his child unchristened so long? To whom M. Haukes answered thus again as followeth.

*Talke between Harpsfield and Thomas Haukes.

THen upon the Monday Morning very early the Bishop did call for me. There was with him Harpsfield Archdeacon of London, to whom the Bishop said: this is the man that I told you of, who would not have his child Christened, nor will have any ceremonies.

The next days talk.

THe next day came thither an old Byshoppe, who had a pearl in his eye, and he brought with him to my Lord a dish of apples, & a bottle of wine. For he had lost his living, because he had a wife. Then the Bishop called me again into the Orchard, and said to the old Bishop: this young man hath a child, and will not have it christened.

Then I departed out of y ^e chamber alone and went to the Porters lodge again, and there saw I the old Bishop last: I suppose he is not yet awake.

Talke between Fecknam and Hawkes.

THe next day came Fecknam unto me and said: are ye he that will have no ceremonies?

Talke between Haukes and Chadsey.

The next day came Doct. Chadsey to the Bishop, and him. The Bishop declared unto him that I had stand stubbornly in my defense against the Christenyng of my child, and against the ceremonies of the Church, and that I would not have it Christened, but in English.

Then said Doct. Chadsey : then he denieth the order of the Catholic Church.

Then Doctor Chadsey put the stole about his neck, and carried the holy water sprinckle unto the Bishop, who blessed him, and gave him holy water, and so he went to his sermon. The text that he entreated on, was the xvi. of Matthew. Whome do men say that I the son of man am? Peter said: some say that thou art Helias, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some say thou art one of the Prophets. But whom say ye that I am? Then said Peter, thou art Christ the son of the euerliuyng God. Then left he the text there, & said? Whose sins soever ye bind: are bound: which authority (said he) is left to the heads of the Church: as my Lord here is one, and so unto all the rest that be underneath him. But the Church hath been much kicked at since the beginning: yet kick the heretics, spurn the heretics never so much, the church doth stand and florishe. And then he went straight way to the sacrament, and said his mind on it, exalting it above the heaven, (as the most of thē do) and so returned to his place again, saying: whose sins ye do remit, are remitted and forgiven: and so he applied it to the bishops & priests to forgive sins, and said, all that be of the Church will come and receive the same. And this he proved by S. John. in the xi, chapter, saying that Christ came to raise Lazarus which when he was risen, was bound in bands: then said Christ to them that were in authority (who were his disciples:) go ye and lose him, lose him you. And this was y ^e effect of his Sermon, applying all to them that they have the same authority that christ spake of to his Apostles, and so ended his sermon, and they went to dinner.

An other communication between Thomas Haukes, and the Bishop.

ANd after dinner I was called into the chapel, where as were certain of the Queens servants and other strangers, whom I did know.

The next days talk.

THe next day, the Bishop called me into his chamber, & said: ye have been with me a great while: & ye are never the better but worse and worse: and therefore I will delay the time no longer, but send you to Newgate.

An other days talk.

THe next day in the morning, which was the first day of July, the Bishop did call me himself from the Porters lodge, commanding me to make me ready to go to prison, and to take such things with me, as I had of mine own. And I said, I do neither intend to bribe, neither to steal, God willing. Then he did write my warrant to the Keeper of the Gatehouse at Westminster, and delivered it to Harpsfield, who with his own man and one of the bishops mē brought me to prison, & delivered the warrant & me both to y ^e Keeper: & this was contained in y ^e warrant.

I will and command you, that you receive him who cometh named in this warrant, and that he be kept as a safe prisoner, and that no man speak with him, and that ye deliver him to no man, except it be to the Council, or to a Justice: For he is a Sacramētarry, and one that speaketh against Baptism, a seditious man, a perilous man to be abroad in these perilous days.

And thus was I received, & they departed. And there I remained. xiii. days, & then the bishop sent two of his mē unto me, saying: My Lord would be glad to know how ye do. I answered them, I do like a poor prisoner. They said: My Lord would know whether ye be the same man that ye were when ye departed? I said, I am no chaungeling. They said, my Lord would be glad that ye should do well. I said: If my Lord will me any good, I pray you desire him to suffer my friends to come to me. So they said they would speak for me, but I heard no more of them.

This is the first examination of me Thomas Haukes being examined by Edmund Boner, then Bishop of London, and by his Chaplains and Doctors at Fulham 4. miles from London, where I lay till I came to prison to Westminster: and after his two men had been with me, I heard no more of him, till the third day of September.

Here followeth the second time of mine examinanation, the which was the third day of September for the Bishop did send his men for me, to come to his Palace to London, and so my keeper and his men brought me to his place the same day.

THe Bishop of Winchester, then being Chancellor, preached that day at Paul's cross, and the Bishop of London said to my Keeper, I think your man will not go to the sermon today.

The public examination of Thomas Haukes.

AFter all these private conferences, persuasions, & long debatings had with Thomas Haukes in the bishops house, as hitherto have been declared, the Bishop seeing no hope to win him to his wicked ways, was fully set to proceed openly against him after the ordinary course of his popish law. Wherupon T. Haukes shortly •• ter was cited with the rest of his other fellows, above specified, to wit • e, Thom. Tomkins. Ste. Knight, W. Pygot, John Laurence, and W. Hunter, to appear in the bishops Cōsisto • y, the 8. day of February, this present year, videl. 1555. Upon which appearance was laid against him, in like order, as to the other, first the bill o • his confession, writ • with Boners hand, to the which bill ye heard before how the blessed servant of God denied to subscribe.

A • ter which bill of confession being read, and he constantly standing to the said confession, the Bishop then assigned him with the other v. the next day following, which was the ix. of February, to appear before him again, to give a resolute answer what they would stick unto. Wh • ch day being come, and these foresaid vi. prisoners being se • erally called before the Bishop, at the coming of Thomas Haukes, the Bishop willed him to remember what was said to him yesterday, and now while he had time and space, to advise with himself, what he would answe • e: for he stood upon life and death. Well, quoth master Haukes again, I will willingly receive whatsoever shall be put unto me.

Then were certain other Interrogatories or Articles commensed against him by the said Bishop (in like manner as to the other) to the number of four: with another bill also, which Boner brought out of his bosom containyng private matters against the said Thomas Haukes, which the bishop called heresies and errors, but we may better call them Christian verities. To the which matter being read, the said Haukes answered openly again saying that it was true, and that he was glad it was so true, as it was: with moe words to the like effect. And this was on the forenoon, the ix. day of February.

In the after noon again the said Haukes appearing and hearing the • oresaid bill of his confession, with the Articles and Interrogatories read vto him, with like constancy in answering again to the b • shop: My Lord (said he) as you being my friend have caused these my sayings to be writ̄: so do you cause them to be read: and yet I will never go from them.

And then being exhorted by the Byshoppe with many fair words, to return again to the bosom of the mother Church: No my Lord (said he) that will I not: for if I had an hundredth bodies, I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces, rather then I will abjure or recant.

And so continuing still in the same song, notwithstanding that the Doctors and Lawyers were ever calling upon him to come again to the unity of the Church he ever kept them of with this answer, that he would never go from the belief he was in, so long as he lived. Wherupon Boner, at last read the sentence of death upon him, & so was he condemned the same day with the residue of his fellows which was the 9. of February.

Neuertheles his execution was prolonged, and he remained in prison till the 10. day of June.

Then was he committed to the hands and charge of the Lord Rich, who being assisted with power sufficient of y ^e worshipful of the shyre, had the foresaid Tho. Haukes down into Essex, with vi. other fellow prisoners (whose stories hereafter follow) there to suffer martirdōe, Haukes at Coxehall, the other severally in other several places.

Thomas Haukes by the way used much exhortation to his friends, and whensoever opportunity served to talk with them, he would familiarly admonish them.

A little before his death certain there were of his familiar acquaintance and friends, who frequenting his company more familiarly, which seemed not a little to be confirmed both by the example of his constancy, & by his talk: yet notwithstanding the same again being feared with the sharpness of the punishment, which he was going to, privily desired that in the midst of the flame he would show them some token if he could, whereby they might be more certain whether the pain of such burning were so great, that a man might not therein keep his mind quiet and patient. Which thing he promised them to do, and so secretly between them it was agreed, that if the rage of the pain were tolerable and might be suffered, then he should lift up his hands above his head toward heaven before he gave up the ghost.

Not long after, when the hour was come Thomas Haukes was lead away to the place appointed for the slaughter, by the Lord Rich & his assistance, who being now come unto the stake, there mildly & patiently addressed himself to the fire, having a strait chain cast about his middle, with no small multitude of people on every side compassing him about. Unto whom after he had spoken many things, but especially unto the Lord Rich, reasoning with him of the innocent blood of Saints, at length after his fervent prayers first made, and poured out unto god, the fire was set unto him.

In the which when he continued long, and when his speech was taken away by violence of the flame, his skin also drawn together, and his fingers consumed with the fire, so that now all men thought certainly he had been gone, suddenly and contrary to all expectation, the blessed servant of GOD, being myndefull of his promise afore made, reached up his hands burning on a light fire (which was marvelous to behold) over his head to y ^e living God, and with great rejoicing, as seemed, struck or clapped thē three times together. At the sight whereof there followed such applause & outcry of the people, and especially of them which understood the matter, that y ^e like hath not commonly been heard: And so the blessed Martyr of Christ, straight way sinckyng down into the fire, gave up his spirit. An. 1555. June. 10. And thus have you plainly and expressly described unto you the whole story, as well of the life, as of the death of Thomas Haukes, a most constant & faithful witness of Christ's holy Gospel.

Here followeth another letter of Tho. Haukes sent to his wife after his condemnation, being prisoner in Newgate: the copy whereof is this.

Ye heard before in the letter of Tho. Haukes written to his wife, mention made concerning his eldest son to be sent to M. Throgmorton. Now what he writeth himself to the said M. Throgmorton touching the same matter, by this his letter to the said party here under ensuing, may appear.

A letter of Thomas Haukes to M. Clement Throgmorton.

GRace, mercy, and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you, & assist you in all your thoughts words, and works, that he in all things as most worthy, may be glorified, and that the blessing of Abraham may be poured plenteously on you and all your posterity.

Whereas the love of God hath moved you to require my son to be brought up before your eyes, & the self same love hath also moved me in like case to leave him in your hands, as unto a father in mine absence, I shall require you in God's behalf according to your promise, that ye will see him brought up in the fear of the Lord, and instructed in the knowledge of his holy word, that he may thereby learn to leave the evil and know the good, and always be pricked forward with fatherly instructions to follow my footsteps, that as almighty God hath made me worthy through his special grace to work his will in obedience, he may learn to follow me his father in the like, to gods honor and praise: And this I require you in God's behalf to fulfill or cause to be fulfilled, as ye before the living God will make answer for the same. I have left for the child certain books which shall be delivered unto you, wherein his instruction and salvation lieth, if he learn and practice the same. And thus, most humbly beseeching you once again, to be as good unto him as your promise was to me, that is, to be a father, & a wall of defense unto him in all troubles, I leave him in your hand through the Lord Jesus, and desire him to bless both him & you according to his good promise: & all that good which ye shall do unto him, I shall most heartily desire the everlasting God to recompense unto you in his kingdom, where I hope to meet both him and you among all God's elect. To which God be all praise, honor and glory. Amen.

The examination of Tho. Watts, before the Lord Rich and others.

WHen this Tho. Watts came before the L. Rich and other the Justices, whose names are specified in the letter following (which they sent unto the B. of London against him) at the sessions at Chelmesford, the Lord Rich said these words or the like in effect unto him.

Watts, ye be brought hither (as I understand) because of disobedience to the Kyng and Queens laws. Ye will not come to the Church, ye will not hear Mass, &c. but have your conventicles a sort of you in corners, contrary to the K. and Queens proceedings. Unto which his words Watts answered and said.

My L. if I have offended a law, I am subject here to the law. Then Anth. Brown Justice, said unto him: Wats, I pray thee tell me who hath been thy school master, to teach thee this gear, or where didst thou first learn this religion? Forsooth (quoth Watts) even of you Sir: you taught it me, and none more then you. For in K. Edwards days in open sessions you spake against this Religion now used, no preacher more. You then said, y ^e mass was abhominable, & all their trumpery besides, wishing and earnestly exhorting that none should believe therein, & that our belief should be only in Christ: and you said thē whosoever should bring in any strange natiō to rule here it were treason, and not to be suffered.

Then said Brown to my Lord Rich, he belies me my Lord. What a knave is this? he will soon bely me behind my back, when he doth it before my face, and my L. Rich said again, I dare say he doth so.

After these words, Watts took occasion to speak somewhat of King Phillip and of his coming in, but what it was, I could not justly learn. But this much was heard, that after those words spoken, the Benche among themselves stood up, and said one to another: treason, saving one good man called Justice Gawdy, who a little before was about to speak: but when he heard them cry treason, he held down his head as one grieved and troubled at their doings.

In conclusion, the Commissioners being weary of him or else not willing to meddle further in such high matters, sent him up to the B. of London, with their letter withal, importing the cause of his sending up as by the contents thereof here under followeth to be seen.

Now when the B. had received him, how he used him 〈◊〉 is easy (by his common practices with others) to judge. What his private conferēces were, I know not, but what was publicly done in the Consistory at Paul's (the common stage for these tragedies) you shall here see.

The first appearance of Thomas Watts in the bishops Consitory.

FIrst upon Thursday, being the second day of May, Thomas Watts was brought thither before the Bishop of London, & there being examined upon his words had before the L. Rich and others (as is contained in their letters) he did earnestly affirm the same to be true. Wherupon the Bishop objected, and examined him upon these Articles following, to the which he answered, as under may appear.

Articles objected against Thomas Watts of Byllerica in the County of Essex, within the Diocese of London, by Boner Bish. there, as ensueth.

1. FIrst that the said Tho. Watts was of Billerica, & so of the jurisdiction of the B. of London.

2. Item, that he believed not in the Sacraments of the the holy and Catholic church, as the Catholic church of Rome, and all other Churches members of the same, ever hitherto hath believed, & is taught of all good & faithful people, nor hath allowed the said sacraments, rites, usages, or ceremonies of the said church, but hath despised the same.

3. Item, that he believeth, & also hath taught others, that the substance of material bread and wyne do remain in the Sacrament of the alter after the consecration, & that the said material bread and wyne are the signs & tokens of Christ's body hanged upon the cross, and of his blood there shed, and that in the said Sacrament there is only a memory or remembrance of Christ's body & blood, and nothing else.

4. Item, that he believeth, and doth precisely affirm, that the very true presence of Christ's body and blood in substance, is not in the Sacrament of the alter, but only in heaven, and nowhere else.

5. Item, that he believeth, affirmeth, and saith, that the Mass now used in the church of Rome here in England, and other places is full of Idolatry, abomination & wickedness, and that Christ did never institute it, nor ordain it, nor yet allow it as a good and laudable thing to be used in his Church.

6. Item, that he believeth and affirmeth that auricular confession to be made unto the Priest, is not necessary, but superfluous: and that it is enough for a man to believe only, & to confess himself unto God, without any priest or minister at any time, though he may have the Priest to confess him unto.

7. Item, that he believeth that Luther, Wycliffe, Doctor Barns, and all others that have holden against the Sacrament of the alter, & suffered death by fire or otherwise, for the maintenance of the said opinion, were good men, and faithful servants and Martyrs of Christ, in so beleeuyng and dieng.

8. Item, that he hath and doth believe, that to fast, pray, or to do alms deeds, is a thing utterly unprofitable: for if a man shall be saved, he shall be saved without doing of them: and if he shall be damned, they shall not help him, or do him any good at all.

9. Item, that the said Watts of late coming into open Court at the Sessions before the Lord Riche, Sir Henry Tirell Knight, Anthony Brown Esquire, and others, & being then and there examined, did openly confess, that he had refused to come to the Church, and to hear there the divine service, and to receive the sacrament of the alter, according to the order of the Church: because that like as the service of the Church set out in the days of the late king Edward the 6. was said and alleged to be abhominable, heretical, schismatical, and all naught: so he the said Thomas Watts thē and there said openly before the said Commissioners, that all that is now used and done in the Church, is abhominable, heretical, schismatical, and altogether naught: And that he did also then utter before the said Commissioners, other erroneous and arrogant words, to the hurt of his soul, and to the evil example of the people there present.

10 Item, that he the said Thomas by reason of the premisses, was and is to be takē, had, reputed, and judged as a manifest & open heretic, and for the same, by the order of ecclesiastical laws is to be declared, accursed: and being obstinate and incorrigible, is to be delivered to the secular power, there to be punished as an heretic.

11 Item, that he over and besides all these offenses, and trespasses aforesaid, had also added this trespass, that is to wit: that he had believed and deliberately spoken, that the Church of Rome in her rites, ceremonies, Sacraments, constitutions, and traditions, is the Synagogue of Satan, and therefore that he had consented and agreed in opinion & belief, with one John Tooly, of late hanged at Charing cross, who at the time of his executing, desired the people to pray, to be delivered from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, with all his enormities: as who should say, that his authority and doings were tyranny, and had all enormities and iniquities in them.

12 Item, that the premisses and every part thereof, be true, notorious, manifest, and openly spoken, & talked of amongst the honest & credible persons in great multitude, and that of all & singular the same within Billerica aforesaid, and other places there about, being of the diocese of London, there is a common voice and fame thereof.

The answer of the said Thomas Watts to the foresaid Articles.

TO the first he said and confessed the same to be true in every part thereof.

To the 2. Article he answered that he believeth in all the Sacraments according to Christ's institution, & the Catholic church: but not according to the Bish. of Rome's church: and further said, that he doth not believe now as he had done in times past: for in time past he believed as the church then believed, but now he doth not so believe: for the church of Rome had deceived us, and therefore he said he did not believe as the church of Rome believeth, but as Christ hath taught him: And further said, that he was so taught to believe by preaching of one M. Aluey, & other whose names he remembered not: which Aluey he said did preach the word of God truly and sincerely.

To the 3. he answered, that he hath and doth believe, that Christ's body is in heaven, and nowhere else: & further, that he will never believe that Christ's body is in the Sacrament.

To the 4. he answered, confessing and firmly believing the same to be true.

To the 5. that he did believe, that the Mass is abhominable, and that he will not go one jot from that his belief.

To the 6. that he neither did, nor yet doth believe that the priest can absolve him of his sins: howbeit, he denieth not but it is good to ask council at the priests mouth.

To the 7. he said, that he knoweth not what the opinions of the said persons named in the said article were: and in case the said persons did believe that the body and blood of Christ were real and in very deed in the Sacrament of the altar, then that they were not good men. But in case they did believe that the body & blood of Christ was not in the Sacrament of the alter really and truly, then he believed that they were good Christian men.

To the 8. that he had not spokē as is contained in this article, but said, that he hath and doth believe that fasting, prayers and alms deeds be works of a lively faith.

To the 9. he confessed, that he did utter and speak, as in this article is contained, and further desired God that he might die in that faith and belief, wherein he now is.

To the x. he answered and said, that he will submit him self herein to the order of the law: and further said that he trusteth that with God he shall be blessed, although with men he be accursed.

To the xi. he said, that he believed that the B. of Rome is a mortal enemy to Christ and his Church. And as for Tooly he said, he did never see or know him: but in case the said Tooly did wish and pray as is contained in the Article, then he did likewise wish and consent with him therein.

To the 12. he answered, that all which before he confessed to be true, is also true: and all that he hath denied to be true, he denieth again to be true, and believeth the same to be according to such things as he hath confessed.

An other appearance of Thomas Watts in the Consitory.

THese Articles thus propounded and answered, the bishop commanded him to appear again in the same place at 3. of the clock in the after noon, upon the same day. At which hour being brought thither by his keeper, the Bishop began with him in this wise: Watts, you know what I said unto you today, and what I appointed unto you at this time. The time is now come: weigh and consider with yourself, that you are but a man: and allbeit that ye will willfully cast away your body, yet cast not so away your soul, but while ye have time, return and confess the truth.

Whereunto Thomas Watts answered and said: I am weary to live in such idolatry as ye would have me to l • ue in. Upon which answer the bishop caused his articles again to be read. He thereto answered as before, and farther subscribed the same with his own hand.