Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 18 – Part 19
Mistresse Ioyce Lewis.
SHe was the wife of Thomas Lewis of Mancetter,September. 10. in the beginning of Quéene Maries time she went to Church and heard Masse, vntill the burning of Laurence Saunders in Couentry, then she inquired of such as she knew feared God, the cause of his death, and when she knew it was because he refused to receiue the Masse, she began to be troubled in conscience, & she reforted to master Iohn Glouer, a very godly man, of whom mentioned is made before, and desired him to tell her the faults that were in the Masse, who instructed her in the wayes of the Lord, approuing vntounto her, out of Gods holy word, that the Masse, with al other papistical inuentions, was odious in Gods sight, so she began to hate the Masse, & being compelled by her husband to come vntounto Church, …when the holy water was cast, she turned her backe towards it: wherupon she was accused vntounto the Bishop, and a citation was s…nt for her and her husband, the Sumner deliuered the citation to her husband, who willed him to take the citation away with him, or else he would make him eate it, and in the end he made the Sumner eate the citation by setting a dagger vntounto his brest, and then he caused him to drinke, and so sent him away, but after they were commanded to appeare before my Lord, her husband desired my Lord to be good vntounto him: my Lord was content to receiue his submission▪ so that his wife would submit her selfe likewise, but she told the Bishop that she had neyther offended God nor his lawes in refusing holy water: the Bishop gaue her a moneths respite, binding her husband in a hundred pound to bring her to him at the moneths end. When the monethmonth was almost expired, her husband was aduertised by the said M. Glouer and others, not to carry his wife to the Bishop, but to séeke some way to saue her; and if the worst should come, to be content to forfeit the Band rather then to cast his wife into the fire: he answered, he would not forfeit any thing for her sake, but carried his wife vntounto the Bishop, who found her more stout then she was before: so she was sent to such a stinking prison, that a maid that was appointed to kéep her company did sound in the said prison. She was often examined, and euer found stout; at length she was pronounced an heretick. When the Bishop asked her, why she would not come vntounto the masse, and receiue the sacraments and sacramentals of holy Church: she answered, because she could not find them in Gods word: he said, if thou wilt beléeue no more then is in the scriptures concerning matters of religion, thou art in a damnable case: she told my Lord his words were vngodly and wicked. After her condemnation she continued a year in prison. Wher… the Writ came to burn her, she said▪ as for the feare of death I do not greatly passe: when I behold the amiable countenance of Christ my deare Sauiour, the vgly face of death doth not greatly trouble me. In the which time she reasoned most comfortably out of Gods word of election and reprobation: in the euening before she should die, two Priests came to her to heare her confession; for they would be sorie, they said, she should die without it. She sent them word she had made her confession vntounto Christ, at whose hands… she was sure to hauehave forgiuenes of her sins: for the cause for which she should die, she had no cause to repent, but rather to praise God that he made her worthy to suffer death for his word, and the absolution that they were able to giuegive her by the authority of the Pope, she defied it. Well, said the Priests, to morrow her stoutnes will be tried. All the night she was wonderfull cheerefull and merry. About thrée of the clock in the morning, Sathan began to stirre himselfe busily, questioning with her, how she could tell that she was chosen to eternall life, and that Christ died for her: I grant he died, but that hee died for thée, how canst thou tell? She being troubled with this suggestion, they that were about her counsailed her to follow the example of S. Paule, to be faithfully perswaded that Christ loued her, and gaue himselfe for her: for S. Paule was perswaded that Christ loued him; and her calling, and true beléefe, and knowledge of Gods word was a manifest token of Gods louelove towards her, and the operation of the spirit of God, in working in her a louelove and a desire to please God: by these perswasions and the comfortable promises of Christ brought out of the Scripture, Sathan was put to flight, and she comforted in Christ. When she came to the stake, she prayed to God most instantly to abolish the vile masse; at which prayer all the people said Amen: then she tooke a cup of drinke that was brought vntounto her, and drunk vntounto all them that vnfainedly loued the Gospell of Christ, and wished for the abolishment of papistry: a great number of the women of the towne pledged her. When the fire was kindled about her, she neither strugled nor stirred: the Papists had appointed some of theirs to raile vponupon her, and reu…le her openly as she went to execution; and whilst she was at the stake, amongst others there was an old priest which had writing tables, and noted the names of the women which drunke with her, and caused Processe to be sent for them, but God defended them from the hands of the Tyrants.
Ralph Alerton, Iames Awstoo, Margery Awstoo and Richard Roth.
ON the 17. of September these foure were burned at I…ington néere London. Ralph Alerton comming to his parish Church of Bently, and séeing the people sitting there idle, exhorted them that they would fall to prayer, and meditation of Gods word, wherevnto they consented: after prayer, he read vntounto them a chapter out of the New Testament, and departed; In which exercise he continued vntill Candlemas: and then being informed that he might not doe so by law (because he was no Priest) he left off and kept himself… close in his house vntill Easter: after he was constrained to forsake his house, and liue in woods, and such places vntill he was apprehended
After his Examination, my Lord Darcy sent him vp vntounto the Councell, who sent him to Boner; who tempted him openly to recant at Paules Crosse, and set him at liberty, which after wrought such a terrour in his conscience: but the Lord with his fauourable chastisement did raise him vp againe with Peter, giuing him vnfained repentance, and a most constant boldnes to professe his name, and glorious Gospell: Wherefore at the procurement of Thomas Tye Priest, hee was apprehended againe, and sent to Boner, before whom he was diuers times examined, which examinations written with his owne hand in bloud for lack of Inke, hereafter follow.