Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 26 – Part 28
Iohn Rowth Minister, and Margaret Mearing.
IN King Edwards time he was a Preacher at New-Castle, Barwicke, and Carliel. In Queene Maries time he fled with his Wife into Friseland, and dwelled at Norden, and liued by knitting of caps, h…se…, and such like things, but in October last he came ouer into England to buy yarne, and hearing of the secret societie of the congregation of Gods children their assembled▪ hee ioyned himselfe vntounto them, and was elected their preacher, and hee taught and confirmed them in the truth of the Gospell: But on the twelfth of December, hee with Cuthbert Simpson, and others were appr…hended at the Sarisons head in Islington: where the congregation had appointed to assemble themselues to pray, and heare Gods word: they were brought before the Councell, who sent Rowgh to Newgate, and writ to Boner to examine him, and proceed according vntounto the law, who vponupon examination before Bonner, confessed that he had spoken against the number of the Sacraments, being perswaded that there were but two: Baptisme and the Lords Supper: and that hee had taught that in the Sacrament of the Altar, ther is not really and substantially the body and bloud of Christ, but that the substance of bread and wine remaineth without transubstantiation, and that hee thought Confession to a Priest necessarie if hee had offended the Priest, but if the offence were vntounto another, it was not necessarie, but the reconc…liation ought to bee made to the party so offended, hee denyed La…ine seruice, and allowed the seruice of King Edwards time, and hee commended the opinion of Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer, and that they were godly learned men.
He confessed he had béene famil…ar with diuers Englishmen & women in Frieseland, and agréed with them in opinion: as Maister Story, Thomas Yong, George Roe, and others, to the number of 100. persons, which fl…d thither for Religion, vsing the order set forth in King Edwards time.
He said that he had béene at Rome about thirty daies, and he saw no good there, but much euill, amongst which he saw one great abhomination, to wit; the Pope being a man that should goe vponupon the ground, to be carried vponupon the shoul…ers of foure men, as though he had béene God and no man: also a Cardinall to hauehave his Harlot to ride openly behind him; and thirdly, a Popes Bull that gaue expresse licence to hauehave and vse the Stewes, and keepe open bawdery by the Popes authority.
And he confessed, that since his last comming vntounto England, hee had in sundry places in London read Prayers and Seruice as is appointed in the Book of Communion, and had willed others to doe the like: and he affirmed, that hee being a Priest might lawfully marry, and that his Children which hee had by his Wife were lawfull, and he vtterly detested the seruice then vsed, saying, that if he shold liue as long as Methusala, he would neuer come vntounto the Church to heare the abhominable Masse, and other seruice then vsed. Whereupon he was disgraded and condemned: he was a meanes to saue Docror Watsons life then Bishop of Lincolne▪ when he preached erroneous doctrine in the dayes of King Edward the sixt; and the said Watson beeing with Bonner at the examination of the said M. Rowgh, to requite his good turne in sauing his life, said there, that he was a pernicious hereticke, who did more hurt in the North parts then an hundred besides of his opinion.
M. Rowgh further said, he had liued thirtie years, and yet had not bowed his knee vntounto Baall: and he affirmed that he had beene twice at Rome, and there hee had seene that which he had many times heard of before, that the Pope was the verie Antichrist: for he saw him carried vponupon mens shoulders, and the false named Sacrament borne before him, yet was there more reuerence giuen vntounto him then vntounto it, which they accounted their God. Then Bonner rose vp, making as though …e would ha…e torne his garments, saying, Hast thou seene our holy father, and doest thou blaspheme him thus? and flying vponupon him hee plucked off a piece of his beard, and after made speedy hast to his death.
He wrote this Letter to confirme the brethren the same day that hee was condemned: The comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to giuegive consolation to others in these dangerous dayes, when Sathan is let loose to the triall of the chosen to sift the wheate from the Chaffe, whosoeuer denyeth Christ▪ before men, hee will deny him before his Father and the Angels: and to saue the life corporall, is to lose the life eternall; and he that will not suffer with Christ, shall not raigne with Christ: Therefore I hauehave giuen ouer the flesh, with the fight of my Soule, and the Spirit hath the victory. The flesh ere it bee long, shall leaue off to sinne, the spirit shall raigne eternally: I hauehave chosen death to confirme the truth which I hauehave taught. What can I doe more, pray that I may continue vntounto the end: I hauehave in all my assaults felt the present ayde of my GOD: bee not ashamed of Christs Gospell, nor of the bonds that I hauehave suffered for the same: The holy ones hauehave beene scaled with the same marke: It is no time for the losse of one man, for the campe to turne back▪ vp with mens harts and blow downe the dawbed walles of heresies, let one take the banner, and another the Trumpet, and I meane not to make corporall resistance, but pray and you shal hauehave Elias his defence, and Helizeus his company to fight for you, the cause is the Lords: Pray for me, and salute one an other with an holy kisse, the peace of God r…st with you all, Amen.
Margery Mearing said that the Masse was abhominable in the sight of GOD and all Christian people, and that it is the plaine c…p of fornication, and the whore o… Babylon; and shee beleeued that there was no such Sacrament as the Sacram…nt of the Altar in the Catholike Church: and she said she vtterly abhorred the authoritie of the Pope, with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichrists Church, and that …he neuer meant to come vntounto the Church during these Idolatrous dayes. And being demaunded whether shee would stand to these answers; I will (quoth shee) stand to them vntounto the death, for the very Angells in heauen doe laugh you to scorne, to se… your abomination that you vse in the Church, wherupon shee was condemned. They were burned both together in Smithfield, where they most ioyfully and willingly gaue their li…es for the profession of the Gospell of Christ.
Master Rowgh had excommunicated this Margerie Mearing but the Sonday before he was taken, yet hee being in prison in the Gate-house at Westminster, where none of his friends could come vntounto him to visit him, she gother a Basket and put a cleane Shirt in it, and fayning her selfe to be his sister, got into the prison vntounto him, and did him no small comfort: then shee went to one Sergeants house, who betrayed Master Rowgh, and asked whet her Iudas that betrayed Christ dwelt not there: and she seeing Cluny come vntounto her house, she went home, and asked him whom he sought, he said for you, you must go with me: she said, she would go with him, the Bishop cast her into prison▪ and the wednesday after she was burned with Master Rowgh.
Cutbert Simpson, Hugh Foxe, and Iohn Deuenish.
SImpson was Deacon of the said godly Congregation in London: he was faithfull and zealous vntounto Christ and his true flocke: the Friday at night before M. Rough the Minister of the Congregation was taken, he dreamed that he saw two of the Gard leading Cutbert Simpson, & that he had a book about him, wherin was the names of all them which were of the Congregation: so he told his Wife and made her light a Candle, and fell to reading, and falling asleepe again, he dreamed the like dreame.
Then he said to his Wife, that his brother Cutbert was gone, and as Maister Rough was ready to go to see Maister Cutbert, he came in with the Booke, containing the names and accounts of the Congregation: then M. Rough told him his dreame, and bade him carrie the booke no more about him, so he left the booke with M. Rowghs wife; the next night M. Rowgh dreamed that be himselfe was carried vntounto the Bishop, and that the Bishop plucked off his beard and cast it into the fire, saying, Now I may say I hauehave had a piece of an hereticke burned in my house, and so accordingly it came to passe, for shortly after they were both taken at the Saracens head in Islington, as before. Here followeth the storie of his sufferings vponupon the racke, and otherwise, for the Congregations sake, as he wrote it with his own hand:
I was called before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London; they commanded me to tell them whom I willed to come to the English seruice, I answered I would declare nothing, whereupon I was set in a racke of Iron three houres, then they asked if I would tell them, I answered as before: the Sonday after they examined me againe, and I answered them as before: then they bound my two fore-fingers together, and put a small arrow betwixt them, and drew it thorow so fast that the bloud followed, and the arrow brake, then they racked mee twice, and so I was carried vntounto my lodging againe. Ten dayes after the Lieutenant asked me if I would not confesse, I answered I had said as much as I wold: fiue wéeks after he sent me vntounto the high Priest, where I was greatly assaulted, at whose handes I receiued the Popes curse for bearing witnesse of the resurrection.
Bonner in his Consistorie gaue this testimony of Cutbert Sampson, ye, sée said he, what a personable man he is, and concerning his patience, I say vntounto you, that if he were not an hereticke, he is a man of the greatest patience that euer came before me; he hath béene thrice racked in one day in the Tower, and in my house hee hath felt some sorrow, yet did I neuer see his patience broken.
They all thrée answered Bonner, that the Church is grounded vponupon the Apostles and Prophets, Christ being the head corner stone, and in that Church there is the true faith and religion of Christ: that there is but two Sacraments, Baptisme and the Lords Supper; they said that they hauehave and will speake against the sacrifice of the Masse, the Sacrament of the Altar, and the authoritie of the Sea of Rome, and Iohn Deuenish said that the Sacrament of the Altar, as it is now vsed, is no Sacrament at all.
These thrée blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ, Simpson, Fox and Deuenish, as they were all together apprehended at Islington, so they suffered together in Smithfield.
WILLIAM NICOLE.
HEe was an honest simple poore man, apprehended the ninth of Aprill by the Popes Champions for speaking certaine words against the cruell kingdome of Antichrist: he was butcherly burned and tormented at Hereford west in Wales, where he ended his life in a blessed estate, and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lord.