Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 48 – Part 49
The seuere punishment of God vponupon persecutors and blasphemers.
STephen Gardiner, the Arch persecutor, whom the Lord tooke away in the middest of Queene Maries Raigne: of whose poisoned life, and stinking end mention is made already: He said in his death-bed; I hauehave denied my Master with Peter, but neuer repented with Peter.
Bishop Morgan, who condemned Master Farrar, Bishop of Saint Dauids, and vsurped his roome: not long after he was striken in such a strange sort, that the meate he eat would not goe downe, but rise vp againe; sometimes at his mouth: sometimes blow out of his nose most horrible to behold, and so continued vntounto his death. Also when Doctor Leyson the Sheriffe had fet away the said Bishops cattell, diuers of the Cattell would neuer eate meat, but lay bellowing and roaring, and so dyed.
One Richard a Priest of Carmarthen, a little after the martyrdome of the said B. Farrar, standing vponupon the top of a stayre, in one Maister Downings house, iesting at the death of the said B. Farrar, fell downe suddenly, and brake his neck.
Iustice▪ Morgan, after he had set vponupon the death of the Lady Iane, fell mad, and so died, hauing euer in his mouth Lady Iane, Lady Iane.
Doctor Dunning, the cruell Chancellor of Norwich, was striken wish sodaine death as he sate in his chayre.
Berry, the wicked Comissary of Norfolke, foure daies after Queene Maries death, made a feast, and had one of his Concubines; therein the afternoone comming from Euensong, he fell downe by the way and neuer s…irre….
Bishop Thorneton, Suffragan of Douer, who was a most cruell tyrant: hee fell in a palsey, as he looked vponupon his men playing at Bowles, and so was had to bed, he was willed to remember God: yea so I doe said he, and my Lord Cardinall, and so he dyed.
After him succeeded another Bishop or Suffragan, who was Suffragan before vntounto Boner: he brake his neck downe a payre of staires in the Cardinals chamber at Greenewich, as he had receiued the Cardinals blessing.
The Parson of Crundall in Kent, hauing receiued the Popes Pardon: hee exhorted the people to receiue remission of sinnes, as he had done: And hee said that he stood now, as cleere in conscience as when he was first borne, and cared not if he should die the same houre: in so saying he was suddenly striken in the pulpit, and leaning back he was found dead.
Not long after the death of Queene Mary, dyed Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury, and the cruell Chancellor of Salisbury: Doctor Geffrey about the same time in the middest of his buildings was suddenly taken with the mighty hand of God, and so ended his life: The day before he departed, hee had appointed to call before him 90. persons, to examine them by inquisition.
Cruell Maister Woodroofe Sheriffe of London, which reioyced at the death of the Saints of Christ: A weeke after he was out of his office the one halfe of his body was striken by the hand of God, that hee was bedrid, and not able to moue himselfe, and so he continued seuen or eight yeares vntill he dyed.
Rafe Sardine, that betrayed George Eagles, was attached himselfe, arraigned and hanged.
Maister Swingefield, an Aldermans Deputy in Thames stréet, vnderstanding a Midwife which absented her selfe from the Church to bee at the labour of one Mistris Walter at Crooked Lane end: he apprehended her being great with child, and carried her vntounto Boner, who sent her vntounto Lolards Tower: where for fe…re she was deliuered of a child, & could hauehave no woman to help her: after she had lien there fiue wéekes, she was deliuered vponupon sureties. Doctor Story hearing thereof, charged her with felony, and sent her vntounto Newgate: shortly after the said Master Swingfield and three more that came to take her died.
One Burton a Bayliffe of Crowland in Lincolneshire, who made shew to be a great friend of the Gospel in King Edwards time, but in Quéene Maries time he moued the parish to shew themselues the Queenes friends, and set vp Masse speedily, and he called on them still in the Queenes name: and when hee saw his words were not regarded, he got him to Church vponupon a Sunday morning, when the Curate began to say seruice, according vntounto King Edwards time: he came to him and said: Sirra, will you not say Masse, buckle your selfe to Masse you knaue, or by Gods bloud I will sheath my Dagger in your shoulders: The poore Curate for feare setled himselfe vntounto Masse.
But not long after, riding from home with one of his neighbours, as he returned home a Crow flew ouer his head, singing after her wonted manner, knau…, knaue, and dunged vponupon his nose, which ranne downe vponupon his mouth & beard; The poisoned sauour thereof so annoyed his stomack, that he neuer ceased vomiting vntill he came home, whereof within few daies he dyed, without any to…en of …epentance.
As Iames Abbes was a leading to be burned, poore people asking almes, hee pulled off all his apparell vntounto his shirt, and gaue it amongst them, to some one thing, and to some another: and he exhorted them to stand stedfast in the truth of the Gospel▪ which hee (with Gods help) would seale with his bloud in their sight: Then a seruant of the Sheriffes cryed out, beléeue him not good people, he is an heretick & a mad man, and it is heresie that he saith, and thus he did vntill hee came vntounto the stake: but as soone as the fire was put vntounto Abbes, this blasphemer was striken with madnes, wherewith he had charged the good martyr, & he cast off his shooes & the rest of his clothes & cried out thus did Abbes that true seruant of God, who is saued, but I am damned: Thus hee ranne about the towne of Berry, still crying Iames Abbes was a good man and saued, but I am damned: The Sheriffe tyed him vp in a darke house, but he continued his old note, and being brought to his Masters house in a Cart, within halfe a yeere he died: And beeing ready to die, the parish Priest came to him with the Crucifix, and the Host of the Altar: but he cryed out of the Priest, and defied all that baggage, saying that the Priest, a…d such other as he was, were the cause of his damnation: And that Iames Abbes, was a good man and saued.
Clarke, an open enemie of the Gospell, and all good pre…chers in King Edwards dayes, hanged himselfe in the Tower of London.
The great and notable Papist called Troling Smith, of late fell downe suddenly in the street, and died.
Dal… the Promoter was eaten in his body with Lice, and so died.
Cox a Protestant in King Edwards daies, and in Quéene Maries daies a Papist and a Promoter, being well when he went to bed, he was dead before morning.
Alexander the keeper of Newgate, who to hasten the poore lambes vntounto the slaughter, hee would goe to Boner, Story, and Colmley, and others: crying out rid my prison, I am too much pestered with hereticks, and he dyed very miserably, being swollen and so rotten within, that no man could abide the smell of him: and Iames his son being left very rich, in three yeares brought it to n…ght, and shortly after as he went in Newgate market, he fell downe suddenly and died.
Iohn Pether, sonne in law to this Alexander, ad horrible blasphemer of God, and no lesse cruell vntounto the prisoners, rotted away, and so died: who commonly when he affirmed any thing, he would say, if it be not true, I pray God I rot ere I die.
Iustice Lelon, persecutor of Ieffrey Hurst, died suddenly.
Robert Baulding, a… the taking of William Seaman, was striken with lightning: wherevpon he pined away and died.
Beard the Promoter, died wretchedly.
Robert Blomfield▪ persecutor of VVilliam Browne, consumed away miserably.
In K. Henries time, Iohn Rockwood, who in his horrible end cried All to late, which were the words that he vsed in persecuting Gods children at Callice.
The Lady Honer a persecutor, and George Bradway, a false accuser, were both bereft of their wits.
Richard Long a persecutor, drowned himselfe.
Sir Rafe Ellerker▪ as he was desirous to see the heart taken out of Adam Damlip, he being slaine of the Frenchmen: after they had mangled him, and cut off his priuy members, would not leaue him vntill they saw his heart cut out.
Doctor Foxford, Chancelor to Bishop Stokely, a cruell persecutor, died suddenly.
Pauier, or Pauie, towne Clarke of London, a bitter enemy vntounto the Gospel, hanged himselfe.
Doctor Pendleton died miserably, and at his death he repented that euer he had yeelded to the Doctrine of the Papists.
Iohn Fisher, Bishop of Rochest…, and Sir Thomas Moore; after they had bro…ght Iohn Frith, Bayfield, and Bainham, and diuers others to death: shortly after, they themselues were made a publike spectacle of bloudy death at tower hil.
These persecuting Bishops died a little before Quéene Mary: Coates, Parfew, Glune, Brookes, King, Peto, Day, Holiman.
After Quéene Mary, immediately followed Cardinall Poole, and these persecuting Bishops: Iohn Christopherson, Hopton, Morgan, Iohn VVhite, Rafe Bayne, Owen Oglethorpe, Cutbert Tonstall, Thomas Raynolds: And about the same tim… died Doctor VVeston, Maister Slethurst, Seth Holland, VVilliam Copinger, and Doctor Steward great persecutors
The residue that remained of the persecuting Clergy, and escaped the stroke of death, were depriued, and committed vntounto prisons; these Bishops were committed vntounto the Tower: Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of Yorke, Thomas Thurlby, Thomas Watson, Dauid Poole, Gilbert Burne, Richard Pates, Troublefield, and Iohn Fecknam Abbot of Wes…minster, and Iohn Boxell Dean of Windsor and Peterborough, were committed with the said Bishops vntounto the Tower.
Gouldwell, Bishop of Saint Asse, a…d Maurice Elect of Bangor, ranne away.
Boner, & Thomas Wood Bishops, were committed to the Marshalsey: Cutbert Scot, Bishop of Chester, was in the Fleete: from whence he escaped to Lo…ane, and there dyed.
These were committed vntounto the Fleete: Henry Cole, Deane of Paules: Iohn Harpsfield, Arch-deacon of London: Nicholas Harpsfield, Arch-deacon of Canterbury: Anthony Draycot, Archdeacon of Huntington: William Chadsey, Archdeacon of Middlesex.
One Iohn Apowell, mocke… one William Maulden, as he was reading an English Seruice Booke in a Winters Euening, mocking him at eueryevery word, with contrari… gaudes, and flouting words: Wherefore the said William checked him; saying, hee mocked not him, but God: As the said William was reading these words: Lord hauehave mercy vponupon vsus: Christ hauehave mercy vponupon vsus: The other with a start suddenly said, Lord hauehave mercy vponupon me: The said William asked him wherfore he was afrayd: He answered, when you reade Lord hauehave mercy vponupon vsus: me thought the hayre of my head stood vpright with a great feare that came vponupon me: The next day in the morning he fell mad, and after that hee lay day and night, and his tongue neuer ceased crying out of the Diuell of hell, I would see the Diuell of hell, there he is, there he goeth, and such like words: Thus he lay six daies, that his Maister and all the rest of the house was weary of the noise, and sent him to Bedlam.
At Waltamstow six miles from London, certaine children were talking what God was, and one said he was a good Old Father: and a Maide of twelue yéeres old, named Denys Benifield said what he is, an old doting Foole: The next day she was suddenly striken by the hand of God, that all one side of her was black, and she speechlesse, and so she died the same night.
Some beeing in communication about Cranmer, Ridley and Latimer, in an house of Abingdon in Barkeshire: One Le…ar … plowman, dwelling at Brightwell said that he saw that euill fauoured knaue Latimer, when hee was burned, and that he had téeth like a horse, at which time and houre, the son of the said Leauer most wickedly hanged himselfe in Shepton, a mile from Abbington.
Thomas Arundell, Archbishop of Canterbury gaue sentence against the Lord Cobham, and died himselfe before him, being s… striken in his tongue, that he could neither swallow nor speake, a good while before his death.
When Patrick Hamelton was burned for the truth in Scotland, in the fire hee cited and appealed Frier Campbell, that accused him to appeare before the High God, to answere whether his accusation was iust or not, betwixt that and a day of the next monethmonth, which he named: The said Frier dyed immediatly before the day came.
Haruy a Commissary which condemned a poore man in Callice, was shortly after, hanged, drawne and quartered.
VVilliam Swallow, the cruell tormentor of George Eagles, shortly after all the hayre of his head, and nayles of his fingers, and toes went off, and his eyes so closed, that he could scant see, and his wife was striken with the falling Sicknes which she neuer had before.
And Richard Potto, the other troubler of George Eagles, was suddenly taken with sicknes, and falling vponupon his bed, like a beast dyed, and neuer spake.
Richard Denton a shrinker, whilst hee refused to bee burned in the Lords quarrell, he was burned in his owne house with two moe.
The wife of Iohn Fetty, which was the cause of the taking of her husband immediately fell mad.
Thomas Mouse, & George Reuet, two persecutors were strike… miserably with the mighty hand of GOD and so died, as is mentioned in the Story of Adam Foster.
In the same Story is mention made of Robert Edgore, for being a Popish Clarke against his conscience, was bereft of his wits, and kept in chaines and bands many yerres after.
Iohn Pankney, and one Hanington, fellowes of New Colledge in Oxford, both stubborne Papists, drowned themselues, with Crucifixes about their neckes.
Christopher Landesdale, a Yeoman of the Gard, dwelling in Hackney in Middlesex, he suffered a poore man to die in a ditch in his ground, for want of harbour and reléefe, hauing much out-hous…s to spare; but shortly after hee being drunke, died himselfe in a ditch.
In King Edwards time there was a lusty young Gentleman in Cornwall, wh… riding in the company of twenty Horsemen, began to sweare and blaspheme the Na…e of God most horribly, one checking him for it, he bad him take thought for his winding shéete, and not for him: amend saith he, for death giueth no warning, Gods wounds, said hee, care not thou for mee, raging still worse and worse in words: They rode ouer a great Bridge, vppon which Bridge this Gentleman swearer spurred his Horse in such sort, that hee sprang ouer the bridge with the man vponupon his backe, and as he was falling he said; Horse and man and all to the Deuill.
Henry Smith, a Student of the Law in the middle Temple, he was pe…uerted to Popery by one Gyfford, then hee went to Louane, and there was more rooted therein, and brought from thence with him pardons, a Crucifixe, with an Agnus Dei, which he vsed to weare about his necke, and he had Images in his Chamber to pray before, with diuers other Popish trash.
After this Henry Smith, with Gyfford his companion, was returned from Louane, he was a foule Gyrer, and a scornefull scoffer of that Religion which he had professed: at length he tyed his shirt, which he had torne for that purpose, about his priuy places, and with his girdle fastned vntounto the bed-post, he strangled himselfe: The place where he had fastned the Girdle was so low, that his hippes well neere touched the floure: his legs lying a crosse, and his armes spread abroad, hauing his Agnus Dei in a siluer tablet, with his other Idolatrous trash in a window by him. He was buried in a Lane called Foskew Lane.
Twyford was a busie doer in King Henries daies by Bonners appointment, to set vp stakes for the burning of poore Martyres: When hee saw the stakes consume so fast, he said; I will hauehave a stake, I trow, that shall hold, and so hee prouided a big Trée, and set it vp in Smithfield, the top being cut off, but ere the Tree was consumed, God turned the state of Religion, and he fel into a horrible disease, rotting aliue aboue the ground before he died.
Forraigne Examples.
HOfmester the great Arch-papist, and cheefe piller of the Popes falling church, as he was going to Ratisbone, to dispute against the Protestants, he miserably died, horribly roaring and crying out.