An Alphabetical Martyrology, Part T 1
T T
THeban Souldiers a Legion, having Mauritius their Captain, being sent for by Maximinus the Emperour, under the tenth Persecution, to go against and persecute the Christians, would not; for which every tenth Man was kill'd: And being still urged, they made a notable Oration to the Emperour, declaring, Though they were his Souldiers, yet were they God's Servants; and would not persecute the Christians, nor sacrifice to the Emperour's devillish Idols: Whereupon again every tenth Man was slain; and afterwards their whole Army totally destroy'd, who made no resistance, but laid down their armour and gave their naked Bodies to their Enemies fury. Vol. 3. p. 104, 105.
Nicholas and Francis Thressen, being brought up in Christianity by their Father Andreas Thressen, who flying into England (out of Germany from their Mother and two other Children) died there: and then these two Sons returned into Germany to their Mother and the two Children with her, and instructed them in Christianity: With whom the Papists laboured to make them recant; and the two youngest being not well grounded, did so: the Mother would not, and was condemned to perpetual prison. These two Sons inveighed against Popery, and despising torments were condemned to the fire; and desiring to speak, had Gaggs put into their Mouths and balls of wood to hinder it; but they with vehemency of speaking drave them out: and desiring for the Lord's sake that they might have liberty to speak, they sang the Creed with a loud voice, and went and were fastened to the Stake, praying for their Persecutors and exhorting each other, they did abide the fire patiently. The one feeling the flame to burn his beard, said; Ah! what a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come: and so committing their Spirits to the hands of God, they died. Vol. 2. p. 121.
Giles Tilleman, a Cutler, born at Brussels, burned 1544. He received the Gospel at 30 years of age, and was very charitable to the poor, and so zealous in prayer that he seem'd to forget himself, and neither to hear nor see those that stood by him, till he was lift up by the arms. So patient was he of private injuries, that he would not speak again to revilers, insomuch that they said he had a dumb devil, though in the cause of Religion he had words and Scripture enough. When tidings came to him of the Sentence against him, he gave hearty thanks to God that the hour was come that he might glorifie the Lord; and at the place of burning, when the Hangman would have strangled him first, he would not let him, saying, There was no need that his pain should be mitigated, For, said he, I fear not the Fire. And lifting up his eyes in the middle of the flames, he died. Vol. 2. pag. 119.
William Tracy of Todington in Glocestershire Esq 1532. in his Will and Testament ordained his Executors not to make any funeral pomp at his Burial, neither passed he for any Mass, saying, He trusted only in God, and hoped by him to be saved, and not by any Saint. He said there was but one Mediator between God and Man, Christ Iesus; and therefore he gave nothing that any should say or do any thing to help his Soul after his death; for which Will he was near two years after his death taken up and burnt as an Heretick, by the Archbishop of Canterbury's order to Dr. Parker Chancellor in Worcester Diocese, whom King Henry VIII. made it cost 300 pound. Vol. 2. p. 317, 318.
William Tyndal of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford removed thence to Cambridge, and thence to Glocestershire, where in the House of one Welch a Knight he resided sometime, disputing with the Clergy, Priests and Abbots, and refuted them by Scripture evidences, so that they hated him, and brought him to trouble: At last he intending to translate the Bible into English for the good of his Native People, and to deliver them from the blind Idolatry and superstition of Popery; and finding England would not bear it, nor afford a place to do it in, he fled to Saxony, and there translated the New Testament 1527. And after he translating 5 Books of Moses, intending to print at Antwerp, to which place he sailing did suffer shipwrack, and lost all his labour; but he lodged at Antwerp, and with the help of one Coverdale performed the five Books, and printed them; and residing there he was basely betray'd by one Henry Philips an English-man, whom he had received lately as an intimate Acquaintance: And being so persecuted that though many Letters were for his delivering, he was executed; who in Prison converted the Keeper, his Daughter, and others. By the testimony of his condemner, he was a learned pious good Man, who died with this earnest prayer, Lord, open the King of England's eyes. He was martyred at Filford Castle in Flanders 1536. Vol. 2. p. 361, to 367.
Robert Testwood about Windsor, in King Henry Eight's Reign 1544. for opposing Idolatry and Image-worship, was apprehended and persecuted by the Bishop of London; Vol. 2. p. 543, 544. at last being condemned, he suffered with one Filmire and Persons, who kissed each other at parting from the Prison, and at the Stake drank to each other; and then this Testwood lifting up his eyes and hands, desired the Lord to receive his Spirit. See Persons and Filmire. Their Persecutors, Symons and Dr. London, soon after convicted of Conspiracy against some Nobles, and being perjured, did ride with Papers on their heads, and their faces towards the Horse tails, round about Windsor Market-place. Vol. 2. p. 555, 556.
Rowland Taylor, Dr. of both Canon and Civil Laws, and a perfect Divine; Parson of Hadley in Suffolk, where he resided, calling his People together and preaching to them every Sunday and Holiday, when he might. He was humble and meek, and his life an Example of Piety. He was ready to do good to all, forgiving all Enemies readily; and never sought to do evil to any one. To the poor, blind, lame, and sick, he was a very Father, a careful Patron, and diligent provider. When Mass was contrived to be set up in his Church, he opposed it, and said it was against God's Word, the Queen's honour; and tended to the utter subversion of the Realm of England. Whereupon he was sent for up to London, by the Bishop of Winchester, Stephen Gardiner: And his Friends perswaded him not to go, saying he could not be heard for himself, but must expect imprisonment, and death; and that Christ advised to fly from one City to another: and the People of God would in time want such godly Preachers. To whom he said, Dear Friends, I thank you for your care; yet I know my Cause so good, and the truth so strong on my side, that I will, by God's grace, go and appear before them; and to their beards will resist their false doings. God will not forsake his Church, but will raise up more fruitful Teachers than I, who shall never have again so glorious a call as I now have; wherefore I be seech you to pray for me, and I doubt not but God will give me strength and his spirit, that all my Adversaries shall have shame of their doings. And so taking care of his people, he and his Man, Iohn Hull, went towards London; but his Man advised him to fly, proffering his faithful service to him in all affairs: To whom the Doctor replyed, Oh John, shall I give place to this thy Counsel, and leave my Flock in this danger? Remember Christ, the good Shepherd, who not only fed his Flock, but dyed for them also. Him must I follow, and by God's grace will; therefore, John, pray for me; and if thou seest me at any time weak, comfort me; and discourage me not in this godly Enterprize, and purpose. When he came to Bishop Gardiner, who reviled him much, and asked him how he durst look him in the face, and if he knew who he was? Dr. Taylor said, Yes, I know who you are, Dr. Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor; and yet but a mortal Man I trow: but if I should be afraid of your Lordly looks, why fear you not God the Lord of us all? How dare ye look any Christian Man in the face, seeing you have forsaken the truth, denyed Christ, and done contrary to your Oath and Writing? With what face will ye appear before Christ's Iudgment Seat, and answer to your Oath against Popery in King Henry the 8th's time, and in King Edward the 6th's dayes, when you both spoke, and wrote against it. Vol. 3. p. 167, 168, 169. When he was condemned with Mr. Bradford, and others; they joyfully gave thanks, and stoutly said to the Bishops, That God would require their blood at their hands, and that one day they should repent this their Tyranny against the Flock of Christ. p. 174. When Bonner, Bishop of London, came to degrade him; and brought with him the Vestments, according to their Popish manner; he bad him put them on, but Dr. Taylor would not, so Bonner caused another to put them on; and then Dr. Taylor set his hands by his side, and walked up and down, saying, How do you like me now? how say you my Lord, am not I a goodly Fool? how say you my Masters, if I were in Cheapside now, should not I have Boys enough to laugh at me, and at these Apish toys, and toying trumpery? So the Bishop performed his Ceremonies of degradation, and cursed him: To whom Dr. Taylor said, Though you curse, God will bless: you have done me wrong, and violence; yet I pray God, if it be his will, forgive you. The next day his Wife and Son and Man, supped with him; and he exhorted his Son to obey God and his Mother; and exhorted her to be stedfast in the faith, and to shun Popery; and then wrote his last farewel to his People of Hadley, perswading their stedfastness in the Doctrine he had preached amongst them against Popery. Vol. 3. p. 175. The next day after he was carried out towards Hadley to suffer, and his Wife and Children suspecting as much, lay all night in Botolph's Churchyard; and as he went early in the morning, she cryed to him, Rowland, Rowland, and came to him; who took his Daughter Mary in his arms, and then all of them kneeled and said the Lords Prayer; then kissed he his Wife, saying, Farewel my dear Wife, be of good comfort; for I am quiet in my Conscience, and God shall stir up a Father for my Children; and kissing his two Daughters, Mary, and Elizabeth, he said, God bless you: and so praying them all to keep close to God's Word, and to flye Idolatry, he went on: to whom his Wife said, God be with thee my dear Rowland, I will meet thee at Hadley: And after this Speech to his Wife, he did see his Son Thomas, and his Man Iohn Hull, whom he commanded to lift up his Son, whom he blessed and prayed for; and then gave him again to his Servant. At Burntwood as they went, they made a Hood for the Dr. with holes only to see and breathe through, that none might know him, nor he speak to any. The Dr. was very pleasant all the way, as if he was going to a Banquet. And when he came to Chelmsford, the Sheriff of Suffolk met him; and as they were at Supper, the Sheriff of Essex perswaded him to turn to Popery; pleading his strength of body might live long, and he would be in great esteem, because all loved him for his sweetness and Learning, and a pardon might still be had, and so drank to him, and so did all the Yeomen of the Guard, his Attendants. And when the Cup came to the Dr. he considered a while before he spake, and at last thanked them for their Counsel; and said, To be plain with you, I perceive I have been deceived my self, and am like to deceive a great many of Hadley of their expectation: At which words they rejoyced, saying, Gods blessing on your heart, hold you there still, why should you cast away your life? But he said, My meaning is this; I am deceived, and, as I think, I shall deceive a great many: I am, ye see, a Man of a great carcass, which I thought should have been buried in Hadly Churchyard, but herein I see I am deceived: and there are a great many worms in Hadly Church-yard which would have had a jolly feeding upon this carrion, but now I know they will be deceived, for this carcass must be burned to ashes: Which sayings astonished the Sheriff, that he should but jest at death now at hand. Within 2 miles of Hadly, he desired to alight to make water, and fetched a frisk or two as Men do in dancing, saying he was very well, never better; For now I know I am almost at my Father's home. And after that he did understand he should go through Hadly, he blessed God that he should once more see his People before he died, whom he prayed God to bless and keep stedfast in word and truth▪ and at Hadly a poor Man and 5 Children meeting him, begg'd an alms, and pray'd to God to comfort him, as he had done often him and his Children. And the People of Hadly stood in the streets weeping and praying for him, saying; There goes our good Shepherd; Oh God! what will become of us poor Lambs: To whom the Dr. all along said, I have preached among you God's truth, and am now come to seal it with my blood. And at the Almes-house he gave them all the Money he had: His care was once a fortnight to visit with the Gentry the poor Inhabitants, and whom he found to blame he reboked, whom he found to want he supply'd. At last coming to Aldam Common, (the place of his suffering) he would have spoke, but was not permitted; onelyonly he said to the People, He had preached and was now to seal the truth of the Gospel with his blood, for which saying he was struck. And being ty'd fast to the Stake in a pitch-barrel, he held up his hands, saying, Merciful Father of Heaven, for Jesus Christ's sake my Saviour, receive my Soul into thy hands: And so he stood with his hands joyned until one with a Halberd knocked his brains out, and the dead Corps fell down into the fire. Vol, 3. p. 176, 177, 178.
Thomas Tomkins, burnt March 16. 1555. a London Waver, to whom Bishop Bonner used cruelty; and at his own Palace hall at Fulham, to terrifie the poor Man, burnt his hand with a Taper till the veins and sinews broke, and the water spirted in the faces of the standers by, who being moved with pity, requested the Bishop to stay, saying he had try'd him enough: But the Bishop stay'd not till he had effected his burning in Smithfield. This Tomkins never shrank at the burning his hand, but said he was wrapt in Spirit, so that he felt no pain. Vol. 3. p. 187, 188, 190.
Iohn Taylor, otherwise called Iohn Cardmaker, Prebendary of Wells and a Franciscan Fryar, burnt with one Warn May 30. 1555. in Smithfield, where the Sheriff talking much with Taylor, and the Papists having noised abroad his recantation, the People began to suspect it; but at last Taylor suddenly went and pray'd, then stript himself to his shirt, went to the Stake and kissed it, and shaking his Fellow-sufferer Iohn Warn by the hand, comforted him; and then heartily gave himself to be burned: whereat all the People cry'd out for joy, God be praised, the Lord strengthen thee, Cardmaker, the Lord Jesus receive thy Spirit; till such time as by fire he was consum'd. Vol. 3. p. 246, 248.
George Tankerfield, a zealous Papist in King Edward VI. dayes, a Cook in London; But in Queen Mary's dayes seeing their Popish persecution and cruelty, hated their doctrine, prayed to God for direction, and studied the word of God, and became a zealous Protestant, who for the Gospel was condemned and was burnt at St. Albans, August 26. 1555. In the Inn before he suffered, he called for some Malmsey and a loaf to eat and drink, in remembrance of Christ's death and Passion, which he said he did not in contempt of the Ministry, or to detract from the Ordinance, but because he could not have it administred to him according to God's Word. And after he had with prayer and thanksgiving received, he caused a good fire to be made in his Chamber, and he sitting by it, pull'd off his hose and shoes, and stretched out his feet towards it, and when the flame had touched his foot he quickly drew back his leg, shewing how the Flesh did perswade him one way, and the Spirit another. The Flesh said, Oh! thou foot, wilt thou burn and need not? The Spirit, Be not afraid, for this is nothing in respect of fire Eternal. The Flesh said, Do not leave the company of thy Friends which love thee: The Spirit said, The company of Iesus Christ and his glorious presence doth exceed all fleshly Friends. The Flesh saith, Do not shorten thy time, for thou mayest live if thou wilt much longer: But the Spirit said, This Life is nothing to the Life in Heaven which lasteth for ever. And after he coming to the Stake, pray'd, and with a joyful faith said, That although he had a sharp dinner, yet he hoped to have a joyful supper: And in the fire he calling on the name of the Lord, was quickly out of pain. V. 3. p. 397.
William Tyms Minister, burnt with several others April 14. 1556. wrote to his Sister thus, I take my leave of you till we meet in Heaven, you shall find me merrily singing, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabboth at my journey's end. And at the end of his Letter, he wrote his name in blood, in token that he would seal the Doctrine of Christ with the rest, and also he wrote in blood these words, Continue in prayer, ask in Faith, and obtain your desire. In another Letter to his Parishioners at Hockley in Essex, exhorts them to constancy to his Doctrine which he now was about sealing with his blood, praising God that ever he lived to see that day, and blessing God that ever he gave him a Body to glorifie his Name by. Vol. 3. p. 685.
Iohn Tuscaen, a young Man of 22 Years of age, of Audenard in Flanders, hearing of the Popish Idolatry in worshiping the Host, determined to demonstrate to them that the worshiping of that Breaden-god was abominable and execrable sacriledge: To effect which, on May, 30. 1566. called Corpus Christi Day he went to a Church in Pamelle, which stood near to Audenard, and seeing the Priest at elevating the Host, and the People ready to prostrate themselves before a Breaden-cake, he stept to the Priest, and snatched the Cake out of his hands, broke it in pieces, and cast it unto the ground, saying unto the People, See here, my Masters, your goodly Breaden-god, who you see is not able to help himself, but is here broken all to pieces: How long, how long, O ye senseless Priests, will ye thus defile the Holy Supper of the Lord? Shall we never see an end of your filthy Idolatries? If the authority of the Holy Scriptures can nothing move you, yet at length be admonished by the present example, that there is not one jot of Divinity within that Bread, seeing it is subject to be thus handled; will ye worship a dead Idol, your selves being living Men? For which actions, and expressions he was imprisoned, and had first his hand cut off, which he took patiently, saying, O Lord God, it is for the glory of thy Name that I endure these things, enable me now with strength from above that I may finish this Sacrifice. Then was he burnt, and his ashes cast into the River Escaut. Additions to Vol. 3. of the Massacre of France and Flanders, p. 356.
Du Tour, Deacon of the Church at Bourdeaux 1572. in the Massacre there. He had been a Priest of the Romish Church, but now was a Protestant, aged and sick in bed; who was haled into open street, and asked if he would go to Mass and save his Life: But he said, No, especially now drawing so near its end, both in regard of my sickness and Years: I hope I shall not so far forget the eternal salvation of my Soul, as for fear of death to prolong this Life for a few dayes, for so should I buy a short term of Life at too dear a rate. And so they massacred him. Additions to Vol. 3. concerning Massacre in France. p. 72.