The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 10
The life and death of JOHN FRITH, Who suffered Martyrdome, 1533.
IOhn Frith was borne at We…trame in Kent; in whom being a child, nature had planted a marvelous love unto learning; he had also a wonderful Promptnesse of wit, & a ready capacity to receive & understand any thing, neither was there any thing wanting in him equall unto that towardness of dispsi…ion; whereby it came to passe that he was not onelyonly a lover of learning, but also became an exquifite learned man. He first begun his s…udy at Cambridge, where he profited much in all sorts of learning; At last he fell into knowledge of and acquaintance with William Tindall, through whose pious instructions, that seed of the Gospel and sincere godlinesse was first instilled into his heart. At that time (Cardinall Wolsey) prepared to build a sumptious Colledge in Oxford, now called Christs colledge: And sought out for such as did excell in knowledge and learning to be Fellowes in the same, and amongst others, Iohn Frith was appointed one: Now these choice yong men there placed, confer…ing together upon the abuses of Religion, which at that time were crept into the Church, were therefore accused of heresie, and cast into prison, where many of them, through the filthy stink thereof dyed: Afterwards Iohn Frith, (with the others remaining alive) being dismissed out of prison, went beyond the seas; and too yeeres after returning, he was taken for a Vagabond at Reading, and set in the stocks, where he remained untill he was almost pined with hunger; at lenght he desired that the Schoolmaster of the towne might be brought unto him, which was Leoward Coxe a learned man; assoone as he came (in the Latin tongue) he bewailed his captivity unto him: The Schoolmaster being overcome with his eloquence, did not onelyonly take pity and compassion upon him, but also begin to love & embrace him, especially when he spake unto him in the Greeke tongue, and rehersed by heart diverse Verses out of Homer; whereupon the Scholemaster went with all speed unto the Magistrates and procured his enlargment. Yet this his safety continued not long, through the deadly hatred of Sir Thomas Moore, at that time chancellor of England, who persecuted him both by Sea and land, promising great rewards to any man that could bring tidings of him. Thus this good man being beset with troubles round about, wandred up and downe, from place to place, untill at the length being betrayed by a seeming friend, he was apprehended, and sent unto the Tower of London, where he had many disputes with Sir Thomas Moore, and others, touching the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. In which quarrell he withstood the violence of three most obstinate enemies, with the Bishop of Rochester, Moore and Rastall, but he fighting with them all three at once, did so refute, and confound them, that he converted Rastall to his part. But when neither Scripture, nor reason would prevaile against the firce and crulty of of these furious foes, the twentieth day of Iune, 1533. he was brought before the Bishops sitting in Pauls Church, where they ministred certaine interrogatives unto him, touching the Sacrament & Purgatory; to wch he answered according to his former disputation, and subscribed unto his answer, these words with his owne hand, I Frith thus doe thinke, and as I thinke, so have I said, written, taught, and affirmed, and in any Bookes published; So that when as by no meanes he could be perswaded to recant, he was condmned by the Bishop of London to be burned, and so being delivered over unto the Mayor and Sheriffes of London, the forth day of Iuly he was by them carryed into Smithfield to be burned; when he was tyed to the stake, he shewed much constancy and courage, for when as the fire and faggots were put unto him, he willingly embraced the same, thereby declaring with what uprightnesse of minde he suffered those torments for Christs and the truths sake, whereof that day he gave with his blood a perfect and firme testimony; The winde drove away the flame from him, unto his fellow Martyr Andrew Hewet, who was burned with him, which made his death the longer, and his paines the greater; But God assisted him with such strength, and fortifyed his soule with such patience, that he seemed rather to rejoyce for his fellow, then to be carefull for himselfe, as if he had felt no paine in that long torment.
There is one thing more very observable concerning this constant Martyr Iohn Frith, that whereas the Bishop of Canterbury sent two of his servants to fetch him to Croydon, there to be examined, they were so convinced …pon the way, with his learned & pious discourses, sweet and humble carriage, that they contrived betwixt themselves how to let him escape; and at the length one of them delivered himselfe unto him, in this manner, saying, Master Frith, the journey which I have taken in hand to bring you to Croydon, as a Sheep to the slaughter, so grieveth me, that I am over-whelmed with care and sorrow; neither regard I what hazard I undergoe, so that I may deliver you out of the Lions mouth. And then made knowne unto him how that they had plotted betwixt themselves to let him escape: to whom Frith answered with a smiling countenance, Doe you thinke that I am affraid to deliver my opinion unto the Bishops of England in a manifest truth? the Gentleman replyed, I marvell that you were so williug to flye the Realme before you were taken, and now so unwilling to save your selfe. Master Frith answered, before I was attached I would fain have enjoyed my liberty for the benefit of the Church of God; but now being taken by the higher power, and by the providence of almighty God delivered into the hands of the Bishops, to give testimony to that religion and doctrine, which under paine of damnation I am bound to maintaine & defend; if I should now start aside, and runaway, I should run from my God, and from the testimony of the Word, and should be worthy of a thousand Hells; therfore I beseech you to bring me where I was apponted to be brought, or else I will goe thither all alone.
In all past ages and preceding dayes,
Heaven (to his …nour, and eternall praise)
Hath never left his Church, yet destitute
Of faithfull Witnesses, both to dispute,
And dye… too, for his spotlesse Uerity,
(If cal'd therto) with all Sencerity,
And admirale fortitude of minde;
In which rare Role of Partyers we do finde
Famous John Frith, an English man by nature;
Who, from his youth, adorn'd his education
With promptitude of wit, and other parts,
Wherby he flourisht both in Tongus and Arts.
And to conclude let all rejoyce and say,
Religion was Friths prop, and he her stay.