The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 26 · Section 6

The History of the Worthies of England · Part 2 · County 26 · Section 6

p. 203Martyrs.

WILLIAM SAUTRE, aliàs Chatris, Parish-Priest of the Church of St. Osiths London, was the first Englishman that was put to death by fire, for maintaining the opinions of Wicliffe.

In the Primitive times (pardon Reader, no impertinent digression) such the lenity and tendernesse of the Fathers of the Church, towards Hereticks, that, contenting themselves with condemning their blasphemous opinions, they proceeded to no penalty on their persons. Yea, in after ages, when the Christian **Augustine Epist. 68.Emperour would have punisht the furious Donatists with a pecunlary mulct, the Holy men of those times so earnestly interceded, as to procure the remission. And St. Augustine himself, who was most zealous in his writing against those Donatists, **Epist. 127. & Retract. lib. 2. cap. 5.professeth he had rather be himself slain by them, than by detecting them, be any cause they should undergoe the punishment of death. Whereas henceforward in England, many were brought to the fire by the Bishops, and others of the Clergy, whose opinions were neither so blasphemous, nor deportment so inhumane as ancient Hereticks.

I confesse not onelyonly simple heresie was charged on this Sautre, but also a relapse thereinto after abjuration, in which case such is the charity of the Canon-Law, that such a person is, **De …. cap. 9. & tit. cod. cap. 4. in Sexto.seculari judicio sine ulla penitus audientia relinquendus, not affording any audience to one relapsed, though he should revoke his opinions. Quite contrary to the charitable Judgement of St. Chrysostome who sticked not to say, **Socrates de Chrysostomo, lib. 6. cap. foreign. lat. 19.foreign; If thou fall a thousand times, and repent thee of thy folly, come boldly into the Church.

p. 204There is some difference amongst Authors, about the legal proceedings against this Sautre, by what power he was condemned to dye:

The latter seemeth most true, because the Writ De Haeretico comburendo, (sent down by the advice of the Lords Temporal, to the Mayor of London, to cause his execution) bare date the 26 of February; whereas it was ordered in that **Rot. Parl 2 H. 4. num. 116.Parliament, that the penal Statutes made therein, should not take effect till after VVhitsontide.

But, by what power soever it was done, poor Sautre was burnt in Smithfield, about the 28 of February, 1400. One criticisme of cruelty and hypocrisie is most remarkable. The close of the Archbishops sentence of degradation, when Sautre was committed over to the Secular **Fox Acts and Monuments, pag. 517.Court, endeth with this expression,

Beseeching the Court aforesaid, that they will receive favourably the said William unto them thus recommitted.

We are much beholding to Baronius, for the better understanding this passage, **Tom. 4. Anno 386. num. 23.informing us that it was ever fashionable with their Clergy to this day, that when they consigne an Heretick over to the Secular for execution, they effectually intercede that he may not be punished with death. For, it appeareth in Prosper, that 4 Bishops were excommunicated An. 392. for being accusers of Priscilian (the first Heretick who was confuted with steel) that age conceiving all tendency to cruelty, utterly inconsistent with Clerical profession. And hence it was, thinks the aforesaid Baronius, that this custome was taken up, of the Clergie's mock-mercy, in their dissembled mediation for condemned Hereticks. I say dissembled: for, if the Lay, having them in his power, shall defer the doing of it more than ordinary, it is the constant tenet of the Canonists, (relying on a Bull of Alexander the 4^th. 1260.) he is to be compell'd unto it by spiritual censures.

We have been the larger upon this Sautre's death, because he was the English Protestant (pardon the Prolepsis) Proto-martyr. But every son must not look to be an heir, we will be shorter on the rest in this City, contenting our selves with their bare names, except some extraordinary matter present it self to our observation.

JOHN BADBY was an Artificer in Black Friars in London, condemned, and burned in Smithfield, about 1401. Henry Prince of VVales (afterwards King Henry the 5th.) happened to be present at his execution, who not onelyonly promised him pardon on his recantation, but also a stipend out of the Kings Treasury, sufficient for his support; all which Badby refused. He was put into an empty Tun, (a ceremony of cruelty peculiar to him alone) and the fire put therein.

At the first feeling thereof, he cryed **Fox Acts and Monuments, pag. …22.Mercy, Mercy, begging it of the God of heaven, which Noble Prince Henry mistook for a kind of Revocation of his Opinions, and presently caused the fire round about him to be quenched, renewing his promises unto him with advantage, which Badby refused the second time, and was Martyred.

But Reader, I will engage no deeper in this copious subject, lest I lose my self in the Labyrinth thereof. * Joseph left off to Number the Corn in Egypt, for it was without Gen. 41. 49.Gen 41:49number; the cause alone of my desisting in this subject. Yea, Bloudy Bonner had murdered many more, had not that Hydropical Humor which quenched the life of Queen Mary, extinguished also the Fires in Smithfield.