Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 45 – Account 48
¶The Martirdome of Ioane Wast, a blynde woman in the Towne of Darbye.
THe first day of August, in the yeare aboue specified, suffered likewise at the Towne of Darby,August. 1. Ioan Waste a blynde woman and Martyr. a certaine poore honest godly woman: being blinde from her birth, and vnmaryed, about the age of xxii. named Ioane Wast, of the Parish of Alhallowes. Of them that sate vponupon this innocent womans bloude, the chiefest was Ra…e Bayne Bishop of the Dyoces, Doctour Draycot hys Chauncellour, sir Iohn Port Knight, Henrye Uernon Esquire, Peter Finshe officiall of Darby, with the assistaunce also of diuers other, Richard Warde, and William Bembrige, the same time being Bayliffes of the Towne of Darby &c. First after the aboue named Byshoppe, and Doct. Draycot had caused the sayd Ioane Waste to be apprehended in the Towne of Darby, suspecting her to bee guilty of certayne heresies, she was diuers times priuily examined, as well in prison as out of Prison: by Finsh the Officiall aforesayd: After that brought to publicke examination before the Bishop, at last was there burnt in Darby, as is aboue sayd. Touching whose life, bringing vp, & conuersatiō, somewhat more amply we mynd to discourse as by faythfull relation hath come to my handes.
First,The lyfe & conuersatiō of Ioan Waste. this Ioane Wast was the daughter of one William Wast, an honest poore man, and by hys science a Barber: who some time also vsed to make Ropes. His wife had the same Ioane, and one other at one byrth, and shee was borne blinde. And when shee was about xij. or xiiii. yeares old, she learned to knitte hosen and sleeues, and other thinges, which in time she could do very well. Furthermore as time serued she would help her father to turn ropes, and do such other thinges as she was able, and in no case would be idle.Anno 1556. August. Thus continued she with her father and mother during their liues: After whose departure then kept she with one Roger Wast her brother, who in ye time of king Edw. the 6. of blessed memory, gaue her selfe dayly to go to the church to heare Diuine seruice read in ye vulgar tongue.Ioan Waste …awen by the spirite … God, to the louelove of Religion. And thus by hearing Homilies and sermons, she became merueilously well affected to the Religion then taught. So at length hauing by her labour gotten and saued so much mony as would buy her a newe testamēt, she caused one to be prouided for her. And though she was of herselfe vnlearned and by reason of her blindnes vnable to read, yet for the great desire shee had to vnderstand and hauehave printed in her memory the sayinges of holy scriptures conteined in the new Testament, shee acquaynted her selfe chiefly with one Iohn Hurt, then prisoner in the common Hall of Darby, for debtes.
The same Iohn Hurt being a sober graue man of the age of three score and ten yeares, by her earnest intreatie, and being Prisoner,The earnest … of Ioane Wast … …earne … Scriptures. and many times idle and without cō pany, did for his exercise dayly read vntounto her some one chapter of the new Testament. And if at any time he wer otherwise occupied or letted through sickenes: she woulde repayre vntounto one Iohn Pemerton Clarke of the Parishe Churche of all sayntes in the same towne of Darby, or to some other person which could read, and sometimes shee would geue a penny or two (as shee might spare) to suche persons as woulde not freely read vntounto her,Iohn Hurt … Iohn Pemerton … to Ioane Wast. A notable … of God … woman. Ioane Wast both blynd and vnlearned, yet was perfect in the Scriptures. appoyntyng vntounto them aforehand how many Chapiters of the newe Testament they should read, or how often they should repeate one Chapiter vponupon a price.
Moreouer in the sayde Ioane Wast, this was notoryous that she being vtterly blinde, could not withstanding without a guide, go to any Church within the sayd town of Darby, or to any other place or person, with whom she had any such exercise. By which exercise shee so profited, yt she was able not onelyonly to recite many Chapiters of ye new testament without book, but also could aptly impugne, by diuers places of scriptures, as well sinne, as suche abuses in Religion, as then were to much in vse, in diuers and sondry persons.
As this godly woman thus dayly increased in ye knowledge of Gods holy worde and no lesse in her life expressed the vertuous fruites and exercise of the same: Not long after, through ye fatall death of blessed K. Edw. followed the woefull ruine of religion, in the raygne of Queene Mary his sister. In which alteration, notwithstanding the general backsliding of the greatest part and multitude of the whole realme into the olde papisme agayne, yet this poore blind woman continuing in a constant conscience, proceeded still in her former exercise, both being zelous in yt shee had learned, and also refusing to communicate in religion with those which taught contrary doctrine to that she before had learned in king Edwardes time, as is aboue declared.
For the which she was called and conuented before the foresayd Bishop and D. Draycot, with diuers other called in to beare witnesse.
*Articles ministred vntounto her.
THe Articles ministred to her, and wherewith she was charged,The Articles obiected to Ioane Wast. were these: First, that she did hold the Sacrament of the Aultar, to be but onelyonly a memory or representation of Christes bodye, and materiall bread and wyne, but not his naturall body, vnlesse it were receaued. And that it ought not to be reserued from time to tyme ouer ye Aultar, but immediately to be receaued &c.
Item that she did hold, in receiuing of the sacramente of the Aultar, she did not receaue the same body that was borne of the virgine Mary, and suffered vppon the Crosse for our redemption. &c.
Item, she did hold, that Christe at his last supper dyd not blesse the bread yt he had then in hys handes, but was blessed hymselfe, and by the vertue of the wordes of consecration, the substaunce of the bread and wyne is not conuerted and turned into the substaunce of the body & bloud of Christ.
Item, shee did graunt that shee was of the parishe of Alhallowes in Darby. &c.
Item, that all and singular the premisses are true and notorious by publike report and fame. &c.
The aunswere of Ioane Waste to the Articles.Whereunto she aunswered, that she beleued therein so much as the holye scriptures taught her, and according to that she had heard preached vntounto her by diuers learned mē Whereof some suffered imprisonment, and other some suffered death for the same Doctrine. Amongest whome she named, beside other, Doctour Taylour, whome she sayde took it of hys conscience, that ye doctrine which he taught was true, and asked of them, if they would doe so in lyke case for their doctrine, whiche if they woulde not, she desired them for Gods sake not to trouble her being a blynde, poore, and vnlearned woman, wyth anye further talke, saying (by Gods assistaunce) that she was ready to yeld vpp her lyfe in that fayth, in suche sorte as they shoulde appoynt.
And yet notwithstanding being Prest by the sayd byshoppe and Doctor Draycot,Well argued▪ Because Christ is omnipotent Ergo, there is no bread in the Sacrament. with many argumentes of Christes omnipotency, as, why was not Christe able as well to make the bread his bodye, as to turne water into wyne, rayse Lazarus from death, and suche other lyke arguments: and many times being threatned with greuous imprisonmentes, tormentes, & death. The poore woman thus being, as it wer, half astonied through their terrors & threates, and desirous (as it seemed) to prolong her lyfe, offered vntounto the Bishop then present,The offer of Ioane Waste to the Bishoppe, if he would take vponupon his conscience, to aunswere before God for his doctrine. that if he would before that company, take it vponupon his conscience, that ye doctrine which he would hauehave her to beleue concerning ye sacrament, was true, and that he would at the dreadful day of iudgement aunswere for her therein (as the sayd Doct. Taylor, in diuers of his sermons did offer) she would thē further aunswere them.
Whereunto the Bishop aunswered, hee woulde. But Doctor Draycot his Chauncellour, hearyng that, sayde: My Lord, you knowe not what you doe,Note here the difference betweene the conscience of the Protestant, and of the Papist. The Bishop and his Chauncellour durste not take vponupon their conscience, to aunswere before GOD for their doctrine. Sentence pronounced agaynst Ioane Waste. The writte brought downe for the burning of Ioane Waste. Doctor Draycot appointed to Preache at the burning of Ioane Waste. D. Draycottes rayling Sermon agaynst Ioane Waste. you maye in no case aunswere for an hereticke. And immediately hee asked the poore woman whether she would recant or no, & sayd she should aunswere for her selfe. Unto whose sayings the Bishop also reformed himselfe.
The poore woman perceauing this, aunswered again that if they refused to take of theyr conscience that it was true they woulde hauehave her to beleue, shee would answere no further, but desired them to do theyr pleasure, and so after certayne circumstances, they pronounced sentence agaynst her, and deliuered her vntounto the Bayliffes of ye sayd Towne of Darby afore named. Who after they hadde kept her about a monethmonth or fiue weekes, at length there came vntounto them a writte De heretico comburendo: by vertue whereof they were appoynted by the sayd Byshoppe to bryng her to the Paryshe Churche of all Sayntes at a day appoynted where Doct. Draycot should make a Sermon.
When the daye and time was come that this innocent Martyr shoulde suffer, first commeth to the Church Doct. Draycot accompanyed with diuers gentlemen, as Mayster Tho. Powthread, M. Henry Uernon, M. Dethick of Newall, and diuers others. This done, & all things now in a readines, at last the poore blinde creature and seruant of God was brought and set before the Pulpit, where the sayd Doct. being entred into his sermon, and there inueiyng agaynst diuers matters, which he called heresies, declared vntounto the people that that woman was condemned for denying the blessed sacrament of the Aulter to be ye very body and bloud of Christ really and substancially,Blessed are you when men shall reuile you, & say all euill agaynst you, for my names sake. Math. 5. and was thereby cut off from the body of the Catholick church and sayd, that she was not onelyonly blinde of her bodily eyes but also blind in the eyes of her soule▪ And he sayd, that as her body shuld be presently consumed with materiall fire: so her soule shoulde be burned in hel with euerlasting fire, as soone as it should be seperated from the body, and there to remayne world without end, and sayd it was not lawfull for the people to pray for her: and so with many terrible threates he made an end of his sermon, and commā ded the Bayliffes and those gentlemen to see her executed. And the sermon thus ended,Ioane Waste brought to the place of execution. eftsoones the blessed seruant of God was caried away from the sayd Church, to a place called the windmill Pit, neare vntounto the sayd Towne, and holding the foresayd Roger Wast her brother by the hand she prepared herselfe, and desired the people to pray wyth her, and sayde such prayers as she before had learned, & cryed vponupon Christ to hauehave mercy vponupon her as long as life serued. In this meane season,The Martyrdome of Ioane Waste. the sayde D. Draycot went to hys Inne, for great sorrow of her death, and there layd him downe, and slept during all the tyme of her execution and thus much of Ioane Wast.
Now, for so muche as I am not ignoraunt (faythfull reader) that this, and other storyes more, set forth of the Martyrs, shall not lack carpers and markers enow ready to seeke all holes and corners, how to diffame the memory of GODS good Saynctes, and to condemne these hystoryes, of lyes and vntruthes: especially hystories wherin they see their shamefull actes and vnchristian crueltye detected and brought to lyghte: therfore for better confirmation of thys historye aboue written, and to stop the mouthes of such Momes, thys shall be to admonish all and singular readers hereof, that the discourse of this poore blinde womans life and deathe, in suche sorte as is aboue prefixed,Anno 1556. hath bene confessed to be very true, by diuers persons of worthy credite and yet liuing: and also hath bene specially perused and examined by W. Baynbridge, tofore mentioned, Bayliffe then of Darbye: who aswell of his own knowledge, as by speciall enquiry and conference, by him made, with diuers others, hath certified vsus the same to be vndoubted: besides the Testimoniall of Iohn Cadman Curate of the sayd towne, and of other also, vppon whose honesty well knowne, and theyr report herein nothing differing from such as were best acquaynted with that matter, I hauehave bene here the more bold to commit this story to posteritie, for all good men to consider and to iudge vponupon.
*Edwarde Sharpe.
ABout the beginning of the next month folowing, whiche was September,September. 8. a certayn godly, aged, deuout, & zelous person of the Lords glory, borne in Wiltshyre, named Edward Sharpe,The Martyrdome of Edward Sharpe at Bristowe. of the age of lx. yeares, or thereabout, was condemned at Bristow to the like Martyrdom where he constantly & manfully persisting in ye iust quarrel of Christes Gospell, for misliking and renouncing the ordinaunces of the Romishe Churche, was tryed as pure gold, and made a liuely sacrifice in the fire: in whose death as in ye death of all hys other saynts, the Lord be glorified and thanked for his great grace of constancy: to whom be praise for euer, Amen.
¶Foure suffered at Mayfield.
NExte after the Martyrdome of Edward Sharpe aboue sayd,September. 24. The Martyrdome of fowre at Mayfield in Sussex. followed iiii. which suffered at Mayfield in Sussex, the xxiiii. day of September. anno. 1556. Of whose names, ii. we finde recorded, and the other two we yet know not, and therefore according to our register, here vnderunder they be specified, as we find them.
Iohn Hart Tho. Rauensdale A shomaker, and a Coriar. September. 25. The Martyrdome of a Carpenter at Bristowe.Iohn Hart.
Thomas Rauensdale.
A Shomaker.
And a Coriar.
Which sayd .4. being at the place where they shoulde suffer, after they hadde made theyr prayer, and were at the stake, ready to abide the force of the fire, they constantlye & ioyfully yelded their liues for the testimony of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ, vntounto whome be prayse for euer, and euer. Amen.
The day after the Martyrdome of these foresayde at Mayfield, which was the 24. of September. an. 1556. was a young man (which by science was a Carpenter, whose name we hauehave not) put to death for the like testimonye of Iesus Christe at Bristowe, where he yelding himselfe to the tormentes of the fire, gaue vp his life into the handes of the Lord, with such ioyfull constancye and triumphe, as all the Church of Christe hauehave iust cause to prayse God for him.
The martyrdome of Iohn Horne and a woman.
NOw, not long after the death of the sayde young man at Bristow,September. 27. The Martyrdome of Iohn Horne, and a woman, at Wotton vnderhedge in Glocestershire. in the same monethmonth were two mo godly Martyrs cōsumed by fire at Wotton Underhedge in Glocestershyre, whose names are aboue specified, which dyed very gloriously in a constaunt fayth, to the terrour of the wicked, and comforte of the Godly. So graciously did the Lord worke in them, that death vntounto them was life, and life with a blotted conscience was death.