Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 27 – Account 28
¶The order of the imprisonment and tragicall handling of Alice Benden, wife of Edw. Benden of the parish of Stapleherst in the Countie of Kent, for the testimonye of Christes Gospell.
FIrst Alice Bēden was broght before one M. Roberts of Crābroke in the said Countie,The imprisonment of Alice Benden, and maner of her handling. M. Robertes of Crambroke persecutor. Alice Benden imprisoned for not comming to the Church. Alice Benden deliuered by su…e of her neighbours. the 14. day of Oct. in the yere of our lord 1556. of whom she was demāded, why she wold not go to the church. And she answered, that she could not so do wt a good and cleare cōscience, because there was much idolatrie committed against the glory of God. For the which, with many mocks and taūts she was sent to prison, where she lay 14. daies. For on ye 20. day of October her husband required his neighbors the welthy mē of Stapleherst to wryte to the Bishop of Douer, who had the chiefe gouernment of the tyrannical sword in Kent for those daies, which they did, desiring him to sēd her home.
Wherfore the B. called her before him, & asked her if she would go home & go to the church. Wherunto she answered: If I would hauehave so done I nede not to hauehave come hither. Then wilt thou go home, and be shriuen of ye parish Priest? And she sayd, no, that would she not.
Well, said he, go thy waies home, and go to the Church when thou wilt. Wherunto she answered nothing. But a Priest that stoode by,Anno 1556. Iune. sayd: shee sayeth, shee will my Lord. Wherefore he let her goe, and shee came foorthwith home.
On the Saterday following, her husbande willed her to goe to the Churche: which she both then and else when refused to do. Wherefore on the Sonday 14. daies after, he going to the church,The husband procureth the trouble and imprisonment of his wyfe. Syr Iohn Gilford commandeth Alice Benden to the Castle of Canterbury. came into the companie of diuers inhabitaunts of the same parish, among whome thoroughe his fonde talke and behauior, he procured her to be sent to Syr Iohn Gilforde, who commaunded her to prisone againe, yea and the more to vtter his owne shame, th… said her husband tooke money of the Constable to carry her to prisone, the p…ice of his wiues bloud, meaning in deede to carry her to prison him selfe. But she hauing muche more care of his honest and good report, then he had regard (as it is easie to see) of his owne infamie, and no lesse ashamed of his so rude and vnnatural doings, chose rather to commit her selfe willingly into the hands of her enemies, then that the world shoulde witnesse against her husband, of so facinorous a fact. Wherfore she went to the Constable, desiring him to go with her. But he answered that he could not so doe, but graunted her his boy to go with her: with whom she went to prison, namely, the castle of Canterburie, according to the commaundement geuen.
The spare dyet of Alice Benden and Potkins wyfe in Canterbury Castle.Where this one thing is woorthy to be noted, y• while she was in this prison, she practised with a prison fellowe of hers, the wife of one Potkin, to liue bothe of them wt ij. pence halfpenie a day, to trie therby how well they coulde sustaine penurie & hunger, before they were put to it. For they had heard that when they should be remooued from thence to the Bishops prison, their liuings should be but iij. farthings a peece a day, and did in dede both so liue for xiiij. daies ere shee were from thence remooued.
The 22. day of Ianuarie folowing, her husband went againe to the bishop, desiring hym to deliuer his wife out of prison: but he saide shee was an obstinate hereticke and would not be reformed, and therefore sayde that he could not deliuer her.
The husband complayneth of his wiues bro…er Roger Hall.Then said he: my Lord, she hath a brother whose name is Roger Hal, that resorteth vntounto her. If your Lordship could keepe him from her, she would turne: for he comforteth her, geueth her money, and perswadeth her not to returne or relent.
This occasion was not so soone geuen, but it was as quickly taken,Alice Benden remoued from the Byshops prison. and as cruelly put in execution. For ye Bishop commaunding her vppon the same to a prison called Mondaies hole, there also he gaue strait charge, yt if at any time her brother came, he should be taken & apprehended.
This prison was wtin a Court where the Prebendes chambers were,The Byshops prison described. being a valt beneath the ground, & being before the window, inclosed with a pale of height, by estimation 4. foote & a halfe, and distant from the same 3. foote, so yt she looking from beneath, might only see such as stood at the pale. After this her Brother sought often for her, wt no les danger of life, then diligence. But for the vnknown situation of ye place, it being also, but rarely vsed for a prison, and the matter as closely kept as it was secretly dou, he could neuer come to vnderstād of her being there, vntil through Gods merciful wil and vnsearchable prouidēce, he cōming thether very rathe in a morning,Example of Gods mercyfull prouidence in relieuing his Saintes. her keper being then gone to the church to ring (for he was a bell ringer) chaunced to heare her voyce, as she powred out vntounto God her sorowful complaints, saying ye Psalmes of Dauid: and there could he none otherwise relieue her, but by putting money in a loaf of bread, and sticking the same on a pole, and so reached it vntounto her: for neither wt meate nor drinke he could sustaine her. And this was 5. wekes after her comming thether. Al the which time no creature was knowen to come at her, more then her keeper.
Their lying in that prison was onelyonly vponupon a litle short straw, betwene a paire of stockes & a stone wall: being allowed iij. farthings a day, that is, a halfe penye bread, and a farthing drinke: neither could she gette any more for her mony.Alice Benden kept in the Byshops prison 9. weekes with bread and water. The affliction of Alice Benden at her first comming to prison. Wherefore she desired to hauehave her whole alowance in bread, and vsed water for her drinke. Thus did shee lye 9. weekes. During all which time she neuer changed her apparel: wherby she became at the last a most pitious and lothsome creature to beholde.
At her first comming into this place, she did greuously bewaile with great sorrowe & lamentation, and reasoned with her selfe: why her Lorde God did with his so heauy iustice suffer her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes into so extreeme miserie.
In these dolorous mournings did shee continue til on a night as shee was in her sorrowful supplications in rehearsing thys verse of the Psalme:Alice Benden receaueth comfort of the Lord in the middest of her miseryes. Why arte thou so heauie O my soule? And againe: The right hande of the most highest can chaunge all: shee receiued comforte in the middest of her miseries: And after that continued very ioyfull vntill her deliuerie from the same.
About the 25. day of March,Alice Benden called before the Bishop. The aunsweres of Alice Benden to the Bishop. in the yeare of our Lorde 1557. shee was called before the Bishop: who demaunded of her, whether shee would nowe goe home, and go to the church or no, promising her great fauour if she woulde be reformed and doe as they did.
To whom she answered: I am throughly perswaded by the great extremitie that you hauehave already shewed me, that you are not of God, neither can your doings be godly, and I see (sayeth she) yt you seeke my vtter destruction, shewing how lame she then was, of cold taken, & for lacke of foode, while she lay in that painful prison: whereby shee was not able to mooue her selfe without great paine.
Then did the bish. deliuer her frō that filthy hole, and sent her to Westgate, whereas after she had bene changed,Alice Benden from the Byshops prison, sent to Westgate. and for a while ben cleane kept, her skin did wholy so pill & scale off, as if she had bene wt some mortal venome poysoned. Heere she continued till the latter end of Aprill. At which time they called her before them, and with others condemned her, committing her then to the prisone called the Castle. Where shee continued till the slaughter daye, which was the 19. day of Iune, when by terrible fire they tooke away her life.
When she was at the stake,Alice Benden condē ned, & sent to the Castle in Canterbury. she cast her handkerchiefe vntounto one Iohn Bankes, requiring him to kepe the same in ye memorie of her, and from about her middle she tooke a white lace which she gaue to the keeper, desiring him to geue the same to her brother Roger Hall, and to tell hym that it was the last band that she was bound with, except the chaine. A shilling also of Phillip and Mary shee tooke foorth, which her father had bowed and sent her when shee was first sent to prison, desiring yt her said brother should with obedient salutations render the same to her father againe, & shew him that it was the first peece of mony that he sent her after her troubles begon, which (as shee protested) she had kept & now sent him to do him to vnderstand that shee neuer lacked money while shee was in prison.
With this Alice Benden were burned also the residue of the other blessed Martyrs aboue named, being seuen in number. Who being brought to ye place where they shuld suffer for the Lordes cause at Canterbury, vndressed them selues ioyfully to the fire, and being ready thereto: they all (like the communion of Saints) kneled downe and made their humble praiers vntounto the Lorde, with such zeale and affection, as euen ye enemies of the Crosse of Christ coulde not but like it. When they had made inuocation together, they roase and went to the stake, where being compassed with horrible flames of fire, they yeelded their soules and liues gloriously into the handes of the Lord.
This Bradbeges wife, when shee was condemned of the Bishop to be burned, had ij. children, named Pacience & Charitie. Who then said to the bishop, that if he woulde needes burne her, yet she trusted, that he woulde take and
The burning of seuen Martyrs at Caunterburie.
The Martyrdome of 3. men, and 4. women at Canterbury. Anno 1557. Iune. 19.keepe Pacience and Charitie,Anno 1557. Iune. meaning her two children. Nay, quoth the Bishop, by the faith of my bodye, I will meddle with neither of them both.
… Bishop … neither … Pat…ence nor Charitye.The troubles and examinations of Mathew Plase.
VNtoUnto these holy martyrs of Kent aboue specified, wher of seuen suffered at Maidstone, and seuen at Canterb. I thought not vnmeete heere also to be adioyned the examination of Mathew Plase,Mathew P…a…e. a Weauer of the same Countie of Kent, and a faithful christian. Who being apprehended and imprisoned likewise for the testimonie of a good conscience, in the Castell of Canterbury, was brought to examination before the Bishop of Douer, and Harpsfield the Archdeacon, as here is to be red and seene.