Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Examination – Account 10
The Martyrdome of Roger Coo of Melforde in Suffolke, Shereman, first examined before the Byshop of Norwich, and by him condemned. Anno 1555. August 12.
ROger Coo broughte before the Bishop,Roger Coo, Martyr. first was asked why he was imprisoned.
Coo·
At the Iustices commaundement.
Bishop.
There was some cause why.Talke betwene Roger Coo, & Hopton B. of Norwich.
Coo.
Heere is my accuser, let hym declare.
And his accuser sayde that hee woulde not receyue the Sacrament.
Bish.
Then the Bishop sayde that he thought he had transgressed a lawe.
Coo.
But Coo answered that there was no law to transgresse.
Bish.
The Bishop then asked, what he sayd to the law that then was?
Coo.
He answered how he had bene in prison a long time, and knew it not.
No, sayd his accuser, nor wilt not. My Lord, aske him when he receiued the Sacrament.
Coo.
When Coo heard him say so, he sayde:Roger Coo, to his accuser. I pray you my Lord, let him sit downe and examine me him selfe.
Bish.
But the Bishoppe woulde not heare that, but sayde: Coo, why? will ye not receiue?
Coo.
He aunswered him, that the Bishoppe of Rome had chaunged Gods ordinaunces,The Bishop of Rome. and geuen the people bread and wine in the steade of the Gospell, and the beliefe of the same.
Bish.
Howe prooue you that.
Coo.
Our Sauiour sayde: My fleshe is meate in deede, and my bloude is drinke in deede. He that eateth my fleshe, The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper.and drynketh my bloud, abideth in me, and I in him, and the breade and wine doth not so.
Bish
Well Coo, thou doest sclaunder our holy fathers. Did not Christ take bread, geue thankes, and brake it, and said: This is my body?
Coo.
Yes, sayde hee, and so he went further wyth the texte, saying: Which shall be geuen for you: doe this in remembrance of me.
Bish.
You hauehave sayde the truth.
Coo.
Then Coo replyed further, and sayde: Christe willed to doe this in remembraunce of hym, and not to saye thys in the remembraunce of hym, neyther did the holy Ghoste so leade the Apostles, but taughte them to geue thankes, and to breake breade from house to house, and not to saye as the Bishop sayde.
Bish.
How prooue you that?
Coo.
It is written in the 2. of the Acts.
Then the Bish. chaplayne sayd it was true.
Bish.
The Bish. asked hym if he could his beliefe.
Coo.
He answered yea, and so sayd part of the Creede, and thē after he said, he beleued more: for he beleued the x. commaundements, that it was meete for all such as looke to be saued to be obedient vntounto them.
Bish
Is not the holy church to be beleeued also?
Coo.
Yes, if it be builded vponupon the word of God.
Bish.
The Byshop sayd to Coo, that he had charge of hys soule.
Coo.
HaueHave ye so my Lord? Then if ye go to the Deuill for your sinnes, where shall I become?
Bish.
Do you not beleue as your father did? Was not he an honest man?
Coo.
Daniell. 9.It is written that after Christ hath suffred: There shal come a people with the Prince that shal destroy both Citie and Sanctuary. I pray you shew me whether this destruction was in my fathers tyme, or now?
Bish.
The B. not answering his question, asked hym whether he would not obey the kyngs lawes?
Coo.
As farre as they agree with the word of God, I will obey them.
Bish.
*Well spo…en and lyke the Popes clarke.Whether they agree with the worde of God or not, we be bound to obey them, if the kyng were an Infidel.
Coo.
If Sydrach, Mysaach, and Abednago had so done, Nabucha…nosor had not confessed the liuyng God.
Bish.
Then the B. told hym, that these 22. yeares wee hauehave bene gouerned with such kyngs.
Coo.
My L. why were ye then dumme, and did not speake or barke?
Bish.
I durst not for feare of death, and thus they ended.
❧ But after this done, it was reported that I rai…ed: wherfore I called it to memory, & wrote this my railing, that light should not be taken for darknesse, nor sinne for holynes, and the deuill for God, who ought to be feared & honoured both now and euer, Amen.
The Martyrd…me of Roger Coo at Yexford. Anno. 1555. September.This Roger Coo, an aged father, after his sundry troubles and conflictes with his aduersaries, at length was committed to the fire at Yexford in the countie of Suffolk, where he most blessedly ended his aged yeares. An. 1555. Mens. Septemb.
¶Thomas Cobbe of Hauerhill, butcher, Martyr.
OUer and besides this foresayd Roger Coo, Wil. Allen, Iames Abbes of Stokennayland,Tho. Cobbe of Hauerhill in Northfolke, Martyr. Examinati… of Tho. Cobbe. Robert Samuell and other moe, in the same yeare vponupon the 12. of August, was also with them condemned Thomas Cobbe of Hauerhill Butcher, executed in the monethmonth of September aforesayd. Who beyng brought and examined by Michaell Dunnyngs the bloudy Chauncellour of Norwich, first whether he beleeued that Christ is really and substantially in the Sacrament of the aultar, aunswered that the body of Christ borne of the blessed virgin was in heauē, and otherwise (he sayd) he would not aunswere, because hee had read it in the Scripture,The reall presence of Christ only in heauen that Christ did ascende, and dyd neuer descend since, and therefore sayd that he had not learned in the Scripture, that Christ should be in the Sacrament.
Furtheymore, beyng demanded whether he would obey the lawes of the realme of England,The Martyrdome of Thomas Cobbe at Thetford. Anno. 1555. Septemb. made for the vnitie of fayth, or no, he aunswered that his body should be at the King and Queenes commaundement so farre as the law of God would suffer. &c. In fine the sayd Tho. Cobbe beyng condemned the same xij. day of August, with the other his fellowmartyrs, was burned in the towne of Tetford. An. 1555. Mens. Septemb.
*The Martyrdome of George Catmer, Robert Streater, Anthony Burward, George Brodbridge, and Iames Tutty.
NOwe from Northfolke and Suffolke, to returne agayne into the Diocesse of Caunterbury, we hauehave to entreat of fiue worthy Martyrs, whose bloud in the same yeare and monethmonth of September was spilt for the true testimony of Christ, and his Gospels cause. The names of the which fiue Martyrs were these.
George Catmer, of Hyth.
Robert Streater, of Hyth.
Anthony Burward, of Calete.
George Brodbridge, of Bromfield.
Iames Tutty, of Brenchley.
Who vppon the 3. day of August were brought before Thornton the foresaid Bish. of Douer and his complices,Examination… of these fiue Martyrs. and there were both iointly and seuerally examined vponupon certaine Articles, touching the Sacrament of their aultar, auricular confession, and other such lyke.
To the which the sayd Catmer (being first examined) made aunswere on this wise:Examination & aunsweres of Catmer. Christ (quoth he) sitteth in heauen on the right hand of God the Father, and therefore I do not beleue him to be in the Sacrament of the aultar: but he is in the worthy receiuer spiritually, & the Sacrament as you vse it, is an abhominable Idoll.
Next vntounto hym was called forth Rob. Streater:Examination & aunsweres of Streater. who beyng also asked whether he dyd beleue the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the aultar, sayd, that he dyd not so beleeue: for you doe maintayne heresie and Idolatry (quoth he) in that ye teach to worship a false God in the Sacrament, enclosed in a boxe. It is you that are the malignant Church: for in your Church there are twenty thyngs vsed agaynst the law of God.
The like obiection was articulate also against Anthony Burward, who also sayd,Burward examined. that their Sacrament was made an Idoll.
After hym was George Brodbridge demanded what he sayd to those Articles. Who aunswered,Brodbridge examined. that hee would not be confessed of a priest, because he could not forgeue his owne sinnes: and further sayd, that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is not the real body of our sauiour Christ, but bread geuen in the remembrance of him. Moreouer, as for your holy bread, your holy water, and your Masse, I do (quoth he) vtterly defie them.
And last of all did also Iames Tutty make & confirme their sayd former aunswers.Thomas Tuttie examined with his aunswere to the same.
And therefore they were all fiue condemned to be burned as heretikes, and so were they all in one fire at Canterbury aforesayd, about the 6. day of September thē next followyng.
*The burnyng of fiue Martyrs at Caunterbury.
The Martyrdome of Catmer, Streater, Burward, Brodbridge, Tuttie, at Canterbury. Anno. 1555. September. Ex Registro.¶Thomas Hayward and Iohn Goreway, Martyrs.
ALthough the rage and vehemency of this terrible persecution in Queene Maries dayes did chiefly lyght in London, Essex, Northfolke, Suffolke, and Kent,Thomas Hayward, Iohn Goreway Martyrs. as hath bene partly already declared: yet notwithstandyng, besides the same, we finde but fewe partes of this Realme from this fatall storme, but some good Martyrs or other there shed their bloud. And first to begin with the Dioces of Lichfield and Couentry,The Martyrdōe of Thomas Hayward and Iohn G…r…way, at Li…hfiel… Anno. 1555. September. there we finde these two to bee condemned and also burned about the middest of the sayd month of September at the towne of Lichfield: whose names were Thomas Hayward, and Iohn Goreway.