Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 56 – Account 57
¶A true report how I was vsed in the Tower of London, being sent thether by the Counsell the xiii. day of December.
A letter of Cutbert Simson, to certayne of ….ON the Thursday, after I was called vntounto the warehouse, before the Constable of the Tower and ye Recorder of Londer Maister Cholmley, they commaunded me to tell, whome I did will to come to the Englishe seruice. I aunswered I would declare nothing. Wherupon I was set in a racke of Iron, the space of three houres, as I iudged.
Then they asked me if I would tell them. I aunswered as before. Then was I losed, and caried to my lodging agayne. On the sonday after, I was brought into the same place agayne, before the Lieuetenaunt, and the Recorder of London, and they examined me. As before I had sayde, I aunswered. Then the Lieuetenaunt did sweare by god I shuld tell. Then did they binde my 2. forefingers together, and put a small arrowe betwixt them, and drewe it through so fast that the bloude followed, and the arrowe brake.
Then they racked me twise. Then was I caryed to my lodging agayne, and x. dayes after the Lieuetenant asked me if I would not confesse that, which before they had asked me. I sayd I had sayd as much as I would. Thē fiue weekes after, he sent me vntounto the high Prieste, where I was greatly assaulted, and at whose hande I receiued the Popes curse, for bearing witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ. And thus I commend you vntounto God, and to the worde of his grace, with all them that vnfaynedly call vponupon the name of Iesus, desiring God of his endles mercy, through the merites of hys deare sonne Iesus Christe to bringe vsus all to hys euerlasting kingdome. Amen. I prayse God for his great mercy shewed vppon vsus. Syng Osanna vntounto the highest with me Cutbert Simson, God forgeue me my sinnes. I aske all the worlde forgeuenesse, and I doe forgeue all the worlde, and thus I leaue thys world, in hope of a ioyfull resurrection.
A note for Cutbert Simsons patience.
NOw as touching this Cutbert Simson,A note of Cutbert Simson. this further is to be noted, that Boner in his Consistory speaking of Cutbert Simson, gaue this testimony of hym there to the people, saying, ye see this man (sayth he) what a personable man he is: and after hee had thus commended hys persone, added moreouer:The patience of Cutbert Simson. And furthermore concerning his pacience, I say vntounto you, that if hee were not an hereticke, hee is a manne of the greatest pacience that yet euer came before me. For I tell you, he hath bene thrise racked vppon one day in the Tower: Also in my house hee hathe felt some sorrowe, and yet I neuer see hys pacience broken. &c.
❧ A true description of the racking and cruell handeling of Cutbert Simson in the Tower.
Anno 1557. March.It is thought and sayd of some, that that arrowe, whiche was grated betwixt his fingers, being tyed together, was not in the tower, but in the Bishops house.
The day before the blessed Deacon and Martyr of god Cutbert Simson, after his paynfull racking should go to his cōdēnation before Boner,A vision of Cutbert Simson. to be burned, being in the Bishops colehouse there in the stockes, he had a certayne vision or apparition very straunge which he himself with hys owne mouthe declared to the Godly learned man M. Austen, to his owne wi…e, and Thomas Simson, and to others besides, in the prison of Newgate a litle before his death. The relation whereof I stande in no little doubte, whether to reporte abroad or not, considering with my sel…e, the greate diuersitie of mennes iudgementes in the reading of historyes, and varietie of affections. Some, I see, will not beleue it, some will deride the same, some also will be offended with setting forth things of that sorte incertayne, esteeming all thinges to bee incertayne and incredible, whatsoeuer is straunge from the common order of Nature.
Other will be perchaunce agreeued, thinking with thē selues, or els thus reasoning with me, that althoughe the matter were as is reported, yet for somuch as the common error of beleuing rash miracles, phantasied visions, dreames, and appparitions thereby may be confirmed, more expedient it were the same to be vnsetforth.
These and such lyke will be, I know, the sayinges of many. Whereunto brieflye I aunswere, grauntynge firste, and admyttyng wyth the woordes of Basill, foreign. That is, not eueryevery dreame is strait waye a Prophecie. Agayne, neither am I ignoraunt that the Papistes in their bookes and legendes of saintes hauehave theyr prodigious visions, and apparitions of Aungelles of our Lady: of Christ, and other sayncts: which as I wil not admit to be beleeued for true, so will they aske me agayne, why should I then more require these to be credyted of them, then theirs of vsus.
First I write not this, binding any manne precisely to beleue the same, so as they do theyrs, but onelyonly reporte it as it hath bene heard of persons knowne, naming also ye parties, who were the hearers thereof, leauing the iudgment therof notwithstanding free vntounto the arbitremente of the reader.What Credite is to be geuen to visions, & how fa…re. A…beit, it is no good argument, proceedyng from the singular or particular, to the vniuersall, to saye that visions be not true in some, ergo they be true in none. And if any shall muse, or obiect agayne, why should suche visions be geuen to him, or a few other singular persons, more then to all the rest, seeing the other were in the same cause and quarrell, and dyed also martyrs as well as hee? To thys I say, concerning the Lordes tymes and doings I hauehave not to meddle nor make, who may woorke where and when it pleaseth him. And what if the Lorde thought chiefly aboue the other, with singular consolation to respecte him, who chiefly aboue the other, and singularly did suffer most exquisite tormentes for his sake? What greate maruell herein? but as I sayd, of the Lords secrete tymes I hauehave not to reason. This onelyonly whiche hathe out of the mans owne mouth bene receiued, so as I receiued it of the parties, I thought here to communicate to the Reader, for him to iudge thereof as God shall rule hys mynd. The matter is this.
The day before thys Simson was condemned, he being in the stockes, Cloney his keeper commeth in with ye keies, about 9. of the clocke at night (after his vsuall maner) to view hys prison, and see whether all were present, who when he espyed the sayd Cutbert to be there, departed agayne, locking the dores after him. Within two houres after, about eleuen of the clocke, towarde midnighte, the sayd Cutbert (whether being in a slumber, or beyng awake I cannot say) heard one comming in, first openyng the outwarde dore, then the seconde, after the thyrd dore, and so looking into the sayd Cutbert, hauing no Candell or Torche that he could see, but geuing a brightnesse, and light most comfortable and ioyfull to hys hart, saying: Ha vntounto him, and departed agayne. Who it was hee coulde not tell, neither I dare define. This that he saw, he hymselfe declared foure or fiue tymes to the sayd Mayster Austen, and to other. At the sight whereof hee receiued suche ioyfull comfort, that he also expressed no little solace, in telling and declaring the same.
Articles seuerally ministred to Cutbert Simson the xix. of March, with his aunsweres also to the same annexed:
FIrst, that thou Cutbert Simson, art at this present abidinge within the Cittie and Dioces of London,Articles seuerally ministred to Cutbert Simson. and not out of the iurisdiction of the bishop of Rome.
Item, that thou within the Cittie and Diocesse of London hast vttered many times, and spoken deliberately these wordes and sentences following, videlicet: that though thy parentes, auncestours, kinsefolkes, and friendes, yea, and also thy selfe▪ before the time of the late schisme here in this realme of Englande hauehave thought and thoughtest, that the fayth and religion obserued in times past here in this Realme of Englande, was a true fayth and religion of Christ, in all poyntes and Articles, though in the Churche it was set foorthe in the Latine tongue, and not in Englishe, yet thou beleuest and sayest, that the faythe and religion, now vsed commonly in the Realme, not in the Englysh but in the Latine tongue, is not the true faythe and religion of Christ, but contrary and expressely agaynst it.
Item, that thou within the sayde Cittie and Dioces of London, hast willingly, wittingly, and contemptuously done,… & spoken agaynst the Rites and the Ceremonyes, commonlye vsed here tbrough the whole realme, and obserued generally in the Churche of England.
Item, that thou hast thought, and beleued certaynlye,Seuen S… cramente…. and so within the Dioces of London, hast affirmed, and spoken delyberate…y, that there bee not in the Catholicke Churche seuen Sacramentes, nor of that vertue and efficacie, as is commonly beleued in the churche of England them to be.
Item, thou hast likewise thought, and beleeued,… of the A…ltar. yea and so within the Cittie and Dioces of London spoken, and deliberately affirmed, that in the sacrament of the aultar, there is not really, substantially, and truely, the very body and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ
Item that thou hast beene, and to thy power arte at this present, a fauourer of all those, that eyther hauehave beene here in this Realme, heretofore called heretickes, or els conuented, & condemned by the Ecclesiasticall Iudges for heretickes,
Item that thou, contrary to the order of this Realme of Englande,Vsing of Engli…he Seruice. and contrary to the vsage of the holy Churche of this Realme of England, hast at sundry tymes and places, within the Citye and Dioces of London, beene at assemblyes, and conuenticles, where there was a multitude of people gathered together, to h…are the Englishe seruice sayed, which was set forth in the late yeares of King Edward the sixte, and also to heare, and hauehave the Communion booke reade, and the Communion ministred, both to the sayd multitude, and also to thy selfe, and thou hast thought, and so thinkest, and hast spoken that the sayd Englishe seruice, and Communion booke, and all thinges conteyned in eyther of them was good and laudable, and for such thou diddest, and doest allowe, and approue eyther of them at this present.
*The aunswere of the sayd Cutbert to the foresayd articles.
VNtoUnto all which articles the sayd Cutbert Simson aunswered thus, or the lyke in effecte.His aunswere to the article… ▪
To the 1 2 3.4 5. and 6. article he confessed them to be true in eueryevery parte thereof.
To the 7. article he sayd, that he was bounde to aunswere vntounto it, as he beleeueth.
¶A letter of Cutbert Simson, written to his wyfe out of the Colehouse,
DEarely beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christe,A letter of Cutbert Sim…on to his wyfe. I can not write as I doe wishe vntounto you.
I beseeche you with my soule, committe your selfe vnderunder the mighty hande of our God, trusting in his mercye, and hee will surely helpe vsus, as shall be moste vntounto his glory, and oure euerlasting comforte, being sure of this, that hee wyll suffer nothing to come vntounto vsus, but that whiche shall bee moste profitable for vsus.
For it is either a correction for our sinnes, or a tryall of oure faythe, or to set forthe his glorye, or for altogether, and therefore must needes be well done. For there is nothing that commeth vntounto vsus by fortune or chaunce, but by oure heauenlye Fathers prouidence, And therefore praye vntounto oure heauenly Father that he will euer geue vsus his grace for to consider it. Let vsus geue hym moste hartye thankes, for these his fatherly corrections: for as many as hee loueth, hee correcteth. And I beseech you nowe bee of good cheare, and compte the Cross… of Chryste greater ryches, then all the vayne pleasures of Englande. I do not doubt (I prayse God for it) but that you hauehave supped wyth Chryste at his Maundie, I meane beleeue in hym, for that is the effecte, and then muste you drynke of hys cuppe, I meane hys Crosse (for that doth the cuppe signifie vntounto vsus.) Take the Cuppe wyth a good stomacke, in the name of GOD and then shall you be sure to hauehave the good wyne Chrystes bloude to thy poore thirstie soule. And when you hauehave the wy…e you muste drinke it out of this cuppe. Learne this when you come to the Lordes supper, pray continually. In all thinges geue thankes.
In the name of Iesus shall eueryevery knee bowe. Cutbert Simson. Hugh Foxe. Iohn Deuenishe.
Hugh Foxe, Iohn Deuenishe, Martyrs.WIth Cutbert likewise was apprehended and also suffered (as is before mentioned) Hugh Foxe, and Iohn Deuenish. Who being brought into their examinations with the sayd Cutbert, before Boner Byshoppe of London, the xix. day of March, had articles and Interrogatories to them ministred by the sayd officer, albeit not al at one time. For first to the sayd Cutbert seuerall Articles were propounded, then other articles in generall wer ministred to them altogether. The order and maner of which articles, now ioyntly to them ministred here follow, with their aunsweres also to the same annexed, to be seene.
*Articles generally ministred to them all three together, the sayd xix. day of March with theyr answeres to the same annexed.
AFter these articles thus ministred and layd to Cutbert Simson,G…nerall a…ticles▪ obiected to them all … together. wt his aunsweres likewise vntounto the same, the Bishop calling them altogether, obiected to them other positions and articles, the same whiche before are mentioned in the story of Bartlet Greene. pag. 1736. onelyonly the 8. Article out of the same omitted and excepted, which Articles because they are already expressed in the page aboue mentioned, we neede not here to make anye newe reporte thereof, but onelyonly referre the Reader to the place assigned.
¶The aunsweres generall of Cutbert Simson, Hugh Foxe, and Iohn Deuinishe, to the Articles by the Bishop to them generally proposed.
Their aun…weres generall to the articles.TO the first Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely: but Iohn Deuenishe added, that that Churche is grounded vponupon the Prophetes and Apostles, Christe being the head corner stone, and how in that Churche there is the true fayth and religion of Christ.
To the second Article, they all confessed and beleeued, that in Christes Catholicke Churche, there are but two Sacramentes, that is to witte, Baptisme, and the supper of the Lord: otherwise they do not beleue the contentes of this Article to be true in any part therof.
To the 3. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely.
To the 4. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely.
To the 5. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely, that they do beleue, and hauehave and will speake agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse, the sacrament of the altar, and likewise agaynst the authoritie
¶Three godly Martirs burned in Smithfield.
The Mar…dome of Cutbert Simson, Hugh Foxe, Iohn Deuenishe, in Smithfield. Anno. 1558. March. ….of the sea of Rome, and are nothing sory for the same but will do it still while they liue.
To the sixt Article, they al answered, and denied to acknowledge the authoritie of the sea of Rome, to be lawfull and good, eyther yet his religion.
To the seuenth Article, they all aunswered affirmatiuely, that they hauehave, and will doe still while they liue: and Iohn Deuinishe adding thereto, sayde that the sacrament of the aultar as it is now vsed, is no sacrament at all.
To the 8. Article, they all confessed, and beleued all thynges aboue by them acknowledged and declared, to be true, and that they be of the Dioces of London, and iurisdiction of the same.
These three aboue named persons, and blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ, Cutbert, Foxe, and Deuenish as they were altogether apprehended at Islington, as is aboue declared, so the same all three together suffered in Smithfield about the xxviii. day of March, in whose perfect constancie the same Lorde (in whose cause and quarrell they suffered) giuer of all grace, and gouernour of all thinges, be exalted for euer. Amen.
¶The suffering and Martyrdome of William Nichole, put to death by the wicked hands of the papistes at Herefordwest in Wales.
WE finde in al ages from the beginning, that Sathan hath not ceassed at all times,Aprill. 9. William Nicoll Martyr. to molest the Churche of Christ with one affliction or other, to the tryall of theyr fayth, but yet neuer so aparauntly at anye time to all the worlde, as when the Lorde hath permitted him power ouer the bodyes of hys saynctes, to the shedding of theyr bloud, and peruerting of religion: for then sleepeth he not I warrant you, from murdering of the same, vnlesse they will fall downe with Achab and Iesabell to worship him and so kill and poyson their owne soules eternally: as in
The burning of W. Nicole at Herefordwest in Wales.
The Martyrdome of William Nicoll at Herefordwest in Wales.these miserable latter dayes of Queene Mary we hauehave felt heard and seene practised vppon Gods people.William Nicoll a simple soule. Amonge whome wee finde recorded an honest good simple poore man, one William Nicole, who was apprehended by the Champions of the pope, for speaking certayne wordes agaynst the cruell kingdome of Antichriste, and the ninth day of Aprill. 1558. was butcherly burnt and tormented at Herefordwest in Wales, where he ended his life in a most happy and blessed state, and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lorde, whose goodnes bee praysed for euer, Amen.
This William Nicoll (as we are informed) was so simple a good soule, yt many esteemed him half foolish. But what he was we know not, but this are we sure he died a good man, and in a good cause, what soeuer they iudge of hym. And the more simplicitie of feeblenes of wit appeared in him,Anno 1558. Maye. the more beastly and wretched dothe it declare their cruell & tyrannicall acte therin. The Lord geue them repentaunce therefore, if it bee his blessed will, Amen, Amen.