Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 38 – Account 39
¶The story of three Martyrs sufferyng at S. Edmondesbury.
AFter the death of the aforesayd Tho. Parret, Martine Hunt and Iohn Norice,Iune. 30. were three martyred at S. Edmondsbury in Suffolke, in one fire, whose names are here vnderunder specified.
Roger Bernard.
Adam Foster.
Robert Lawson.
¶The first examination of Roger Bernard, before D. Hopton B. of Norwich.
Roger Bernard Martyr.WHen Roger Bernard came before the Bish. first he was asked whether hee had bene with the Priest at Easter to be shriuen, & whether he had receiued the blessed Sacrament of the aultar or no. Unto whome Roger Bernard answered no:Roger Bernard refuseth auricular confession. I hauehave not bene with the Priest, nor confessed my selfe vntounto hym, but I hauehave confessed my sinnes vntounto almighty God, & I trust he hath forgeuē me: wherfore I shall not need to go to the priest for such matters, who cannot helpe hymselfe.
Bish.
Surely Bernard thou must needes goe and confesse thy selfe vntounto hym.
Rog.
That shall I dot do (by Gods grace) while I liue.
Bish.
What a stout boyly heretike is this? how malipertly he answereth.
Rog.
My L. it grieueth me no whit (I thanke God) to be called heretike at your hands: for so your forefathers called the Prophetes and Confessours of Christ, long before this tyme.
At these words the B. rose vp in a great heat, and bad Bernard follow hym. Then the B. went and kneeled before that they call the Sacrament of the aultar, and as hee was in his prayers kneelyng, he looked backe, and asked Bernard why he came not and did as he did. Unto whom Bernard aunswered: I cannot tell▪ why I should so doe. Why (quoth the Bish.) thou lewd felow, whom seest thou yonder, pointyng to the pixe ouer the aultar?
Rog.
I see no body there, Do you my Lord?
Bish.
Why naughty man, doest not thou see thy maker?
Rog.
My maker? No, I see nothyng but a fewe cloutes hangyng together on a heape.Note the Catholicke charitye of this prelate. With that the Byshop rose vp sore displeased, and commaunded the Gaoler to take hym away, and to lay irons enough on hym. For (quoth he) I will tame hym or he go from me, I trow so: and so he was caried away.
¶The second examination of Roger Bernard before the sayd Bishop.
THe next day Bernard was brought agayne before the B. who asked him if he did not remember himself since the day before that he was before hym.An other examinatiō of Roger Bernard.
Rog. Yes my L. I hauehave remembred my selfe very well, for the same man I was yesterday, I am this day, & I hope shal be all the dayes of my lyfe, concerning the matter you talked with me of.
Then one of the Gard standing by, sayd: my Lord, I pray you trouble not your selfe any more with him,One of the Garde taketh Bernard to schoole. A wholesome company of Caterpillers. but let me hauehave the examining of hym: I shall handle him after another sort, I trow, and make him a faire child or he goe, you shall see.
So was he committed to him, and brought by him to an Inne, where were a great many of Priestes assembled together, and there they fell all in flattering hym and perswading hym with gay intising wordes what they could: but when therein they might not preuaile, for that the lord assisted the good poore man, then began they to threatē him with whippyng, stockyng, burnyng, and such like, that it was wonderfull the doe they made with him. Unto whō Bernard sayd: Friends, I am not better then my maister Christ and the Prophets, which your fathers serued after such sort, and I for hys names sake am content to suffer the like at your hands, if God shal so permit, trusting that he will strengthen me in the same accordyng to hys promise, in spite of the deuill and all his ministers. So when they could not make hym to relent or yeld, they sayd: behold a right scholer of Iohn Fortune,Roger Bernard condē ned by the Bishop of Norwich, Bernard taken by Tamages men. whom they had thē in prison. Then caried they him to the B. who immediately condemned hym as an heretike, and deliuered hym to the secular power.
This Roger Bernard was a single man, and by hys vocation a Labourer, dwellyng in Fransden in Suffolk, who was taken in the night by M. Tamages mē because he would not go to church to heare their vnsauory seruice, and so by them caried to prison.
¶Adam Foster.
ADam Foster of the age of 26. yeares, husbandman, beyng maried,Iune. 30. Adam Foster Martyr. George Reuet, Thomas Mouse, Syr Iohn Tyrrell, persecutors. dwellyng in Mendlesam in the Countie of Suffolke, was taken at home in his house a little before the sunne goyng downe by the Constables of ye said town, George Reuet & Tho. Mouse, at the commaundement of sir Ioh. Tyrrell of Gipping hall in Suffolke, knight, because he would not go to church and heare Masse, and receiue at Easter, except he might hauehave it after Christes holy ordinance. When they came for hym, they told hym hee must go with them vntounto the Iustice. Unto whome Adam Foster sayd, for Christes cause, & to saue hys conscience, he was well contented, & so they led him to sir Iohn Tyrrell and he sent him to Aye dungeon in Suffolk, from whence at length he was sent to Norwich, and there condemned by B. Hopton.
Now after this taking, the said Tho. Mouse & George Reuet were striken with a great feare and sicknes,Gods stroke vponupon wilful persecutors. wherby Mouse pined and consumed away euen vntounto death, although he was a man of a yong & lusty age. But George Reuet who was the said Mouses fellow, and a great reader of the Scripture, or (as a man may terme it) a talkatiue gospeller, would not be premonished by the works of God, but set his sonne to helpe the priest say Masse, and to be clarke of the same towne of Mendleshā for lukers sake: yet was there a faire warnyng geuen hym of GOD, althogh he had not ye grace so to consider it, the which thing was this.
A yong man of the same parish newly maried, called Robert Edgore, beyng of a ripe wit and sound, was clark in the sayd Church before the sayd Reuet set hys sonne in that rowme, and executed the office a little, yea,A young… man … Clarke agaynst his conscience. alas too long against his owne conscience: whereby at length the Lord so tooke away his wits, that many yeares after, hys poore and wofull wife,Anno 1556. Iuly. good woman, was cōpelled to keep him cheyned & bound continually, lest he should vnwares do himselfe or some other, some mischiefe, as many tymes (the more piety) he was ready enough to do.
This (as I sayd) woulde not admonishe Reuet, but needs he must persist in his wicked purpose. Notwithstā ding at the length, as many men were offended with hym in the Parish, so honest women especially (being mightely greued at his vngodly doings) came to him & said: neighbour Reuet, are ye not afrayde to let your sonne helpe the naughty Priest to say Masse, and to serue that abhominable Idoll? and he sayd no.
Then said they, we feare not to go to church and heare Masse, seing you being a man, that so much professe Christianity, will let your sonne helpe the Priest say Masse. &c.
At which wordes Reuet waxed angry, and in his rage immediatly made his praier vntounto god after this maner or with such like wordes,… straunge token. saying: O Lord, if it be not thy will that my sonne should so doe, then I beseech thee send some straūge token to let me vnderstand what thy good pleasure is therein. &c. So according to his petition, within shorte space after, his neighbors Bull came into his pasture, and there he hauing a very proper gelding which was his felicity aboue any thing he had, the Bull running vponupon him, did so wound & gore him, that immediately therof his gelding dyed, and he therby nothing amended. For although he knew and confessed,… that it was the Lordes hand vponupon him for the sufferance of his sonne in that wicked vocatiō: yet would he not take him frō it, but permitted him still to vse and frequent the same agaynst his owne conscience.
At the last the Lord iustly sent vponupon him a great swelling in his legges, which did so grieuously vexe and trouble him by reason it swelled vpward, yt at length hauyng therby brought vponupon him a very straūge sickenes,… dyed … strange …. The Lordes … vponupon …. he died most miserably, in so impatient maner, that it terrifyed all good hartes to heare therof. The Lord graunt for Christes sake, that we may obserue his iudgementes better, to hys glory and our comfort. Amen. Ex testimonio quorundam Suffolcensium.
¶Robert Lawson.
RObert Lawsō was a single man of the age of 30. yeres and by vocation a linnen Weauer,… Martyr. Robert Kereth a persecutor. who was apprehē ded in the night by one Robert Kereth, at the commaundement of Syr Iohn Tyrrel of Gyppinghall in Suffolke Knight, and so was immediately caried to Aye Dungeon in Suffolke, where he remayned a certayne time, and after was led to Bery. The cause of his taking was, for that he would not go to Church to heare Masse, and receiue theyr popish Idoll.
When these three foresayd martyrs were caried to their deathes,… of … Bernard, Adam Foster, Robert Lawson, at B…ry. Anno 1…6. Iune. …. videl. Roger Bernard, Adam Foster, and Robert Lawson at Bery, after they had made theyr prayer, beyng at the stake & the tormentors attending the fire, they most triumphantly ended theyr liues, in such happy and blessed condition, as did notably set forth theyr constancy, and ioyfull end, to the great praise of God, and their commendatiō in him, and also to the encouragemēt of others in the same quarell to doe the like. The Lorde of strength fortify vsus to stand as his true soldiors in what standing soeuer he shall thinke it good to place vsus. Amen.
¶In the examinatiō of Roger Bernard, ye heard a litle before, how he was compared by the Priestes there, to Iohn Fortune, & called his scholer. This Iohn Fortune, otherwise called Cutler, of Hintlesham in Suffolke, was by his occupation a Blacke Smith, whom they had before them in examination a litle before the 20. day of Aprill. In spirit he was zelous and ardent, in the Scriptures ready, in Christes cause stout and valiant, in his answeres maruellous, & no lesse patient in his wrongfull suffering then constant in his doctrine. Whether he was burned, or dyed in prison, I cannot certenly find: but rather I suppose that he was burned. Certeine it is, howsoeuer he was made away he neuer yelded. What his aunswers and examinations were before D. Parker and the Bishop, ye shall heare him, although not with his owne mouth speaking, yet wt his owne hande you shall see written, what he did saye, as foloweth.
¶The examination of Iohn Fortune before Doctour Parker and Mayster Foster.
… exami…ion of … before …. Parker, … M. Fo…er.FIrst Doct. Parker asked me how I beleued in the Catholicke fayth.
And I asked him which fayth he meant: whether the sayth that Steuen had, or the fayth of them that put Steuē to death.
D. Parker
being moued, said: what a noughty felow is this? you shall see anon he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter.
M. Foster.
Then sayd Mayster Foster: I know you well enough. You are a busy marchant. How sayest thou by the blessed Masse?
Fort.
And I stood still and made no aunswere.
Fost.
Then sayd M. Foster: why speakest thou not, and make the gentleman an answere?
Fort.
And I sayde: silence is a good aunswere to a foolishe question.
Park.
Then sayd the Doctour: I am sure he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter also.The Sacrament of the Aultar.
Fort.
And I sayd: I know none such, but onelyonly the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Park.
Then sayd he: you deny the order of the seuen sacramentes. And why doest thou not beleue in the Sacrament of the aulter?
Fort.
And I sayd: because it is not written in Gods booke.
Park.
Thē sayd he: you will not beleue vnwrittē vereties.
Fort.
And I sayd: I will beleue that those vnwritten verities that agree with the written verities, be true: but those vnwritten verities that be of your owne making, & inuented of your owne brayne, I do not beleue.
Fost.
Well, sayd M. Foster:M. Foster threatneth Iohn Fortune to be whipped. you shall be whipped and burned for this geare, I trow.
Fort.
Then sayd I: if you knew how these wordes do reioyce my hart, you would not hauehave spoken them.
Fost.
Why thou foole, doest thou reioyce in whipping.
Fort.
Yea, sayd I, for it is written in the Scriptures, and Christ sayth: thou shalt be whipped for my names sake: & since the time that the sworde of tyrannye came into your handes, I heard of none that was whipped. Happy were I, if I had the maydenhead of this persecution.
Away with him then (sayde he) for he is tenne times worse then Samuel: and so was he caried to prison again.
¶The second examination of Iohn Fortune before the Bishop of Norwich.
WHen I came before the Bishop, he asked me if I did not beleue in the Catholick church, I sayd: I beleue that Church wherof Christ is the head.
Then sayd the Bishop: doest thou not beleue that the Pope is supreame head of the Churche? And I sayde: no, Christ is the head of the true Church.
Bish.
So do I beleue also: but the Pope is Gods Uicar vponupon earth, and the head of the Churche, and I beleue that he hath power to forgeue sinnes also.
Fort.
Then sayd I: the Pope is but a man, and the Prophet Dauid sayth: That no man can deliuer his brother, nor make agreement for him vntounto God: Psal. 49.For it cost more to redeeme their soules, so that he must let that alone for euer.
Bysh.
And the Bishop agayne fetching about a great circumstaunce, sayd: like as the Belweather weareth the bell,The Pope likened to a Belwether or a Master Bee. and is the head of the flocke of sheepe: so is the Pope our head. And as the hiues of Bees hauehave a Mayster Bee that bringeth the bees to the hiue again: so doth our head bring vsus home agayne to our true Church.
Fort.
Then I asked him whether the Pope were a spirituall man: and he sayde yea. And I sayde agayne: they are spitefull men, for in xvij. moneths there were three Popes, and one poysoned an other for that presumptuous seat of Antichrist.Poysoned Popes.
Bysh.
It is maliciously spoken (sayd he) for thou must obey the power and not the man. And thus was the pope denied to be supreme head.
Well, sayd he, what sayst thou to the Ceremonyes of the Church?Ceremonyes of the Church.
Fort.
And I aunswered: All thinges that are not planted by my heauēly father, shalbe plucked vp by the rootes, saith christ. For they are not from the beginning,Math. 15. neither shall they cō tinue to the end.
Bysh.
They are good and godly and necessary to be vsed.
Fort.
S. Paule called them weake and beggarly.
Bysh.
No, that is a lye.
Fortune.
I hearing that, sayd: that Saynt Paule writeth thus in the fourth to the Galathians: You foolish Galathians (sayth he) who hath bewitched you, Gal. 4.that ye seeke to bee in bondage to these weak and beggarly Ceremonies? Now which of you do lye? you or Saynt Paule? And also it is sayde, that woorkes instituted and enioyned without the commaundement of GOD, perteyne not to the worship of God, according to the text: In vayne doe men worshippe mee with mens traditions and commaundementes. Math. 15.And Sayncte Paule sayth: Wherefore doe ye cary vsus away from the grace of Christ to another kind of doctrine? And Christ opēly rebuked the Scribes, Lawyers, Phariseis, Doctors, Priestes, Bishoppes and Hypocrites, for making Gods commaundementes of none effect, to support theyr owne tradition.
Byshop.
Thou lyest, there is not such a worde in all the Scriptures, thou noughty hereticke. Thou art woorse then all other heretickes: for Hooper (sayd he) and Bradford alow them to be good, and thou doest not. Away with him.
It is pitty that popish prelates cannot lye.¶Here you may perceiue, howe that the Catholicke church can not erre, but whatsoeuer they say, must needes be true. And so my Lord Bishop can not lye, as it may appeare to all men most playnely in the text.
¶The third examination of Iohn Fortune before the Byshop of Norwich.
THe next day I was brought before the sayd Bishop agayne,An other examination of Iohn Fortune. where he made a Sermon vponupon the 6. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell of Christes wordes: I am the breade that came downe from heauen. &c. and therupon had a great bibble babble to no purpose. So in the end I was called before him, and he sayd to me.
Bish.
How beleuest thou in the Sacrament of the aultar? doest thou not beleue that after the consecration,Sacrament of the Aultarr there is ye reall substance of the body of Christ?
Fort.
And I aunswered him, that it is the greatest plague that euer came into England.
Bish.
Why so?
Fort.
I sayd: if I were a Bishop, and you a poore man as I am, I would be ashamed to aske such a question. For a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learne.
Bish.
I am appoynted by the law to teach, so are not you.
Fort.
And I sayd: Your lawe breaketh out very well: for you hauehave burned vp the true Bishops and preachers,Catholicke prelates obsequious to higher powers so long as they make for their dignity, but when they do otherwise, then they excommunicate them. and mainteined lyers to be in theyr steed.
Bish.
Now you may vnderstand that he is a traytour: for he denyeth the higher powers.
Fort.
I am no traytour: for S. Paule sayth: All soules must obey the higher powers, and I resist not the higher powers, concerning my body, but I must resist your euill doctrine wherwith you would infect my soule.
A Doct.
Then sayd a Doctor: my Lord, you doe not well: let him aunswere shortly to his articles.
Bish.
How sayst thou? make aunswere quickly to these articles.
Fort.
S. Paule sayth: Christ did one sacrifice once for all, and set him downe on the right hand of his father, Heb. 10.triumphing ouer hell and death, making intercession for sinnes.
Bish.
I aske thee no suche question, but make aunswere to this article.
Fort.
If it be not GOD before the consecration, it is not God after: for God is without beginning and without ending.
Bish.
Then sayd he: lo, what a stiffe hereticke is this? He hath denyed altogether: how sayest thou? Is it idolatry to worship the blessed sacrament or no.
Fort.
God is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth.
Bish.
I aske thee no such question: answere me directly.
Fort.
Dan. 11.I answere that this is the God Mauzzim, that robbeth God of his honor.
Bish.
It is pity that the grounde beareth thee, or that thou hast a toung to speak. Thē sayd the scribe: here are a great many more articles.
Bish.
Then sayde the Bishop: Away with him, for he hath spoken to much.
¶An other examination of I. Fortune.
ANd when I came to mine examination agayne, the bishoppe asked me if I would stand vntounto mine answere that I had made before:Other talke betweene Iohn Fortune and the B. of Norwich, Iohn. 6. and I sayd, yea, for I had spoken nothing but the truth. And after that he made a great circumstance vponupon the Sacrament.
Then I desired him to stand to the text, & he read the Gospell on Corpus Christi day, whiche sayd: I am the breade which came downe from heauen: beleuest thou not this? And I sayd: yea truely.
And he sayd, why doest thou deny the Sacrament?
Because your doctrine is false, sayd I.
Then sayd he: how can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture? And I sayd: Christ sayd: I am the bread, and you say the breade is he. Therefore your doctrine is false, sayd I.
And he sayd: doest thou not beleue that the bread is he? And I sayd no.
Bish.
I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures.
Fort.
Hold that fast my Lord: for that is the best Argumēt that you hauehave yet.
Bish.
Thou shalt be burned like an hereticke.
Fort.
Who shall geue iudgement vponupon me?
Bish.
I will iudge an hundred such as thou art, and neuer be shriuen vponupon it.
Fort.
Is there not a lawe for the spiritualty as well as for the temporaltye? and Syr Clement Higham sayde yes, what meanest thou by that?
Fort.
When a man is periured by the law,The B. of Norwich charged with peri… ry. he is cast ouer ye barre, and sitteth no more in iudgement. And the Byshop is a periured man and ought to sit in iudgement of no mā.
Bish.
How prouest thou that?
Fort.
Because you tooke an oth by king Henries dayes to resist the Pope. So both spirituall and temporall are periured that here can be no true iudgement.
Bish.
Thinkest thou to escape iudgement, by that? no, for my Chaūcellor shall iudge thee. He took no oth, for he was out then of the Realme.
M. Hygham.
It is time to weede out such felowes as you be, in deed.
Bysh.
Good fellowe, why beleuest not thou in the Sacrament of the aultar?
Fort.
Because I finde it not in Gods booke, nor yet in the Doctors. If it were there, I would beleue it wt al my hart.
Bysh.
How knowest thou it is not there?
Fort.
Because it is contrary to the second cōmaundement: and seing it is not written in Gods booke, why do you thē robbe me of my life.
Then the Bishop hauing no more to saye, commaunded the Bailiffe to take him away.
And thus much touching ye examinations of this man. Now whether he died in fire,The death of Iohn Fortune. or otherwise preuented with death: as I sayd before, I am vncertayne.
In the Registers of Norwich this I do finde, that his sentence of condemnation was drawne and Registred, but whether it was pronounced in ye said Register, it is not expressed according as the vsuall maner of the Notary is so to declare in the end of the sētēce. Neuertheles this is most certayne, that he neuer abiured nor recanted, howsoeuer it pleased the Lord by death to call him out of this world.
¶The death of Iohn Careles in the Kynges Benche.
ABout this time, the first day of Iuly, amongest diuers other prisoners which dyed the same yeare in the Kinges Bench,Iuly. 1. The death of Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kinges Bench. was also one Iohn Careles of Couentry a weauer. Who though he were by the secret iudgemēt of almighty God preuented by death, so that he came not to the full Martyrdome of his body, yet is he no lesse worthy to be counted in honor & place of Christes martyrs, then other that suffered most cruell torments, aswell for that he was for the same truthes sake a long time imprisoned, as also for his willing mind & zelous affection he had thereunto, if the Lord had so determined it, as well may appeare by his examinatiō had before Doct. Martin. Which examination because it conteineth nothing almost but wrangling interrogations, and matters of contentiō,Iohn Careles examined before D. Martyn. wherin Doctour Martin would enter into no communication about the articles of his accusation, but onelyonly vrged him to detect his felowes, it shall not be greatly materiall therfore to expresse the whole, but onelyonly to excerpt so much as perteining to the question of predestination, may bring some fruit to the Reader.