Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 37
❧ Thirteene Martyrs burned at Stratford the Bowe.
NOt long after the death of the Merchaunts seruaunt before mentioned,Iune▪ 27.13. Martyrs suffering at Stratford the Bowe. there followed in this happye and blessed order of Martyrs burned in one fire at Stratford the Bowe by London, a xj. men and two women, whose dwellings were in sundry places in Essex, & whose names hereafter followeth.
Henry Adlington.
Laurence Pernam.
Henry Wye.
William Hallywell.
Thomas Bowyer.
George Searles.
Edmund Hurst.
Lyon Cawch.
Rafe Iackson.
Iohn Deryfall.
Iohn Routh.
Elizabeth Pepper.
Agnes George.
Unto whom the 6. of Iune, an. 1556. D. Darbyshiere Boners Chancellour, in forme of law ministred the same Articles that were propounded vntounto Tho. Whittle & hys company, mentioned before, to the which they made their seuerall answers, in simplicitie, and in a good conscience. The summe and effect whereof ensueth.
To the first, they all answered affirmatiuely: but Lyon Cawch added further,Aunswere to their articles. that he beleued that ye true fayth and religion of Christ is, wheresoeuer the word of God is truly preached.
To the second Article, they all answered in effect,Aunswere to the 2. article. deniyng that there be 7. sacraments: some affirmyng that in the Church of Christ, there be but two sacraments, that is to say, Baptisme, and the Lordes Supper. Others referryng themselues to beleeue as the scripture teacheth them. And other some refused to make aunswer because of theyr simplicitie.
To the third article they all answered affirmatiuely.Aunswere to the 3 article. Aunswere to the 4. article.
To the fourth Article, they all aunswered affirmatiuely: sauing Iohn Routh, who sayd he would make no answer thereunto. But Lyon Cawch added, that he beleued the article to be true: but it was because he had no better knowledge. And Agnes George added, that in king Edward the 6. his tyme, she went from her old fayth and religion, and beleued in the faith and religion that was then taught and set forth.
To the fift they all aunswered in effect affirmatiuely: sauing Iohn Routh, whose aunswer was,Aunswere to the .5. article. that the Masse is such a thyng, which cannot nor will not enter into hys conscience. And Henry Adlington answered, that for 9. or 10. yeres before, he misliked the Masse, and also the Sacrament of the aultar, because they cannot bee prooued by the scriptures. And as touching the authoritie of the Sea of Rome, he beyng but xiiij. yeares of age, tooke an othe agaynst the same, which othe (he sayd) he intended to keepe by the grace of God.
To the vj. they all aunswered affirmatiuely: sauyng Iohn Routh,Aunswere to …he 6. article. and Wil. Halywel, who both refused to answer, because they knew not what they meant by this article. But the two women added, that they refused to bee reconciled to the fayth and religion that was then vsed in the Realme of England. And Laurence Pernam added, that he neuer refused to bee reconciled and brought to the vnitie of the catholike church of Christ.
Aunswere to the 7. Article.To the vij. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely: but Wil. Halywell denied that euer he called the Masse Idolatry and abhomination. And Henry Wye affirmyng the Article to be true: yet he confessed hys infirmitye, that he went to hys parish church and receyued, before he was put in prison.
To the 8. article heir answeares.To the viij. Article, Edmund Hurst, Rafe Iackson & George Searles aunswered affirmatiuely: Henry Wye sayd he was brought before certaine Iustices of Peace in Essex, concernyng one Higbed his late maister, and therevpon he was committed to Colchester Castell, and from thence sent to London to the Bishop to be further examined. Wil. Hallywell affirmed the like confession as Henry Wye did, onelyonly Higbed excepted. Iohn Derifall said he was called before the Lord Rich, and Maister Mildmay of Chelmesford, and was by them sent to Boner Bish. of London, to be further by hym examined, Tho. Bowyer sayd he was brought before one M. Wiseman of Felsed, & by hym was sent to Colchester castle, and from thēce was caried to Boner bishop of London, to be by hym further examined. Lion Cawch sayd that he was sent to come before the Kyng and Queenes Maiesties Commissioners, and there before them appearyng three tymes, was sent to Boner bishop of London, to be by hym further examined. Henry Adlington sayd, that he commyng to Newgate to speake with one Gratwike there beyng prisoner for the testimony of Iesu Christ, was apprehended and brought before D. Story, and by hym sent to Boner bish. of London, to be by hym further examined. Iohn Routh sayd, that he was conuented before the Earle of Oxford, and by hym sent to the castle of Colchester: & from thence conueyed to Boner B. of London, to bee by hym further examined. Laurence Pernam sayd, that he was committed to Harford prison, because he would not go to church, and from thence sent to Boner B. of London, to be by him further examined. Agnes George sayd, that she was committed to prison in Colchester, at the commaundement of one M. Maynard an Alderman of the towne, because she would not go to church, and from thence was sent to Boner B. of London to be by hym further examined. Elizabeth Pepper sayd, she was apprehended by two Con…ables and an Alderman, for that shee woulde not come to church, and by them was sent to Boner B. of London, to be by hym further examined.
To the ix. Article,To the 9. article their aunsweres. they all beleued the premisses to bee true, aboue by them confessed, and that they were of the dioces and iurisdiction of London. But Elizabeth Pepper added that she was of the towne of Colchester.
And Agnes George added that she was of the Parish of Barefold. And Lyon Cawche added that he was then of the Citie of London, by reason that he was at that present a merchant there.
Henry Wye Brewer,Henry … was of the parish of Stantford le Hoxe, and of 32. yeres of age.
William Hallywell was a Smith of the Parishe of Waltham Holle crosse,W. Hall…well. and of the age of 24. yeres or theraboutes.
Rafe Iackson was a seruingman of Shepping Onger, and of the age of 24. yeares.Rafe Iackson. Laurence Pernam.
Laurence Parnam was a Smith of Hods…on, within the parish of Amwell, in the County of Hartford, & of the age of 22. yeres.
Iohn Derifall was a Labourer of the parish of Rettington in Essex, and of the age of 50. yeres.Iohn Derisall. Edmund Hurst.
Edmund Hurst was a Labourer of the parish of S. Iames in Colchester, and of the age of fiftye yeares and aboue.
Thomas Bowyer was a Weauer of Much Dunnemow, and of the age of 36. yeares.Thomas Bowyer.
George Searles was a Tailor betwene 20. & 21. yeres of age, of the parish of White Nottle,George Searles. where he was taken and caried to the Lord Rich, who sent hym to Colchester castle, with a commaundement that no friend he had shuld speake with hym. There he lay 6. weekes, and was sent vp to London, where he was sometyme in the Bishops colehouse, sometyme in Lollards Tower, and last of all in Newgate. He was apprehēded in Lent about a fortnight before Easter in the place aforesayd.
Lyon Cawch was a Broker borne in Flaunders,Lion Cauch. and then resident at his taking in the citie of London, & of the age of 28. yeares, or thereaboutes.
Henry Adlington was a Sawyer,Henry Adlington. and of Greenested in the county of Sussex, and of the age of 30. yeares.
❧ The burnyng of xiij. persones at Stratford the Bowe neare London, whereof the two women went in among them to the stake vntyed.
Anno 1556. …Iohn Routh was a Laborer & of the parish of Wieks in Essex, and of the age of 26. yeres.
Elizabeth Pepper was the wyfe of Thomas Pepper Weauer, of the parish of S. Iames in the towne of Colchester,… and of the age of 30. yeares or thereaboutes, who when shee was burned at Stratford, was a xj. weekes gone with chylde, as shee then testified to one Bosomes wyfe, who then vnloosed her neckerchiefe, saying moreouer, when she was asked why she did not tell them, aunswered, Why quoth she, they know it well enough. Oh such be the bloudy hartes of this cruel generation, that no occasion can stay them from their mischieuous murthering of the saintes of the Lord, which truly professe Christ crucified onelye and alone, for the satisfaction of theyr sinnes.
Agnes George was the wife of Richard George husbandman of West Barefold in the countie of Essex,…. Ex Regist. and of the age of 26. yeares. This Richard George had another wife burned beside her in the Posterne at Colchester, and himselfe lay in prison vntil Queene Elizabeth came to the raigne, and then was deliuered.
When these xiij. were condemned, and the day apointed they should suffer, which was the xxvij. day of Iune, anno. 1556. they were caried from Newgate in London the said day, to Stratford the Bow (which was the place appointed for their martyrdome, & there deuided into two partes, in two seuerall chambers. Afterward the Shiriffe who there attended vponupon them,… came to the one part and told them that the other had recanted, and their liues therfore should be saued, willing and exhorting them to do the like, and not to cast away themselues.
Unto whom they aunswered, that their faith was not builded on man, but on Christ crucified. Then the shiriffe perceiuyng no good to be done with them, went to the other part, and sayd (lyke a lyer) the lyke to them, that they whome he had bene with before, had recanted, and should therefore not suffer death, counsailing them to do the lyke, and not wilfully to kill themselues, but to playe the wise men, &c.
Unto whome they aunswered as their brethren had done before, that their fayth was not builded on man, but on Christ and his sure word, &c.
Now when he saw it booted not to perswade (for they were, God be praysed, surely grounded on the rock Iesus Christ) he then ledde them to the place where they should suffer, and beyng all there together, most earnestly they prayed vntounto God, and ioyfully went to the stake and kissed it, and embraced it very hartily.
The eleuen men were tied to three stakes, and the two women loose in the midst without any stake,… and so were they all burnt in one fire, with such louelove to ech others, and constancie in our Sauiour Christ, that it made all the lookers on to maruell. The Lorde graunt vsus the lyke grace in the lyke need, accordyng to the good pleasure of his wil, Amen:
In the company of these foresayd xiij. were three more condemned to die, whose names are here vnderunder specified.
Thomas Freeman.
…William Stan…ard.
William Adams.
Which three answered to those Articles that were propounded vntounto the sayd xiij. in effect as they did. And being thus in the handes of the secular power, Cardinall Poole sent his dispensation for their lyues, by what occasion I cannot safely say, but by meanes therof they then escaped. The copy of which dispensation because it is examplified in our first impression, I shall desire the Reader to resort to the place of the pag. 1525.
…The sonday after these foresayd 16. were condemned, Fecknam Deane of Paules preached at Paules Crosse, where he declared that they had as many sondry opinions as they were sundry persons. At the hearing wherof, they drew out their faith, and set to their hands as hereafter foloweth, and directed the same to their friends, & the faythfull congregation, as followeth.
¶VntoUnto all our dearely beloued friendes, and the holy Congregation of Iesus Christ, euen so many as louelove God, Grace bee with you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ. So be it.
BE it manifest to all vntounto whome this our certificate shall bee seene, that where vponupon Saterday, beyng the 13. day of Iune, at Fulham before the B. of London,A letter or Apologye of the Martyr, purging themselues of the false sclaunder of M. Fecknam. 16. of vsus (whose names here vnderunder are subscribed) were condemned to die for the most pure & sincere truth of Christes veritie: which most godlye truth hath bene from the beginning with the wicked aduersaries thereof continually defaced, and is by the Deuill and hys impes euen at this present likewyse daily slaundered. Vppon which occasion, dearely beloued brethren, we are mooued, yea constrayned, in the eares of all men to manifest our beliefe, and also briefly the Articles wherefore we are condemned, for the auoydyng of fals reportes and slaunderous tongues, which myght happen by the most vngodly and vncharitable Sermon late preached at Paules crosse the 14. of the sayd monethmonth beyng Sonday, by M Fecknam now Deane of the same Church: where he in that most worthy audience defamed vsus to be in 16. sundry opinions, which were a thing preiudiciall to all christian veritie, and for a true testimoniall thereof, this here vnderunder written shall answer our cause, and therfore we pray you that are of God to iudge.
The first, we beleeue we were baptised in the fayth of Christes Church, and incorporate vntounto hym,Vniforme agrement in ther fayth. and made members of hys Church, in the which fayth we continue. And althoughe we hauehave erred for a certayne tyme, yet the roote of fayth was preserued in vsus by the holy Ghost, which hath reduced vsus into a full certaintie of the same, and we do persist, and wil by Gods assistance to the end. Now marke, that although the minister were of the Church malignant, yet his wickednesse did not hurt vsus, for that he baptised vsus in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost.
There was both the word and the element, and our Godfathers and Godmothers renouncyng for vsus the Deuill and all his workes,The profession of their Baptisme. and confessing the Articles of the Christian fayth for vsus and also witnesses that we were baptised, not in the fayth of the Church of Rome, but in the fayth of Christes Church.
1. Item, there are but two Sacramentes in Christes Churche, that is, the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Lordes Supper.Sacramentes of the Church. For in these are contayned the fayth of Christ hys Churche: that is, the two Testamentes, the lawe and the Gospell. The effect of the lawe is repentaunce, and the effect of the Gospell remission of sinnes.
2. Item, we beleeue that there is a visible church,The visible Church. wherein the word of God is preached, and the holy Sacraments truely ministred, visible to the wicked world, although it be not credited, & by the death of Saints confirmed, as it was in the tyme of Helias the Prophet as well as now.
3. Item, the sea of Rome is the sea of Antichrist,The Sea of Rome. the congregation of the wicked, &c. whereof the Pope is head vnderunder the Deuill.
4. Item,The Masse. the Masse is not onelyonly a prophanation of the Lordes Supper, but also a blasphemous Idoll.
5. Item, God is neither spiritually nor corporally in the Sacrament of the aultar, and there remaineth no substance in the same but onelyonly the substance of bread and wyne.
For these the Articles of our beliefe,Transubstantiation denyed. we beyng condemned to die, do willingly offer our corruptible bodies to bee dissolued in the fire, all with one voyce assentyng and consentyng therunto, and in no one poynt dissentyng or disagreeyng from any of our former Articles.
Apparant also let it be and knowen, that being of the former Articles before the bloudy Bishop examined, the sayde day and tyme, we affirmed to beleeue all that he or they would approoue by the Scriptures. But he sayd that he would not stand to proue it with heretikes, but sayd, they themselues were the holy church and that we ought to beleeue them, or els to bee cut of lyke withered branches.
¶Their names subscribed to the same.
Rafe Iackson.
Henry Adlington.
Lyon Cawch.
Wil. Hallywell.
George Searles.
Iohn Routh.
Iohn Derifall.
Henry Wye.
Edmund Hurst.
Laurence Parnam.
Tho. Boyer.13. of these were Martyrs as is before sayd.
Elizabeth Pepper.
Agnes George.
Tho. Freeman.
Wil. Stannard.
Wil. Adams.
*Trouble and businesse in the Diocesse of Lichfield.
IN the Diocesse of Lichfield, about the 14. of Iune, in the same yeare,Iune. 14. Rafe Bane B. of Couentrye and Lichfield, a cruell persecuter. Iohn Colstocke who was lately come from London before, and now dwelling at Welington, though he suffred no Martyrdome, yet susteined some trouble, beyng attached and examined by the B. named Rafe Bane, for hys Religion, especially for two poynts, in holding agaynst the realtie of Christ in the Sacrament, and against Auricular confession to be made to the Priest. For ye which cause beyng compelled to recant, he was enioyned in the church of S. Cedde to beare a fagot before the crosse, bareheaded, hauyng in the one hand a Taper, and in the other a payre of beades, &c.
Amongst diuers other which in the same diocesse, and the same tyme were suspected & troubled for the lyke, was Tho. Flyer of Uttoxater Shomaker, Nich. Bail of Uttoxater Capper, Tho. Pyot of Chedall.
Item, Henry Crimes for marying his wife on Palme sonday euen,Marying in Lent punished. Iune 26. Thomas Iohnson for swearing by the holy Masse, did pennauce. &c. Some other also there were which had the like penance enioyned them, as Tho. Iohnson, about the 26. day of this monethmonth of Iune, because he sware by the holy Masse before the B. sittyng in iudgement: who for the same was driuen to goe before the Crosse with hys Taper and beades, &c.
Concerning the which Tho. Flyer aboue named, being a godly and a zealous man, this furthermore is to bee noted, and not vnworthy of gratefull memory, that where as in the Towne of Uttoxater commaundement was directed vntounto him amongst others from the Ordinary, for pullyng downe monuments of superstition, and namely the Roode loft, he beyng one of the churchwardens or Sidemen, on a tyme had talke vponupon the same with certayne of his neighbours, where one wished them ill to chieue, that should go about such an acte.
What wordes passed els amongest them, ministryng matter of further prouocation, it is not perfectly known. In fine, the sayd Flier beyng offended, and afterward metyng with him that had vsed such wordes before, began to common with hym of the matter: but in the ende the man so little repented him of those sayings, that hee added yet more fierce words,Thomas Flyer slayne in Gods quarrell. and at length strokes also, in such wise that at that conflict the sayd Tho. Flyer was slayne: and yet so was the matter handled, & such amends was made with money by the murtherer and hys friends, to the sayd Fliers wyfe, that he suffred little or nothyng for the same, saue onelyonly that he was banished that towne, and sworne and bound, neuer to come in it so long as the sayde Fliers wyfe should lyue.
¶Three men dead in the prison of the Kings Bench.
AFter the burning of these in Stratford, the same monethmonth died in the prison of the Kings Bench in Southwarke,Iune. 27. Thomas Parret. Iune. 26. Martyn Hunt. Iohn Norice Confessours. one Tho. Parret, and was buried in the backside, the 27. day of the monethmonth abouesayd.
Also Martin Hunt (as is reported) in the same prison was famished the 29. day. At which tyme likewyse died in the same prison, as I find recorded, one Iohn Norice, and after the same sort as the other was buried on the backeside of the sayd prison, the day aboue mentioned.