Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Conclusion
❧ The conclusion of this XI. Booke, with a briefe storie of Syr Iohn Cheeke. &c.
ANd thus hauehave yee the whole persecution of thys yere declared, which was the yeare of our Lord 1556. and the fourth of Quene Maries raigne,The conclusion of the 11. booke. with the names and causes of all them which suffered Martyrdome within the compasse of the sayd yeare: the number of all which slayne & Martyred in diuers places of England at sundry times this yere came to aboue 84. persons,84. Martyrs and aboue in this yeare 1556. put to death in this realme. whereof many were women, wines, widowes, and maidens: besides them which otherwise by secreate practise were made awaye, or driuen out of goodes and houses, or out of the Realme, or els within the realme, were put to penaunce, and coacted by forceable violence to recante, saue onelyonly that I hauehave omitted the story of Sir Iohn Cheeke, Knight, and scholemaster sometimes to king Edwarde. The worthinesse of which man deserueth much to be sayd: but his fall woulde rather be couered in silence and obliuion.A briefe declaration of M. Cheekes recantation. OnelyOnly to note a woorde or two of a few things to the present storye moste principally appertaining, it shall suffice.
First M. Cheeke being in the countrey of Germanie, out of all danger of persecution, wt many moe of his owne countreymen and acquaintance, was not onelyonly in safetie, but also with reputation accordingly esteemed among the Germaines, and also well placed in the Citie of Strausbourgh. Where if he had contented himself to hauehave remained, rather geuing place to time, then to presume vppon aduentures, peraduenture it had bene better wyth hym.Astrologye. But what fatall instigatiō wrought in his mynd, I know not. In the ende so it fell, that he woulde needes take hys iourney with Sir Peter Carew, from hie Germanie vntounto Bruxels, and that (as I hauehave credibly hearde of them which knew somwhat, not without the forecasting of his aduentured iourney by the constellation of starres, & disposition of the heauens aboue. For as he was a man famously expert, and trauailed in the knowledge of sundrye artes and sciences: so was he a little too much addicted to the curious practising of this Starre diuinitie, which we call Astrologie. But how soeuer it was, or what soeuer it was that the starres did promise him, truth was, that mē heere in earth kept litle promise with him. For hauing (as it is sayde) king Phillips safeconduct to passe and repasse, and that by the meanes (as I find) of the Lord Paget, and Sir Iohn Mas. pledging for his safegarde king Phillips fidelitie, he came to Bruxels to see the Quenes Ambassadors, and hauing brought the lord Paget on his way toward England, in the retourne betweene Bruxels & Anwarpe, was taken with sir Peter Carewe by the Prouest Marshal, spoiled of their horses, and clapped into a carte,… theyr legges, armes, and bodies tied wyth halters to the body of the carte, and so shipped, being blindfielde vnderunder the hatches, and so brought to the tower of London.
Thus the good man being intrapped, & in the handes now of his enemies, had but one of these 2. wayes to take either to chaunge his religion, or to chaunge his life. Other remedy with those holy catholikes there was none. Neither could his conscience excuse him, nor truth defend him, nor learning helpe him.
Albeit M. Fecknam, whether by the Queene suborned, or vppon his owne deuotion and frendship towarde his olde acquaintance,… tooke vponupon him the defence & commendation of M. Cheeke, speaking in his behalfe: yet no mercy coulde be had with the Queene, but he must needes recant, and so did he. The copie of whose recantation prescribed vntounto him, because it is knowen, and in the handes of diuers, it needeth not heere to be expressed.
Then after his recantation, he was throughe the craftie handling of the Catholickes,… allured firste to dine and companie with them, at lengthe drawen vnwares to sitte in place, where the poore Martyrs were broughte before Boner and other Bishops to be condempned, the remorse whereof so mightely wroughte in hys heart, that not long after he left thys mortall life. Whose fall although it was full of infirmitie, yet his rising againe by repentaunce was great, and hys ende comfortable, the Lorde bee praysed.
❧ The ende of the XI. Booke.