Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 90
William Browne.
WIlliam Browne, Parson of Little Stanham, in the Countie of Suffolke,M. Browne of Suffolke. made a Sermon in the sayde Towne, incontinently after the buriall of our good King Edward, and in his sermon he sayde: there goeth a report that our good king is buried with a Masse by the Bishop of Winchester, he hauing a miter vponupon his head. But if it were so (sayeth hee) they are all traitours that so doe, because it is bothe againste the truthe and the lawes of thys realme, and it is greate Idolatrie and blasphemie, and against the glory of God: and they are no frends neither to God,Robert Blomefield, persecutor. the king, nor yet vntounto the realm that so do. For this his preaching, one Robert Blomefielde, an aduersarye to the truth, being then constable of the sayd towne, and bail…se vntounto sir Iohn Ierningham knight (the chiefe lord of ye towne) immediatly rode foorth,Edward Goulding vnderunder Sh…ffe. Syr Thomas Corn … high Shrieffe. & brought home wt him one Edward Goulding, which was then vnderunder sheriffe, Syr Thomas Cornewalis being then high sheriffe.
So the sayd Golding and Blomfield sent for certaine men of the sayd Towne, and examined them for the Sermon. Wherunto they made but a small answer. Then the Sheriffe made a Bill, and so feared the men, that 2. or 3. of them set to their hands, and one of them neuer ioyed after but it was a griefe to him till he died.
Then did they take men with them vntounto the Parsones house, and in the night they tooke him,M. Browne persecu… and taken. and wyth watchmē kept him vntill it was day. Then should he hauehave bene caried the next day to the Counsell: but ye said Rob. Blomefield was taken so sicke, that hee was like to die: so that he could not carie him for his life.
Then the sayd sheriffe sent him to Ipswich againe, and there he was for a time. Then hee was sent to Burie prison, & from thence to the Councel, and then into the Flete: and so he lay in prisone from the beginning of haruest till it was nigh Christmasse, and he sayd God gaue him …uche answeres to make when he was examined, that hee was deliuered with quietnes of conscience.M. Browne deliuered. And hauing his libertie, he came againe vntounto the foresayd Towne: and because he would not goe to Masse, his liuing was taken away, and he & his wife were constrained to flie heere and there, for his life & conscience. In the last yeare of Queene Maries raigne, God did take him out of this life in peace.
Where moreouer is to be noted, yt this Robert Blomfield aboue named, immediately after he had apprehended the saide Browne fell very sicke:Example of Gods punishment, vponupon a parsecutor. And though at that time he was a welthy man and of a great substance (beside his land, which was better then twentie pound a yeare) after thys time, God so plagued his housholde, that hys eldest sonne died, and his wife had a pining sickenesse till she departed this life also.
Then maried he an other, a richer widow: but all wold not helpe, and nothing would prosper: For hee had a sore pining sicknesse, being full of botches and sores, whereby he wasted away both body and goodes, till he died.
So when he died, he was aboue ix. …core pounds in det, and it was neuer heard of any repentaunce he had. But a litle before his death, he bragged, & threatned a good man, one Symon Hariston, to putte him foorth to the Officers, because he did weare no Surplis when he sayd seruice.
Wherefore it is pitie suche baites of Poperie are lefte to the enemies to take Christians in. God take them away, or els from them: for God knoweth they be the cause of much blindnesse and strife amongest men.
Furthermore, out of the sayde Towne were constrayned to flye Robert Boele and Iohn Trapne, because they woulde not goe to Masse and receiue their Sacrament of the aultare.