Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 133
¶A Lamentable History of Iohn Whiteman, Shoomaker, who suffered most cruell tormentes at Ostend in Flaunders, for the testimony of Iesus Christ, and the truth of his Gospell. an. 1572.
A lamentable history of Iohn Whiteman snowmaker.IOhn Whiteman Shoomaker, being about the age of 49. yeares, borne in Tinen a towne in Brabant. After hys comming ouer into England, dwelt in Rye in the County of Sussex, maryed xxiij. yeares: alwayes a professour of the Gospell, as well in the time of the freedome therof, as in time of persecution. About Candlemas in the yeare 1572. vnknowne to his frendes in Rye, vnderstanding of shipping in Rye, which was ready bound for Ostend in Flaunders, went aboorde the Saterday morning and arriued at Ostend that night, where he lodged wyth one of his kinsmē there dwelling. The next day being Sonday, in the morning, he accompanyed with his sayd kinsman, tooke his iourney as it were to hauehave passed hither into the countrey.
When they were about three mile on theyr way out of the Towne, sodeynely Whitman stayd, and would go no further: but immediatly returned back againe to Ostend, whither so soone …s he was come, it being seruice tyme in theyr Church, he forthwith addressed himselfe thither, and at the time of the heaue offering stept to the sacrificer,Iohn Whitman coulde not suffer the abhominable Idolatry of the Papists. Iohn Whitman apprehended. Iohn Whitmā brought …efore the …udges. and tooke from ouer his head his Idoll, saying these words in the Dutch tongue· Is this your God? and so breaking it, cast it downe vnderunder his feet and trode theron. Forthwith the people in an vprore came to lay holde on him, and hardly in the Church escaped he death by the souldiers there present, but being rescued by some, to the intent to be further examined and made a publicke spectackle, he was carryed immediatly to prison. Upon the next day, being monday, the Iudges & other Counsellers being assembled, he was brought forth into the common hall, and examined of hys fact, the intent, the counsell, and abettors thereof, and also of his fayth: where he very cōstantly in defence of his christian fayth, & great detestation of Idolatry, demeaned him selfe in such sort, that he wrong teares from the eyes of diuers, both of the chiefe, & others present. So was he committed agayne to prison. The next day being Tuesday, he was brought out agayne before the Iudges into the same place. And being examined as before, he no whit abated, but increased in his cōstancy.Sentence geuen agaynst Iohn Whitman. Whereupō sentēce was geuē vpō him, to hauehave his hand cut of, and his body scorched to death, & after to be hāged vp. So the day folowing, being wednesday, he was brought out of prisō to the towne hal, standing in the market place, all thinges belōging to execution being made ready there. Which when they were al ready, the hangman went into the hall, & with a cord tyed ye hands of Whitman, & came out leadyng him thereby: so soone as Whitman was out of the house, he made such hast & as it wer ran to the place of execution, yt he drew ye hangman after him. There was a post set vp with sparres frō the top therof, aslope downe to the ground, in maner of a Tent, to the end that he shoulde be onelyonly scorched to death & not burned. When he was come to the place, ye hangmā commaunded him to lay downe hys right hand vppon a block, which he immediately wt a hatchet smote of, the good man stil cōtinuing constāt, ye hangman stept behind him, & bid him put out his tonge, which he forthwt did, as far as he could out of his mouth, through ye which he thrust a lōg instrument like a Packe needle, and so let it sticke. Then the Iudges standing by in the common Hall, read agayn his fact and sentence.The Martyrdome and death of Iohn Whitman. Wherunto hee coulde make no aunswere, his tongue hāging out of his head: so was he stripped out of his Cassocke, his hose being put of in prison: & put wtin his Tent, & made fast with two chaynes, and fire and put round about, which broyled and scorched his body most miserably, al blacke, he not being seene, but heard to make a noyse within the Tent. When he was dead, hee was caryed out to be hāged vponupon a gybbot beside ye town.
Spectatores praesentes, Cutbert Carr, Bartholomeus Bellington, Nautae Rienses.