Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 54
¶Margaret Mearing Martyr.
IT is declared, that in the companye of Iohn Roughe, was burned one Margaret Mearyng,The story and examination of Margaret Mearing, Martyr. who, as the Register maketh mention, was at one time and day brought wyth the sayde Rough foorth to examination: where the Byshop hauynge no priuate matters to charge her withall, did the eightenth daye of December obiecte agaynste her those common and accustomable Articles mentioned before pag, 1585. To which she aunswered as followeth.
FIrst, that there is here in earth a catholicke Churche and that there is the true fayth of Christ obserued, Her aunsweres to the articles.and kept in the same Church.
2 Item, that there were onelyonly two sacramentes in the Church, namely the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ, and the sacrament of Baptisme.
3 Item, that she was baptised in the fayth, & beliefe of the sayd Church, renouncing there, by her Godfathers and Godmothers, the Deuill and all his workes. &c.
4 Item, that when she came to the age of fouretene yeares, shee did not knowe what her true beliefe was, because shee was not then of discretion to vnderstande the same, neyther yet was taught it.
5 Item, that she had not gone from the catholicke fayth at any time: but she sayde that the Masse was abhominable before the sight of God, and before the sight of all true Christian people, and that it is the playne Cup of fornication, and the whore of Babilon. And as concerning the Sacrament of the aultar, she sayd she beleued there was no such sacrament in the catholicke Church. Also she sayd, that she vtterly abhorred the authoritye of the Byshop of Rome, with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichristes Church.
6 Item, she aunswered to the sixt Article, as to the first, before specified.
7 Item, that she hath refused to come to her Parish Church, because the true Religion of Christ was not then vsed in the same: and farther sayd that she had not come vntounto the Churche by the space of one yeare, and three quarters, then last paste, neither yet did meane any more to come vntounto the same in these Idolatrous dayes.
Margaret Mearing apprehended by Cluney.8 Item, as touching the maner of her apprehension she said that Cluney the Bishops Somner, did fetch her to the Bishop.
These aunsweres being then registered, they were agayne (with the sayd Articles), propounded agaynste her the xx. day of December, and there being demaunded if she would stand vntounto those her aunsweres, she sayde: I wyll stand to them vntounto the death: for the very Aungels of heauen do laugh you to scorne, to see your abhomination that you vse in the Churche.Sentence against Margaret Mearing. After the whiche wordes the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation: and then deliuering her vntounto the Sheriffes, she was wyth the forenamed Iohn Roughe caryed vntounto Newgate. From whence they were both together led vntounto Smithfield, the xxij. day of the same MonethMonth of December, and there most ioyfullye gaue theyr liues for the profession of Christes Gospell.
When the latter end of this history of Mayster Rough,The Martyrdome of Iohn Rough and Margaret Mearing i… Smithfield. Anno. 1557. December. A note of Margaret Mearing. and Margarete Mearing was in finishing, there came to our hands one necessary thing of the said Margaret Mearyng, which wee thought not good to omit. The matter is this. Mayster Rough being chiefe Pastour to the congregation in the said time of Queene Mary, as before ye hauehave heard (of which companye this Margaret Mearyng was one) did not well like the sayd Margaret, but greatly suspected her, as many other of them did besides, because she would often times bring in straungers among them, and in her talke seemed (as they thought) somewhat …o busye. &c. Nowe, what they sawe or vnderstoode further in her, we know not, but this followed the euill suspition conceiued of her. Mayster Rough the Fridaye before hee was taken, in the open face of the Congregation, did excommunicate her out of the same company: and so seemed with the rest to exclude, and cut her of from theyr fellowship and society. Whereat she being mooued, did not well take it, nor in good part, but thought her selfe not indifferently handled amonge them. Whereupon to one of her frendes in a heate, she threatned to remoue them all. But the prouidence of God was otherwise. For the Sondaye after Mayster Rough being taken by the information of one Roger, Sergeaunt to the Bishop of London (as here after thou shalt heare) was layd prisoner in the Gatehouse at Westminster,Margaret Mearing relieueth M. Rough in prison. where none of his frendes coulde come to him to visite him. Then this sayd Margaret hearing therof, gotte her a basket, and a cleane shyrt in it, and went to Westminster, where she fayning her selfe to be his Sister, got into the prison to him, and did there to her power not a litle comfort him.
Then comming abroade agayne, shee vnderstandinge that the Congregation suspected the said Sergeaunt to be his Promoter, went to his house, and asked whether Iudas dwelt not there. Unto whom aunswere was made, there dwelt no such. No, sayd she? Dwelleth not Iudas here that betrayed Christ? His name is Sergeaunt. Whē she saw she could not speake with him, she went her way. So the Friday after, she standing at Marke lane ende in London, with an other woman, a frende of hers, sawe Cluney Boners Somner, commyng in the Streete towardes her house. Whome when she sawe, she sayed to the other woman standyng with her: whether goeth yonder fine felowe sayde she? I thinke surely he goeth to my house: and in viewing him still, at the last she saw him enter in at her doore. So immediately she went home, and asked him whome hee sought.The ta…ing of Margaret Mearing Martyr. Whereunto Cluney made answere and sayd, for you: you must go with me. Mary, quoth she, here I am: I will go with you, and comming to the Bishoppe, she was layde in prison, and the Wednesday after burnt with Mayster Rough in Smithfielde, as ye hauehave heard.
Anno. 1558.