Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 55
¶The Suffering & cruell tormentes of Cutbert Symson, Deacon of the Christian Congregation in London, in Queene Maries dayes, most paciently abiding the cruell rage of the Papistes for Christes sake.
NExt after the Martyrdome of M. Rough Minister of the Congregation, aboue mentioned,Anno. 1558. The story & cruell handling of Cutbert Simson. Deacon and Martyr. March. 28. succeded in like Martyrdome the Deacon also of that sayde Godly company or Congregation in London, named Cutbert Symson, being committed to the fire, the yeare of our Lord. 1558. the 28. day of March.
This Cutbert Symson was a manne of a faythfull, and zealous hart to Christ and his true flocke, in so much that he neuer ceased labouryng, and Studying most earnestly, not onelyonly how to preserue them without corruption of the Popish religion, but also hys care was euer vigilant, how to keepe them together wythout peryll, or daunger of persecution. The paynes, trauayle, zeale, pacience, and fidelity of this man, in caryng, and prouiding for thys Congregation, as it is not lightly to be expressed▪ so is it wonderfull to beholde the prouidence of the Lord by vision, concerning the troubles of this faythfull minister, and godly Deacon,The visions sent to Gods Saintes concerning their affliction… ▪ as in this here folowyng may appeare.
The Fridaye at nighte before Maister Rough Minister of the congregation (of whom mētion is made before) was takē, being in his bed he dreamed, that he saw 2. of the Gard leading Cutbert Simson Deacon of the sayde congregation,Anno 1557. Iune. and that he had the booke about hym, wherin were written the names of all them which were of the Congregation. Whereupon being sore troubled, hee awaked, and called hys wife, saying: Kate strike lighte, For I am much troubled with my brother Cutbert thys nyght. When she hadde so done, he gaue himselfe to reade in his booke a while, and there feeling sleepe to come vponupon him, he put out the candle, & so gaue himselfe agayn to rest. Being a sleepe, hee dreamed the like dreame agayn: & awaked therwith, hee sayde: O Kate, my brother Cutbert is gone. So they lighted a candle againe and rose. And as the …ayd M. Rough was making him ready to go to Cutbert to see how he did, in the meane time the sayd Cutbert came in with the book, conteining the names & accompts of the congregation. Whom when Maister Rough hadde seene, he sayd: brother Cutbert, ye are welcome, for I hauehave bene sore troubled with you this night, and so tolde hym his dreame. After he had so done, he willed him to lay the booke away from him, and to cary it no more about him. Unto which Cutbert aunswered, he would not so doe: for dreames he sayd, were but phantasies, and not to be credited. Then maister Rough straightly charged him in the name of the Lord to doe it. Whereupon the sayde Cutbert tooke suche notes out of the booke, as hee had willed hym to doe, and immediately left the booke with M. Roughes wife.
The next day following, in the night, the said Maister Rough had an other dreame in his sleepe, concerning hys owne trouble. The matter wherof was this. He thought in his dreame that he was caried himselfe forceably to the Bishop, and that the Bishop pluckt of his beard, and cast it into the fire, saying these wordes: Nowe I may saye I hauehave had a peece of an heretick burned in my house, and so according it came to passe.
Now to returne to Cutbert agayne, as we hauehave touched something co…cerning these visions, so nowe remayneth to story also of his paynes and sufferinges vponupon the racke, and otherwise like a good Laurence for the congregations sake, as he wrote it with his owne hand.