Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 74 – Account 77
The trouble and Martyrdome of a godly poore woman which suffred at Exeter.
The story of a poore woman bur…ed at …xcestor i… Queene Marye… tyme.ALthough in such an innumerable company of godlye Martyrs, which in sundry quarters of this Realme were put to torments of fire in Q. Maries time, it be hard so exactly to recite eueryevery perticular person that suffred, but that some escape vsus eyther vnknowen, or omitted: yet I can not passe ouer a certaine poore woman, and a sely creature, burned vnderunder the sayd queenes reigne, in the City of Exeter (whose name I hauehave not yet learned:) who dwelling sometime about Cornewall, hauing a husbande and childrē there,Her departing from her husband & returning agayne. much addicted to the superstitious sect of popery: was many times rebuked of thē, & driuē to go to the church, to their Idols and ceremonies, to shrift, to follow the Crosse in Procession, to geue thankes to God for restoryng Antichrist agayne into this Realme. &c. Which when her spirit could not abide to do, she made her prayer vntounto God, calling for helpe and mercy, and so at length lying in her bed, about midnight, she thought there came to her a certaine motion and feeling of singuler comfort.The poore woman sent vp to Excestor. D. Troubleuile B. of Excestor, Blackstone persecutors. Wherupon in short space, she beganne to grow in contempt of her husband and children, and so taking nothing from them, but euen as she went, departed from them, seeking her lyuing by labor & spinning as well as she could, here & there for a time. In which time notwithstanding she neuer ceased to vtter her minde, as well as she durst: howbeit she at that time was brought home to her husband agayn. Wher at last she was accused by her neighbours, and so brought vp to Exeter, to be presented to the Bishop and his Clergy. The name of the Bishop which had her in examination, was Doctour Troubleuile. His Chauncellour (as I gather) was Blackstone. The chiefest matter whereupon she was charged and condemned, was for the Sacrament (which they call of the Aultar) and for speaking against Idols, as by the declaration of those which were present▪ I vnderstand, which report the talk betwene her and the bishop on this wise.
Bishop.
Talke betweene the woman & the Bishop.Thou foolish woman (quoth the Byshop) I heare say that thou hast spoken certayne words of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aultar, the body of Christ. Fye for shame. Thou art an vnlearned person and a woman: wilt thou meddle with such highe matters, whiche all the Doctours of the worlde can not define? Wilt thou talke of so high misteryes? Keepe thy worke, & medle with that thou hast to do. It is no womans matters, at cardes and towe to be spoken of. And if it be as I am infourmed, thou art worthy to be burned.
Woman.
My Lord (sayde she) I trust your Lordship will heare me speake.
Bish.
Yea mary (quoth he) therfore I send for thee.
Woman.
I am a poore woman & do liue by my hands, getting a peny truely & of that I get I geue part to the poore.
Bish.
That is well done. Art thou not a mans wife?
And here the Bishop entred into talke of her husband.
To whom she answered againe, declaring that she had a husband and children: and had them not. So long as she was at liberty, she refused not, neyther husband, nor children.The wyfe renouncing her husband for Christes sake. But now standing here as I doe (sayd she) in ye cause of Christ & his trueth, where I must either forsake Christ, or my husband, I am contēted to sticke onelyonly to Christ my heauenly spouse, and renounce the other.
And here she making mention of the words of Christ: He that leaueth not father or mother, sister or brother, husband. &c. the Byshop inferred that Christ spake that of the holy martyrs, which dyed because they would not doe sacrifice to the false Gods.
Woman.
Sikerly syr, and I will rather dye then I will do any worship to that foule Idoll, whiche with your Masse you make a God.
Bish.
Yea, you callet, will you say that the sacrament of the aultar is a foule Idoll?
Wom.
The Sacrament of the Altar made an Idoll.Yea truly, quoth she: there was neuer such an Idoll as your sacramēt is, made of your priestes, & cōmaūded to be worshipped of al mē, with many fōd phantasies, where Christ did commaund it to be eaten & drunken in remembraunce of his most blessed passion our redemption.
Bish.
See this pratling woman. Doest thou not heare, that Christ did say ouer the bread: This is my body, & ouer the cup: This is my bloud?
Wom.
Yes forsooth, he sayd so, but he meant that it is hys body and bloud not carnally, but sacramentally.
Bish.
Loe, she hath heard pratling among these new preachers, or heard some peeuish book. Alas poore womā, thou art deceiued.
Wom.
No, my Lorde, that I hauehave learned, was of Godly preachers,…easons …ewing why the Sacrament of the Lordes body is not to be worshipped. & of godly books which I hauehave heard read. And if you will geue me leaue, I will declare a reason why I will not worship the sacrament.
Bish.
Mary say on, I am sure it will be goodly geare.
Woman.
Truely such geare as I will loose this poore life of mine for.
Bish.
Then you will be a martyr good wife.
Woman.
In deed if the denying to worshippe that bready God be my martyrdome, I will suffer it with all my hart.
Bish.
Say thy minde.
Wom.
You must beare with me a poore woman, quoth she.
Bish.
So I will, quoth he.
Woman.
I will demaunde of you, whether you can denye your creed, which doth say, that Christ perpetually doth sit at the right hand of his father both body & soule, vntill he come againe, or whether he be there in heauē our aduocate & do make prayer for vsus vntounto God his father. If it be so, he is not here in the earth in a piece of bread. If he be not here, & if he do not dwel in temples made with hands, but in heauen, what shall we seeke him here? if he did offer his body once for all, why make you a new offering? if wt once offring he made al perfect, why do you with a false offring make al vnperfect? if he be to be worshipped in spirite and truth, why doe you worship a piece of bread? if he be eaten & drunkē in faith & truth, if his flesh be not profitable to be among vsus, why do you say, you make his body and fleshe, and say it is profitable for body & soule? Alas, I am a poore woman: but rather then I would do as you doe, I would liue no longer. I hauehave sayd syr.
Bish.
I promise you, you are a iolly protestant, I pray you in what schooles hauehave you bene brought vp?
Wom.
I hauehave vponupon the sondayes visited the sermons, and there hauehave I learned suche thinges, as are so fixed in my brest that death shall not separate them.
Bish.
O foolish woman, who wil wast his breath vpō thee or such as thou art? But how chaunceth it that thou wentest away from thy husbande? if thou were an honest woman, thou wouldest not hauehave left thyne husband and children, and runne about the country like a fugitiue.
Wom.
Syr, I laboured for my liuing: And as my mayster Christ counselleth me, when I was persecuted in one city, I fled vntounto another.
Bish.
Who persecuted thee?
Wom.
My husband and my children.The wyfe persecuted by husband and children. For when I woulde hauehave him to leaue Idolatry, and to worship God in heauen, he would not heare me, but he with his children rebuked me, and troubled me. I fled not for whoredom, nor for theft, but because I would be no partaker with him & his, of that foule Idoll the Masse. And whersoeuer I was, as oft as I could vponupon sondayes and holy dayes I made excuses not to go to the popish church.
Bish.
Belike thē you are a good houswife, to flee from your husband, and also from the church.
Wom.
My houswifry is but small but God geue me grace to go to the true church.
Bish.
The true church: what doest thou meane?
Woman.
Not your Popish Church, full of Idolles and abominations, but where three or foure are gathered together in the name of God, to that Church wil I go as long as I liue.
Bish.
Belike then you hauehave a Church of your owne. Well, let this mad woman be put down to prison, vntil we send for her husband.
Wom.
No, I hauehave but one husband, which is here already in this city and in prison with me, from whom I will neuer depart: and so theyr communication for that day brake of. Blackstone and others perswaded the Bishop that she was a mazed creature, and not in her perfect wit (which is no new thing, for the wisedome of God to appere foolishnes to carnall men of this world) & therfore they consulted together, that she should hauehave liberty and go at large. So the keper of the bishops prison had her home to his house, where shee fell to spinning and carding, and did all other worke as a seruant in the said kepers house & went about the city, when and whither she would, and diuers had delight to talke with her. And euer shee continued talking of the sacrament of the aultar. Which, of all thing they coulde least abide. Then was her husband sent for, but she refused to go home with him, with the blemish of the cause and religion, in defence wherof she there stood before the Bishop and the priestes.
Then diuers of the Priestes had her in handling,Talke betweene The woman and the Priestes about the Sacrament. perswading her to leaue her wicked opinion about the sacrament of the aultar, the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ. But she made them aunsweare, that it was nothing but very bread and wine, and that they might be ashamed to say, that a piece of bread should be turned by a man into the naturall body of Christ, which bread doth vinow, and Mice oftentimes do eate it, and it doth …ould & is burned: And (sayde she) Gods owne body wyll not be so handled, nor kept in prison, or boxes, or aumbries. Let it be your God: it shall not be mine: for my Sauiour sitteth on the right hand of God, & doth pray for me. And to make that sacramētal or significatiue bread instituted for a remē brance, the very bodye of Christ, and to worship it, it is very foolishnes and deuillish deceit.
Now truly (sayd they) the deuill hath deceiued thee.
No (sayd she) I trust the liuing God hath opened mine eyes, and caused me to vnderstand the right vse of the blessed sacrament, which the true church doth vse, but the false church doth abuse.
Then stept forth an old Frier, and asked what she said of the holy Pope.Talke betweene the woman and a Fryer.
I (sayd she) say that he is Antichrist and the deuill.
Then they all laughed.
Nay (sayde she) you had more neede to weepe then to laugh, & to be sory that euer you were borne, to be the chapleines of that whore of Babilon. I defie him and all hys falshood: and get you away frō me: you do but trouble my conscience. You would hauehave me folow your doinges: I will first loose my life. I pray you depart.
Why, thou foolish woman (sayd they) we come to thee for thy profite and soules health.
O Lord God (sayd she) what profite riseth by you that teach nothing but lyes for trueth? how saue you Soules, when you preach nothing but damnable lyes, and destroy soules.
How prouest thou that (sayd they?)
Do you not damne soules (sayd she) when you teache the people to worship Idolles, Stockes, and Stones, the worke of mens handes? and to worship a false GOD of your owne making, of a piece of breade, and teach that the Pope is Gods Uicar, and hath power to forgeue sinnes? and that there is a Purgatory, when Gods sonne hath by his Passion purged all? and say, you make God and sacrifice him, when Christes bodye was a Sacrifice once for all?False doctrine of the Papistes reprooued. Doe you not teach the people to number theyr sinnes in your eares, and say they be damned, if they confesse not all: when Gods word sayth: Who can number hys sinnes? Do you not promise them Trentals and Diriges, & masses for soules, and sell your prayers for money, and make them buy pardons, and trust to such foolish inuentions of your owne imaginations? Do you not altogether against God? Doe you not teache vsus to pray vponupon Beades, and to pray vntounto Sayntes, and say they can pray for vsus? Do you not make holy water and holy bread to fray Deuils? Doe you not a thousand more abhominatiōs? And yet you say, you come for my profite and to saue my soule. No, no, one hath saued me. Farewell you with your saluation. Muche other talke there was betwene her and them, which here were too tedious to be expressed.
In the meane time during this her monethes libertye graunted to her by the Byshop, which we spake of before, it happened that she entring in saynt Peters Church, beheld there a cunning Dutchman how he made new noses to certayne fine Images whiche were disfigured in Kyng Edwardes time: What a madde man art thou (sayde she) to make them new noses, which within a few dayes shall all lose theyr heades. The Dutchman accused her, & layde it hard to her charge. And she sayd vntounto him: Thou art accursed, and so are thy Images. He called her Whoore. Nay (sayd she) thy Images are Whoores, and thou art a Whore hunter: for doth not GOD say: You go a whoryng after straunge Gods, figures of your owne making? and thou art one of them. Then was she sent for, and clapped fast: and from that time she had no more liberty.
Duringe the time of her imprisonment, diuers resorted to her,The reuolting of one Daniell a minister, from the Gospell to Popery in Q. Maryes tyme to visit her, some sent of the byshop, some of their owne voluntary will: amongest whō was one Daniell a great doer and preacher sometimes of the Gospell, in the dayes of king Edward, in those parties of Cornewall and Deuonshyre, whom after that she perceiued by his owne confession, to hauehave reuolted from that whiche he preached before, through the grieuous imprisonmentes (as he sayd) and feare of persecution, whiche he had partly susteined by the cruell Iustices in those parties, earnestly she exhorted him to repent with Peter, and to be more constant in his profession.
Moreouer, there resorted to her a certeine worthy gentlewoman, the wife of one Walter Rauley, a womā of noble wit, and of a good & godly opinion, came to the prisō & talked with her: she sayd her creede to the gentlewoman, & when she came to the Article· He ascended: there she stayed, and bade the Gentlewoman to seeke his blessed bodye in heauen, not in earth, & told her playnly that God dwelleth not in temples made with handes, & that sacrament to be nothing els but a remembrance of his blessed passion, & yet (sayd she) as they now vse it, it is but an Idoll, & far wide from any remembrance of Christes body? which (sayd she) will not long continue, & so take it good maistres. So that as soone as she came home to her husband, she declared to him, that in her life, she neuer heard a woman (of such simplicity to see to) talk so godly, so perfectly, so sincerely, & so earnestly: in so muche that if God were not with her, shee could not speak such things: to the which I am not able to answere her (sayd she) who can read, and she can not.
Also there came to her one William Kede,William & Iohn Kede, two godly brethren. and Iohn his brother, not onelyonly brethren in the flesh, but also in the truth, and men in that Country of great credite, whose father Robert Kede, all his life suffered nothing but trouble for the Gospell. These two good and faythfull brethrē were present with her, both in the hall and also at the prison, & (as they reported) they neuer heard the like woman: of so godly talke, so faythfull, or so constant, & as godly exhortations she gaue them.
Thus this good matrone, the very seruant and handmayd of Christ,The con…ncy of woman … wayes …. was by many wayes tried both by harde prisonment, threatninges, tauntes, and scornes, called an Anabaptist, a madde woman, a drunkard, a whoore▪ a runnagate. She was prooued by liberty to goe whither she would: she was tryed by flattery, with many fayre promises: she was tryed with her husband, her goodes and childred, but nothing could preuayle: her hart was fixed, shee had cast her anker, vtterly contēning this wicked world: A rare ensample of constancy to all professors of Christes holy Gospell.
In the bill of my Information, it is so reported to me, that albeit shee was of suche simplicity and without learning, yet you could declare no place of Scripture, but she would tell you the Chapter: yea, she woulde recite to you the names of all the bookes of the Bible. For whiche cause one Gregory Basset a rancke Papist, sayd, she was out of her wit, and talked of the Scripture,Gregory Basset a rayling Papist▪ as a dogge rangeth farre of from his mayster whē he walketh in the fieldes, or as a stolen sheepe out of his maisters handes, she wist not wherat, as all heretickes do, with many other such taūtes, which she vtterly defyed.The constant pa…ience of this woman and Martyr to be noted. Whereby as almightye God is highly to be praysed, working so mightely in such a weake vessell: so men of stronger and stouter nature, hauehave also to take example how to stand in like case: whē as we see this poore woman, how manfully she went through with such constancy and pacience.
At the last, when they perceiued her to be past remedy, and had consumed all theyr threatninges, that by neyther prisonmēt nor liberty, by manaces nor flattery, they could bring her to sing any other song, nor win her to their vanities and superstitious doinges, then they cryed out, An Anabaptist, an Anabaptist. Then at a daye they brought her from the Bishops prison to the Guildhall,The woman brought … make Bishops prison to the Guild Hall. Exhortations to hauehave her recant. The constant standing of this woman. Blasphemy of the Byshop. How God reueled his truth vntounto her. & after that deliuered her to the tēporall power, according to their custome, where shee was by the Gentlemen of the countrey exhorted yet to call for grace, & to leaue her fond opinions: And go home to thy husband (sayd they:) thou art an vnlearned woman, thou art not able to answere to such high matters.
I am not, sayd she: yet with my death I am content to be a witnes of Christs death: and I pray you make no lō ger delay with me: my hart is fixed, I will neuer otherwise say, nor turne to theyr superstitious doinges.
Then the bishop sayd, the deuill did lead her.
No my Lord (sayd she) it is the spirite of God whiche leadeth me, and which called me in my bed, & at midnight opened his truth to me. Thā was there a great shout and laughing among the priestes and other.
During the time that this good poore woman was thus vnderunder these priestes handes, amongest many other baytinges and sore conflictes whiche she susteyned by thē, here is moreouer not to be forgotten, howe that Mayster Blaxton aforesayd, being treasurer of the Church, had a concubine which sundry times resorted to him, with other of his gossips: so that alwayes when they came, this sayde good woman was called forth to his house, there to make his miniō with the rest of the company some myrth, he examining her with suche mocking & gyruing, deriding the truth, that it would hauehave vexed any christian hart to hauehave seene it. Then when he had long vsed his foolishnes in this sort, & had sported himselfe enough in deriding this christian martyr: in the end he sent her to prison agayne, and there kept her very miserablye, sauing that sometimes he would send for her, when his foresayd guest came to him, to vse with her his accustomed folly aforesaid. But in sine, these vile wretches (after many combates and scoffing perswasions) whē they had played the part of the cat with the mouse, at length condemned her, and deliuered her ouer to the secular power.
Then the Indictment beyng geuen and read, whiche was, that she should go to the place whence she came,Iudgement geuen agaynst this good woman. Shee thanketh God for her iudgement …. and from thence to be led to the place of execution, then & there to bee burned with flames till shee shoulde bee consumed: shee lifted vppe her voyce and thanked GOD, saying: I thanke thee my Lord my God, this daye hauehave I founde that which I hauehave long sought. But such outcries as ther were agayne, and such mockings were neuer seene vpō a poore seely woman: Al which she most paciently took. And yet this fauour they pretended after her iudgement, that her life should be spared, if she would turne & recant. Nay, that will I not (sayd she:) God forbyd that I shoulde loose the life eternall for this carnall and shorte life. I wyll neuer turne from my heauenly husband, to my earthly husband: from the feloshippe of aungels, to mortall children: And if my husband and children be faythfull, then am I theirs. God is my father, God is my mother, God is my Sister, my Brother, my Kinsman, God is my frend moste faythfull.
Then was she deliuered to the Shiriffe, & innumerable people beholding her,The womā deliuered to the Shrieffe and led to the place of execution. she was led by the officers to the place of executiō, without the walles of Exeter, called Sothenhey, where agayne these superstitious priestes assaulted her: and she prayed them to hauehave no more talke wyth her, but cryed still, God be merciful to me a sinner, God be mercifull to me a sinner. And so whiles they were tying her to the stake, thus still she cried, and would geue no answere to thē, but with much pacience tooke her cruel death, and was with the flames and fire consumed: and so ended
¶The cruell burning of a woman at Exeter.
The patient Martyrdome of a poore woman at Exeter, being the … wyfe.this mortall life as cōstant a woman in the fayth of Christ, as euer was vponupon the earth. She was as simple a womā to see to as any man might beholde: of a very little & short stature, somewhat thicke, about 54. yeares of age. She had a chearefull countenance, so liuely, as though she had bene prepared for that day of her mariage to meete the Lambe: most pacient of her wordes & answeres, sober in apparel, meat & drinke, and would neuer be idle: a great comfort to as many as would talke with her: good to the poore: and in her trouble, mony, she sayde, she woulde take none: for she sayd, I am going to a city wher mony beareth no maistry: whiles I am here, God hath promised to feede me. Thus was her mortall life ended. For whose constancie God be euerlastingly praysed. Amen.
Touching the name of this woman (as I hauehave nowe learned) she was the wife of one called Prest, dwelling in the Dioces of Exeter, not farre from Launceston.
¶The Persecution and Martyrdome of three godly men burnt at Bristow, about the latter yeares of Queene Maries reigne.
IN writing of the blessed Sayntes, which suffered in the bloudy dayes of queene Mary,The story of three Martyrs which suffered at Bristow. I had almost ouerpassed the names and story of three godly Martyrs, whiche with theyr bloud gaue testimony likewise to ye gospell of Christ, being condemned and burnt in the town of Bristow. The names of whom were these:
Richard Sharpe.
Thomas Benion.
Martyrs.Thomas Hale.
First, Richarde Sharpe Weauer, of Bristowe,Richard Sharpe Martyr. M. Dalby Chauncellour of Bristow, persecutour. was brought the 9. day of Marche. an. 1556. before M. Dalbye Chauncellour of the Towne or City of Bristow, and after examination concerning the sacrament of the aultar, was perswaded by the sayde Dalbye and others, to recant, and the 29. of the same monethmonth was enioyned to make his recantation before the Parishioners in his parish Churche. Which whē he had done, he felt in his cōscience such a tormenting hell, that he was not able quietly to worke in his occupation, but decayed and chaunged, both in colour and liking of his body. Who shortly after vponupon a sonday came into his parish Church, called Temple, & after high masse, came to the queere doore & sayd with a loud voyce: Neighbors, beare me recorde that yonder Idoll (and poynted to the aultar) is the greatest and most abhominable that euer was: and I am sory that euer I denied my Lord GOD. Then the Constables were commaunded to apprehende him, but none stepped forth, but suffered him to goe out of the Church. After by night he was apprehended and caried to Newgate, & shortly after, he was brought before the sayd Chauncellor,Richard Sharpe condemned. denying the sacrament of the aultar to be the body & bloud of Christ, & sayd, it was an Idoll, and therfore was cōdemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby, He was burnt the 7. of May. 1557. and dyed godly, paciently, and constantly, confessing the articles of our fayth.
¶Thomas Hale, Martyr.
THe Thursday in the night, before Easter .1557. came one M. Dauid Herris Alderman, & Iohn Stone,Thomas Hale, Martyr. to ye house of one Thomas Hale, a Shoomaker, of Bristowe, & caused him to rise out of his bedde, & brought hym foorth of his dore. To whō ye said Tho. Hale said: You hauehave sought my bloud these two yeares, & now much good do it you wt it. Who being committed to the watchmen, was caried to Newgate, the 24. of April, the yere aforesaid was brought before M. Dalby the Chancelor committed by him to prison, & after by him condemned to be burnt, for saying the sacrament of the altar to be an Idoll. He was burned the 7. of May, with the foresayd Rich. Sharpe, & godly, paciently, and constantly embracing the fire with his armes.
Two Godly Martyrs burned at Bristow.
The Martyrdom of Richard Sharpe, and Thomas Hale at Bristow. Anno. 1557. May 7▪Richard Sharpe & Thomas Hale were burned both together in one fire, and bound backe to backe.
Thomas Benion.
THomas Benion a Weauer, at the commaundement of the Commissioners, was brought by a Constable,Thomas Benion Martyr. the thirtenth daye of August. 1557. before Mayster Dalbye Chauncellour of Bristow, who committed him to pryson for saying there was nothing but bread in the Sacrament as they vsed it. Wherefore, the twenty day of the sayd August he was condemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby, for denying fiue of theyr Sacramentes, and affirming two, that is: the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ, and the Sacrament of Baptisme. He was burnt the seuen and twenty of the sayd monethmonth and yeare, and dyed godly,
Thomas Benion burned at Bristow.
The Martyrdome of Thomas Benion at Bristow. Anno. 1557. August. 27.constantly and patiently, with confessing the articles of our christian fayth.