Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Appendix · Account 36
*A true report of the horrible, and merciles martyrdome of one Richard Atkins, an Englishe man, with extreeme tormentes, and most cruell rage of furious tyrantes persecutors, put to death at Rome.
ABout the month of Iuly, an. 1581. one Richard Atkins borne in Hartfordshire an english man came to Rome and hauing found the englishe Colledge, knocked at the dore. To whome diuers of the studentes there came out, to welcome him, vnderstanding that he was an Englishe man. Among other talk had with him, they willed him to goe to the hospitall, and there to receiue his meat and lodging, according as the order was appoynted, whereunto he aunswered, I come not (my countrimen) to any suche intent, as you iudge, but I come louingly to rebuke the great misorder of your liues, whiche I greeue to heare, and pity to beholde, I come likewise to let youre proude Antichrist vnderstand, that hee doth offend the heauenly maiestie, robbe God of his honour, and poysoneth the whole world with his abhominable blasphemies: making them homage stockes, and stones, and that filthy sacramēt which is nothing els but a foolish Idol. When they heard these wordes one Hugh Griffin, a Welche man, and a student in the Colledge caused him to be put in the Inquisition, where how they examined him, and howe he aunswered them, I know not, but after certayn dayes he was set at libertie agayne. And one day going in the streete, he met a priest carying the sacrament, whiche offending hys conscience, to see the people so crouche and bow downe to it: he caught at it to hauehave throwne it downe, but missing of his purpose, and being iudged by the people, that hee dyd catch at the holinesse, that (they say) commeth from the sacrament, vppon mere deuotion, hee was let passe, and nothing sayd to him: few dayes after, hee came to S. Peters Churche, where diuers gentlemen, and other were hearing Masse, and the Priest at the eleuation: he vsing no reuerence, stepped among the people to the aultar, & threw downe the Chalice with the wine, striuing likewise to hauehave pulled the cake out of the priestes handes, for whiche diuers rose vp, and beate hym with theyr fistes, and one drewe his rapier, and woulde hauehave slayne him: so that in briefe he was caryed to prison where hee was examined, wherfore he had committed such a hainous offence: wherunto he aunswered, that he came purposely for that intent to rebuke the popes wickednes, and theyr Idolatry. Upon this he was condemned to be burned: which sentence, he sayd, hee was right willing to suffer, and the rather because the summe of his offence, pertayned to the glorye of God. During the time he remayned in prison sundry English men, came vntounto him, willing him to be sory, for that he hadde done, and to recant from his damnable opinion, but all the meanes they vsed were in vayne, hee confuted theyr dealinges by diuers places of scripture, and willed them to be sory for theyr wickednesse, while God did permit thē tyme, els they were in danger of euerlasting damnation: these wordes made the English men departe, for they could not abide to heare them. Within a while after, he was set vpō an Asse, without any saddle, he being from the middle vpward naked, hauing some englishe priestes with him to talke with him, but he regarded them not, but spake to the people in so good a language as he could, and told them they were in a wrong way, and therfore willed them for Christes sake, to hauehave regard to ye sauing of theyr soules. All the way as he went, there were foure did nothing els but thrust at his body with burning Torches, whereat he neuer moued, nor shronke one iote, but with a cherefull countenaunce, laboured to perswade the people often bending his body to meet the torches, as they were thrust at him, and woulde take them in hys owne hand, and hold them burning still vppon his body, whereat the people not a little wondered. Thus he continued almost ye space of halfe a mile, till he came before S. Peters, where the place of execution was. When he was come to ye place of execution, there they had made a deuise, not to make the fire about him, but to burne his legges first, whiche they did: he not dismaying any whit, but suffered all meruaylous cherefully, whiche moued the people to such a quandary as was not in Rome many a day. Then they offered him a crosse and willed him to embrace it in token that hee dyed a christian, but he put it away with hys hand, telling them, that they were euill men to trouble him with suche paltry, when he was preparing himselfe to God, whome he beheld in maiestie, and mercy, ready to receaue him into the eternall rest. They seeing him in this minde, departed saying, let vsus goe, and leaue him to the deuill, whome hee serues. Thus ended this faythfull souldiour, and Martyr of Christe, who is no doubt, in glory with hys mayster, whereunto God graunt vsus all to come, Amen.
This is faythfully auouched by Iohn Young, who was at that tyme and a good while after in Rome, in seruice with mayster Doctor Morton, who seing the Martirdome of this man, when he came home to hys house in presence of M. Smith his sonne, M. Creede, and the sayd Ioh. Young spake as followeth. Surely this fellow was meruaylous obstinate, hee nothing regarded the good counsayle which was vsed to hym, nor shronke all the way, when the torches wer thrust at hys naked body. Beside in the place of execution hee did not faynt nor cry one iote in the fire, albeit they tormēted him very cruelly, and burned him by degrees as his legges first, to put him to the greater payne, yet all this he did but smile a…. Doubtlesse, but that the worde of God cannot be but true, els we might iudge this fellow to be of God: for who could hauehave suffered so much payne as he did? but truely I beleeue the Deuill was in him.