ter to ouerthrow the quietnes of the godly. There in the mean season (as it happened) Haux keping his house at home, had borne vnto him a yong sonne, whose baptisme was differred now to the third weke, for that he suffered hym not to be baptised after the papisticall manner: which thing the aduersaries not able to suffer, laing handes vpō him did bring him to þ^e Erle of Oxford, there to be reasoned with, as with one not sounde in religion: in that he semed to contemne the sacramentes of the church. The Erle therfore  

sendeth hym to the Byshop of London by messenger, and letters, referring al the cause to hym: who then receiuing him, retained him in hys house a certayne space, and assaing hym by many & sundry communications, whē he saw no hope of ouerthrowing his iudgement, and that he so continued, that he would not consent to any vnhonest condicion, by the which he myghte saue rather his lyfe then hys conscience, but that he would be losed either from those, of whome he was holden, or by theire iudgemēt he would be condemned as wicked, he carieth hym out of hys house to the commen prison, which is called þ^e porters lodge, wher Hauks continued certayne monethes. At the length in the moneth of Iune,   he with diuers other receaued the sentence of death, of whom, godwilling, I wyll speake herafter. And he being brought backe into hys country in Essex, at Coxhall by martirdom chaunged his lyfe. His end aboue all other was worthy to be remembred, and worthye a famous martir. The sentence of hys punishment beinge declared and promulged, when he was appointed to be caried out of Londō into Essex, with syxe of his other fellowe prisoners, the Lorde Riche was appointed ruler in that ministerye. Who beyng defended with the power of armed men, and al the woorshipfull of that Shiere beinge called out for his assistaunce, dyd diligentlye procure that busines. Haukes in the meane tyme by the way, & by all meanes, vsed much exhortation to hys frendes, and often tymes also gat oportunitye to talke with them, and to admonish them more familiarlye.

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Those also that before his death dyd vse his company more freely (although they wer not a litle confirmed, both by his constancye and talke) yet notwithstanding, they being feared againe with the bitternes of his punishment, priuily desired, that in the mydst of he flame he would shew them some tokē, whereby they might be more certaine, whether that in that kynde of punishment: there wer so great pain and greefe, that a man mighte not keepe hys minde constant therein:  

Which thing he promised them to do for their sakes: and so secretly it was agreed amōgest them selues, that if the flame should in strength vexe hym intol-

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lerably, he should stand quiet: but if it shoulde be tolerable and to be suffered, and by sufferaunce might easely be ouercome by the greater strēgth of constance, and spirite, that then he should lyft vp hys handes aboue his heade towarde the heauen, before hee gaue vp the ghost. Thinges therfore set in this order, and their mindes thus confirmed by this mutuall conuersation, the houre of their martirdom is come. Haukes is brought out to the slaughter house: and straight after to the stake fastened in the ground he is bounde verye straightlye with a chaine, compassing his body: the gentle sacrifice standeth ready to receiue the fire. He standeth so, being compassed about wyth no smal company of worshipfull and other people, vnto whom after hee had spoken manye thinges, but then especiallye vnto the Lorde Riche, reasoninge wyth hym of the innocent bloude of the Saintes, at the length after hys feruent prayers poured out vnto God, the fire was put to him: in the which when he had continued long, and when his breath was taken away by violence of the flame, his skynne with burning as it wer drawen together, his fingers consumed in the fire, and that al men did loke certainly that now he would geue vp the gost, he mindeful of hys promis made, dyd lift vp his hands halfe burned, & burning with heate aboue his head, to the liuing God, & euē in a sodain, and with great reioycing striketh them three tymes together: By which thing, contrary to all mens expectation beyng sene, there followed so great reioycing and crye of the multitude gathered together,  

that you would haue thought heauen & earth to haue com together.   But he straight way, as it wer sincking downe into the fyre, gaue vp his spirite, at Coxehal, the. x. of Iune. Anno. 1555.

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Thus haue I nowe shortlye and briefelye described vnto you the storye of hys lyfe, and of hys death.

(*)

 

MarginaliaThomas Wattes.THomas Wattes of Billerica, within the Countye of Essex, & of the dioces of London, was brought the. xxvi. day of Aprill before the Lord Rich, & other Commissioners, at Chelmysforde: and there accused for not commyng to the Churche. &c. was from them (as men not meete to meddle with suche hygh matters) sent vp to Edmond Boner, then bishop of London, as appeareth by their letter directed to the sayde Byshop, whych hereafter follow.

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