could not remoue him, although they spent al the forenone there abouts, with many flattering wordes, so mercifull was the Lord vnto him. Now when diner time came, they comitted the said Wattes to the Constables again, and rose vppe to go to diner. The Constables tooke Wattes, and led him to a vittellinge house, where beinge as prisoner vnder theire handes, they fel a slepe (I meane the Constables) and Wattes wife beinge in the house with her husband, and veryre carefull for his well doing, seing the Constables sleaping desired to departe, and go thence. For the Lord had made a waye for them: vnto which her wordes, he would not consent, althoughe she perswaded him all that she could
[Back to Top]At the last (they replieng one against another) a straunger heard them, and asked her what the matter was, she was so earnest with her housband: the wyfe tould hym. Then sayd the straunger vnto Wattes, these wordes. Father, go thy wayes in Gods name, and tarry no lenger. The Lord hath opened the waye vnto the: then the sayde wattes wente hys waye, and hys wyfe departed from him, and went home to her house at Seale, thinkinge her housband had gone another waye. And as she was going in at her dore, tellinge her frendes of his deliueraunce, ymmediatly came the sayd wattes in also, and they all beinge abashed therat, willed hym in al hast to get him awaye. For they thoughte there woulde bee search for hym immediatly. Then Wats said he woulde eate meate first, and also praye, which he did, and afterward departed thence: and so sone as he was out of the dores, and had hyd hym self in an holly bush, immedyatly came the sayd Constables with. xxx. persones into the sayd house to search for hym, where they pearsed the fetherbeds, broke vp hys cheastes, and made such hauocke, that it was wonderfull, and euer emonge as they were searching, the Constables cried: I wyll haue Wattes, I wyl haue Wattes, I tel the I wyl haue Wattes. But (God be thanked) Wattes could not be found. And when they sawe, it boted not to searche for hym, in thend they toke hys wyfe, and set her in a payre of stockes, where shee remayned two dayes, and was verye bolde in the truth, and at the laste delyuered, through the prouidence of God, whose mercies embrace vs al, Amen.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIhon Glouer of Manceter gentleman.What a Fatherly and manifest prouidence of the Lord lykewyse dyd appeare in the preseruing of Maister Ihon Glouer of the dioces of Couentry and Lychfyeld, in the Towne of Manceter, fyrst in preseruing hym at the takinge of Robert, hys brother. At which tyme although the commission came down for him, yet so God ordered the matter, that hys brother being sicke was apprehended, and yet he
[Back to Top]being whole, escaped wherof mentiō is made before. pag. 1276. col. 1. Agayne, at the takinge of Agnes Glouer hys wife a Godly woman, yet how miraculysly dyd God ouershadow him. The story briefly is this. About the latter tyme of Quene Marye was a newe searche made for the sayd Ihon Glouer. Wherupon the Shriffes with their vnder officers and seruauntes being sente to seeke hym, came into hys house, where hee and hys wyfe were. It chaunced as he was in his chābre by him selfe the officers brusting into the house, and searching other chaumbers, came to the chamber dore whre this maister Glouer was. Who being within, & holding the latche fast softlye with hys hand, perceiued and heard the officers buskeling about þe dore, amongst whom one of the sayde officers hauinge the stringe in hys hande was ready to drawe the same. In the meane tyme an other comming by, (whose voyce he heard and knewe) bad them come awaye, saying they hadde beene there before. Wherupon they departing thence, went to search other corners of the house, where they founde the forsayd Agnes Glouer hys wyfe, who being had to Lychfeld, and there examined before the Bishoppe, at length after much adoe was constrayned to geue place to theyre tyranny. Ihon Glouer in the meane tyme, partly for care of hys wyfe, partly for colde taken in the woodes where he dyd lye, tooke an agew, wherupon not long after hee lefte thys lyfe, which the cruell papistes so longe had sought for.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe story of a godlye man called Dabney.There was at London a certen honest and godlye persone, a paynter, named Dabney, whome Ihon Auales
John Avales was an extremely zealous heresy hunter in London during the final years of Mary's reign. For other descriptions of his activities see 1563, p. 1696; 1570, p. 2275; 1576, p. 1964; 1583, p. 2071 and 1570, p. 2278; 1576, p. 1967 and 1583, p. 2074.
To bee shorte, as the hower and tyme serued, Boner with his houshold maketh out so fast as they can out of the dores to þe processiō. Dabney beinge lefte alone, commethe downe to the outwarde courte nexte the gate, there walking wt him selfe and heauy, loking for no thing more then death. The porter, who was
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