him, nor he speake to any man: which practise they vsed also with others. Their owne consciences tolde them, that they ledde innocent lambes to the slaughter. Wherefore they feared, least if the people should haue heard them speake, or haue seene them, they myghte haue been muche more strengthened by their godly exhortations, to stande stedfast in Gods word, and to fle the superstitions, and the idolatries of the Papacie. MarginaliaD. Taylor is ioyfull in his waye.All the way Doctour Taylour was ioyfull, and mery, as one that accompted him selfe going to a most pleasaunt banquet, or bridall: he spake many notable thynges to the Sherife, and yeomen of the garde, that cōducted him, and often moued them to weape with his most earnest calling vpon them to repent, and amēd their euill, and wicked liuing. Oftentymes also he caused them to wonder, & reioyce, to see him so constant & stedfast, voyde of all feare, ioyful in heart, and glad to die. Of these yeomen of the garde, three vsed Doctour Taylour frendlie, but the fourth (whose name was Homes) vsed him very homely, vnkindly, and churlishelie.

At Chelmesforde mett them the Sherife of Suffolke, there to receiue him, and to carie him forth into Suffolke. MarginaliaThe Sherife laboureth Doctor Taylor to returne.And being at the supper, the sherife of Essex, very earnestly laboured him to returne to the popish religion, thinking with faire wordes to perswade him, and sayde: good maister Doctor, we are right sory for you, considering what losse is of suche one, as ye myght be, if ye woulde: God hath geuen you great learning and wysdome, wherfore ye haue been in great fauour, and reputation in tymes past, with the Counsell, and highest of this Realme. Besides this: ye are a man of goodly personage, in your best strēgth, and by nature like to lyue many yeares. And without doubt, ye should in time to come be in as good reputation, as euer ye were, or rather better. For ye ar wel beloued of al mē, as wel for your vertues as for your lerning. And me thinke it were great pitie you should cast away your self willingly, & so come to such a painfull & shamefull death. Ye should do much better to reuoke your opinions, and retourne to the catholyque churche of Rome, acknowledge the Popes holines to be the supreme head of the vniuersall churche, and reconcile your selfe to him. You may do well yet, if ye will: doubt ye not, but ye shal finde fauour at the Quenes handes. I and all these your frendes will be suters for your pardon: whiche no doubt ye shall obtain. This counsell I geue to you, good maister Doctour, of a good hart, and good will toward you: and thereupon I drinke to you. In like maner said all the yeomen of the garde: Vpon that condition maister Doctor we will all drinke to you. When they hadde all dronke to him, and the cup was come to him: he stayed a litle, as one

studying what aunswere he might geue, and at the last, he aunswered and sayde: mayster Sherife, and my maisters al, I hartely thanke you of your good wil. I haue herkened to your wordes, and marked wel your counselles. MarginaliaD. Taylor maketh a iest of deathAnd to be playne with you, I perceaue within my selfe, that I haue been deceaued my selfe, and am lyke to deceiue a great many of Hadley, of their expectation. With that worde they all reioyced. yea good maister Doctor (quod the Sherife) Gods blissing on your hart: hold you there still. it is the cōfortablest worde, that we heard you speake yet. What? should ye caste awaye your selfe in vayne? Playe a wyse mans part: and I dare warrant it, ye shall finde fauoure. Thus they reioyced very muche of that word, and were very mery. At the last: good mayster Doctor (quod the Sherife) what ment ye by this, that ye sayde ye thinke ye haue been deceiued your selfe, and thinke ye shall deceiue many one in Hadley? Would you know my meaning plainely (quod he? Yea (quod the Sherife) good maister Doctor, tell it vs plainly. MarginaliaA notable saying.Then saide Doctor Taylour, I will tell you howe I haue been deceiued: and as I thinke I shal deceiue a great many. I am as you see, a man þ^t hath a very great carcasse, whiche I thought should haue beene buried in Hadley churche yarde, if I had died in my bedde, as I well hoped I should haue done: but herein I se I was deceiued: and ther are a great number of wormes in Hadley churche yarde, whiche shoulde haue had ioly feading vpon this carion, which they haue loked for many a daye. But nowe I knowe we be deceiued, both I and they. For this carcasse must be brent to ashes: and so shal they lose their bayte, and feading, that they loked to haue had of it. When the Sherife and his company heard him say so, they were amased, and loked one on an other, marueiling at the mans constaunt mynde, that thus without all feare made but a scoffe at the cruel tormēt, and death, nowe at hande prepared for him. Thus was their expectation cleane disapointed. MarginaliaA good meditation.And in this appeareth what was his meditation in his chiefest wealth, and prosperitie: namely, that he should shortly die, & fede wormes in his graue: whiche meditation if all our byshops, and spirituall men had well studied, they had not for a litle worldly glory forsaken the worde of God, and truthe, whiche they in king Edwardes dayes had preached, and sette forth, nor yet to mainteine the byshop of Romes autoritie, haue committed so many to the fyre as they did.

But let vs retourne to Doctour Taylour, who at Chelmesford was deliuered to the sherife of Suffolke, and by him conducted to Hadleigh, where he suffered. Whē thei were come to Lanham,MarginaliaLanham is a towne. the Sherife staied ther two daies: and thether came to hym a great number of