Gentilmen, and Iustices, vpon great horses, whiche all were apointed to ayde the Sherife. These Gentlemen, laboured Doctor Taylour very sore, to retourne to the Romysh religi?, promysing him his pardon, whiche sayde they, we haue here for you. They promysed him great promotions, yea, a byshoprike if he wold take it: but al their labour & flattering wordes were in vayne. For he had not buylt his house vpon the sande, in perill of falling at euerye puffe of wynde, but vpon the sure and vnmouable rock Christ.
See Matthew 7: 24-27.
MarginaliaA poore m? with v. children c?forted Doctor Taylour.When they were nowe come to Hadleye, & came ryding ouer the bridge, at the brydges foote wayted a poore man, with fiue smal children: who when he sawe Doctor Taylour, he and his children fell downe vpon their knees, and held vp their handes, and cried with a loud voyce, and sayde: O deare father and good shepehearde, Doctor Taylour: God helpe, and succour thee, as thou hast many a tyme succoured me, and my poore chyldren: suche witnesse had the seruaunt of God of his vertuouse, and charitable almoyse, geuen in his life time.
There is a hint here of social tension in Hadleigh. While Taylor had made enemies among Hadleigh's wealthy (see Craig, p. 168), he seems to have had a following among its poorer inhabitants. This may well have contributed to the religious tensions in Hadleigh.
of this moste wicked woorlde? Good Lorde strength him, and c?fort him, with such other moste lamentable, and piteous voyces. Wherfore the people were sore rebuked by the Sherife, and the Catchpoles his menne,
Sheriff's officers (OED).
Comminge against the Almoyse houses, whiche he wel knewe, he cast to the poore people mony, whiche remayned, of that good people had geuen hym in tyme of his imprysonment. As for his liuing, they toke it from him at his first going to pryson, MarginaliaD. Taylor liued of almoise, and gaue almois.so that he was susteined all the tyme of his imprysonment by the charitable almoyse of good people, that visited him. Therfore the mony that now remayned, he put in a gloue, ready for the same purpose, and as is sayde, gaue it to the poore almoyse men, standing at their doores to se him. And c?ming to the last of the almoyse houses, and not seing the poore that there dwelt, ready in their doores, as the other were, he asked: are the blynd man, & blinde wom?, that dwelt here alyue? It was aunswered yea: they are there within. Then threwe he gloue and all in at the windowe, and so roade forth. Thus this good father, and prouider for the poore, nowe toke his leaue of those, for whome all his lyfe he had a singular care, and study. For this was his custome,MarginaliaNote this custome. once in a fourthnight at the least, to call vpon syr Henry Doyll, and others the ryche clothmakers, to goe with him to the almoyse houses, and there to see howe the poore lyued: what they lacked in meat, drynke, clothyng, bedding, or any other necessaries: The lyke dyd he also to other poore men, that hadde many chyldren, or that were with sickenesse oppressed. Then would he exhorte, and comfort them, and where he founde cause, rebuke the vnruly: and what they lacked, that gaue he after his power: and what he was not able, he caused the riche and welthy men to minister it vnto them. Thus shewed he hym selfe in all thynges an example to his flocke, worthy to be folowed: and taught by his deade, what greate treasure almoyse is to all suche, as cherefullye for Christes sake do it.
[Back to Top]At the last, comming to MarginaliaAldham commen.Aldam c?men, the place assigned wher he should suffer, and seing a great multitude of people gathered thether, he asked what place is this, and what meaneth it that so muche people are gathered hether? It was aunswered: MarginaliaDoctor taylor is come home.It is Aldam c?men, the place where you must suffer: and the people ar come to loke vpon you. Then sayde he: thanked be God, I am euen at home. And so lyght fr? his horse. And with both his handes rent the hode from his head. MarginaliaByshop Boners cost.Nowe was his head notted euil fauourably, and clypped muche lyke as a man
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