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Thematic Divisions in Book 5
1. Preface to Rubric 2. The Rubric 3. Mary's First Moves 4. The Inhibition5. Bourne's Sermon 6. The True Report7. The Precept to Bonner 8. Anno 15549. From 'The Communication' to 'A Monition' 10. Bonner's Monition11. Mary's Articles for Bonner 12. The Articles 13. From Mary's Proclamation to the 'Stile'14. From the 'Stile' to the 'Communication' 15. The 'Communication' 16. How Thomas Cranmer ... 17. Cranmer18. Ridley 19. Latimer20. Harpsfield's Forme 21. 1563's Disputational Digest22. Political Events up to Suffolk's Death 23. Between Mantell and the Preacher's Declaration 24. The Declaration of Bradford et al 25. May 19 to August 1 26. August 1 - September 3 27. From Bonner's Mandate to Pole's Oration 28. Winchester's Sermon to Bonner's Visitation 29. Pole's Oration 30. From the Supplication to Gardiner's Sermon 31. From Gardiner's Sermon to 1555 32. From the Arrest of Rose to Hooper's Letter 33. Hooper's Answer and Letter 34. To the End of Book X 35. The Martyrdom of Rogers 36. The Martyrdom of Saunders 37. Saunders' Letters 38. Hooper's Martyrdom 39. Hooper's Letters 40. Rowland Taylor's Martyrdom 41. Becket's Image and other events 42. Miles Coverdale and the Denmark Letters 43. Bonner and Reconciliation 44. Robert Farrar's Martyrdom 45. The Martyrdom of Thomas Tomkins 46. The Martyrdom of Rawlins/Rowland White47. The Martyrdom of Higbed and Causton 48. The Martyrdom of William Hunter 49. The Martyrdom of Pigot, Knight and Laurence 50. Judge Hales 51. The Providential Death of the Parson of Arundel 52. The Martyrdom of John Awcocke 53. The Martyrdom of George Marsh 54. The Letters of George Marsh 55. The Martyrdom of William Flower 56. Mary's False Pregnancy57. The Martyrdom of Cardmaker and Warne 58. John Tooly 59. The Examination of Robert Bromley [nb This is part of the Tooly affair]60. Censorship Proclamation 61. The Martyrdom of Thomas Haukes 62. Letters of Haukes 63. The Martyrdom of Thomas Watts 64. Martyrdom of Osmund, Bamford, Osborne and Chamberlain65. The Martyrdom of Ardley and Simpson 66. The Martyrdom of John Bradford 67. Bradford's Letters 68. William Minge 69. The Martyrdom of John Bland 70. The Martyrdom of Frankesh, Middleton and Sheterden 71. Sheterden's Letters 72. Martyrdom of Carver and Launder 73. Martyrdom of Thomas Iveson 74. John Aleworth 75. Martyrdom of James Abbes 76. Martyrdom of Denley, Newman and Pacingham 77. Examinations of Hall, Wade and Polley 78. Richard Hooke 79. Martyrdom of William Coker, et al 80. Martyrdom of George Tankerfield, et al 81. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Smith 82. Martyrdom of Harwood and Fust 83. Martyrdom of William Haile 84. Examination of John Newman 85. Martyrdom of Robert Samuel 86. George King, Thomas Leyes and John Wade 87. William Andrew 88. William Allen 89. Martyrdom of Thomas Cobb 90. Martyrdom of Roger Coo 91. Martyrdom of Catmer, Streater, Burwood, Brodbridge, Tutty 92. Martyrdom of Hayward and Goreway 93. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Glover 94. John and William Glover 95. Cornelius Bungey 96. Martyrdom of Wolsey and Pigot 97. Life and Character of Nicholas Ridley 98. Ridley and Latimer's Conference 99. Ridley's Letters 100. Life of Hugh Latimer 101. Latimer's Letters 102. Ridley and Latimer Re-examined and Executed103. More Letters of Ridley 104. Life and Death of Stephen Gardiner 105. Martyrdom of Webb, Roper and Park 106. William Wiseman 107. Examinations and Martyrdom of John Philpot 108. John Went 109. Isobel Foster 110. Joan Lashford 111. Five Canterbury Martyrs 112. Life and Martyrdom of Cranmer 113. Letters of Cranmer 114. Martyrdom of Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield 115. Persecution in Salisbury Maundrell, Coberly and Spicer 116. William Tyms, et al 117. The Norfolk Supplication 118. Letters of Tyms 119. John Hullier's Execution120. John Hullier 121. Christopher Lister and five other martyrs 122. Hugh Lauerocke and John Apprice 123. Katherine Hut, Elizabeth Thacknell, et al 124. Martyrdom of John Harpole and Joan Beach 125. Thomas Drury and Thomas Croker 126. Thomas Spicer, John Deny and Edmund Poole 127. Thomas Rede128. Persecution of Winson and Mendlesam 129. William Slech 130. Avington Read, et al 131. Wood and Miles 132. Adherall and Clement 133. A Merchant's Servant Executed at Leicester 134. Thirteen Burnt at Stratford-le-Bow135. Persecution in Lichfield 136. Hunt, Norrice, Parret 137. Martyrdom of Bernard, Lawson and Foster 138. John Careless 139. Letters of John Careless 140. Martyrdom of Julius Palmer 141. Guernsey Martyrdoms 142. Dungate, Foreman and Tree 143. Martyrdom of Joan Waste 144. Three Men of Bristol145. Martyrdom of Edward Sharpe 146. Four Burnt at Mayfield at Sussex 147. John Horne and a woman 148. Northampton Shoemaker 149. Prisoners Starved at Canterbury 150. More Persecution at Lichfield 151. Exhumations of Bucer and Phagius along with Peter Martyr's Wife152. Pole's Visitation Articles for Kent153. Ten Martyrs Burnt at Canterbury154. The 'Bloody Commission'155. Twenty-two Prisoners from Colchester156. Five Burnt at Smithfield157. Stephen Gratwick and others158. Edmund Allen and other martyrs159. Edmund Allen160. Alice Benden and other martyrs161. Richard Woodman and nine other martyrs162. Ambrose163. The Martyrdom of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper164. Rose Allin and nine other Colchester Martyrs165. John Thurston166. Thomas More167. George Eagles168. Richard Crashfield169. Fryer and George Eagles' sister170. John Kurde171. Cicelye Ormes172. Joyce Lewes173. Rafe Allerton and others174. Agnes Bongeor and Margaret Thurston175. Persecution at Lichfield176. Persecution at Chichester177. Thomas Spurdance178. Hallingdale, Sparrow and Gibson179. John Rough and Margaret Mearing180. Cuthbert Simson181. William Nicholl182. Seaman, Carman and Hudson183. Three at Colchester184. A Royal Proclamation185. Roger Holland and other Islington martyrs186. Richard Yeoman187. John Alcocke188. Alcocke's Epistles189. Thomas Benbridge190. Stephen Cotton and other martyrs191. Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver192. Three at Bury193. The Final Five Martyrs194. William Living195. The King's Brief196. William Browne197. Some Persecuted at Suffolk198. Elizabeth Lawson199. Edward Grew200. The Persecuted of Norfolk201. The Persecuted of Essex202. Thomas Bryce203. The Persecuted in Kent204. The Persecuted in Coventry and the Exiles205. Thomas Parkinson206. The Scourged: Introduction207. Richard Wilmot and Thomas Fairfax208. Thomas Greene209. Bartlett Greene and Cotton210. Steven Cotton's Letter211. Scourging of John Milles212. Scourging of Thomas Hinshaw213. Robert Williams214. Bonner's Beating of Boys215. A Beggar of Salisbury216. John Fetty217. James Harris218. Providences: Introduction219. The Miraculously Preserved220. Christenmas and Wattes221. Simon Grinaeus222. John Glover223. Dabney224. Alexander Wimshurst225. Bosom's wife226. The Delivery of Moyse227. Lady Knevet228. Crosman's wife229. Congregation at Stoke in Suffolk230. Congregation of London231. Robert Cole232. Englishmen at Calais233. John Hunt and Richard White234. Punishments of Persecutors235. Tome 6 Life and Preservation of the Lady Elizabeth236. The Westminster Conference237. Nicholas Burton238. Another Martyrdom in Spain239. Baker and Burgate240. Burges and Hoker241. Justice Nine-Holes242. Back to the Appendix notes243. A Poor Woman of Exeter244. Those Burnt at Bristol: extra material245. Priest's Wife of Exeter246. Gertrude Crockhey
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1448 [1379]

their soules hadde no neede therof. His brother moued many men, seing his miserable case: seing I say him compelled to such infelicitie, that he thought then to doe him best seruice, when he hastened his end. Some cried out of fortune to see his endeuor, who most derely loued him and soughte his release, tourne to his greater vexation and encrease of paine. But who so c?sidered their prefermentes in time past, the places of honour that they sometime occupied in this common wealthe, the fauor they were in with their princes, and the opinion of learning they had in the vniuersitie they studied, coulde not chose but sorow with teares to see so great dignitie, honor and estimation, so necessary m?bers somtime accompted, so many godlye vertues, the study of so many yeares, such excell?t learning, to be put into the fire, and consumed in one moment. Wel, dead they are, and the reward of this world, they haue already.

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? Thou diddest heare before (good Reader) howe carefull master Ridley was in the behalf of such poore m?, as in his time had either taken or renued leases, & payd downe summes of money, and fines for the same, that euen being chained to the stake, & redy to haue the fire set vnto him, he wolde yet earnestly require my L. Williams of Tame to further his suit c?cerning those poore tenants of the sea of Lond?. He did also require D. Brookes (as you haue heard before) to be a suiter vnto the Quenes maiesty for his poore brother & sister, that wer iniuried by Boner. These. ii. points because he ioyned himselfe in one supplication vnto Quene Mary: we thought it not impertinent to communicate it as it came vnto oure handes. The Copye wherof here foloweth.

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? Maister Ridley to the Queenes maiesty.  
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Foxe's printing of this document was a favour to his source for the final events of Ridley's life, George Shipside. There were undoubtedly a number of reasons why Shipside co-operated with Foxe, but one of them was to use the pressure Foxe's text could generate in order to recover the property Ridley had leased to him. As one of Foxe's glosses indicates, this effort was not unsuccessful. BL, Harley 590, fos. 70r-75r is a copy of this petition among Foxe's papers.

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IT may please your maiesty for Christe our sauiors sake, in a matter of c?sci?ce (& now not for my selfe, but for other pore m?) to vouchsafe to hear & vnderst?d this mine h?ble supplication. It is so (honorable princes) that in the time whiles I was in the ministery of the sea of London diuers poore m? ten?ts therof haue tak? new Leases of their tenantries & holdings, and some hath renued & cha?ged their old, & therfore hath payde fines & s?mes of money (both to me & also to the chapter of Paules) for the confirmation of the same. Now I hear say that the B. which occupieth the same roume now, wil not allow the foresaid leases, which must redo?d to many poore mens vtter ruine & decay. Wherfore, this is mine h?ble supplicati? vnto youre honorable grace, that it may please the same for Christs sake, to be vnto the foresaid poore m? theyr gratious patrones, & defendor, either that they may enioy their fore said leases & yeres renued as (I suppose) when their mater shalbe heard with c?science, both iustice, c?sci?ce & equity shal require, for that their leases shalbe fo?d (I trust) made without fraud or cou?,  

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This is short for covenance; i.e., an agreement or contract.

eyther of their part, or of mine, & alwais also the old r?ts reserued to the sea without any kind of damage therof. Or if this wil not be gr?ted, th? it may plese your gratious highnes to c?a?d that the poore m? may be restored to their former leases, & yeres, & to haue r?dred to th? again such s?mes of money as they payde to

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me, & to the chapter for their leases & yeares, so now tak? fr? th? which thing c?cerning the fynes paid to me may be easily done, if it shal plese your maiesty to c?maund some porcion of these goods, which I left in my house, when I fled in hope of pardon for my trespas towardes youre grace, which goods (as I haue heard) be yet reserued in the same house. I suppose that halfe of the value of my plate which I left in mine offyces, & specially in an yron chest in my bed chamber will go nighe to restore al such fines receyued, the true s?mes & parcels wherof ar not set in their leases: & therfore if that way shall please your highnes, they muste bee knowen by suche waies & meanes as your maiesty by the aduyse of m? of wisdom & c?sci?ce shall appoint: but yet for christs sake I craue & most h?bly besech your maiesty, of your most gratious pitie and mercy, that the former way may take place. I haue also a poore sister that came to me out of the North, with. 3. fatherles childr? for her relief, whom I maried after to a seru?t of mine own house: she is put out of that I did prouide for th?.  

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Alice Ridley was Nicholas Ridley's sister who married George Shipside, a member of Bishop Ridley's household. She was expelled from diocesan property which her brother had leased to her.

I besech your honorable grace, that her case may be mercifully c?sidred, & that the rather, in cont?plati? that I neuer hadde of him (whiche suffred indurance at my intrance to the sea of L?d?) not one peny of his mouable goodes.  
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Ridley is saying that after Edmund Bonner, Ridley's predecessor, was deprived of his bishopric, Ridley did not seize any of Bonner's movable property.

for it was almoste half a yere after his deposition, afore I did enter in that place: yea, & also if any wer left (knowen to be his) he had licence to cary it away, or ther (for his vse) it did lye safe: as his officers dooe know, I paid for the lead which I found there, wh? I occupied anye of it to the behoofe  
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Use, utility.

of the church or of the house. And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goodes, but also as his old receiuer & then mine, called M Sta?ton can testify, I payd for him towards his seruants c?mon liueries & wages after his deposition. 53. poundes, or. 55. poundes, I can not tell whether. In al these matters, I besech your horable maiesty to here thaduise of m? of consci?ce in especial the archbishop now of York which for that he was continually in my house, a yere & more before mine imprisonm?t,  
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After he was deprived of the bishopric of Worcester, Nicholas Heath was confined in Ridley's custody.

I suppose he is not altogether ignorant of some part of these things, & also his grace doth know my Sister, for whose succor and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit. N. R. The. xvi. day of October. Anno. 1555.

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An aunswere to a letter written vnto hym by. M. West somtyme his Chaplein.  
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This letter is clearly a reply to a letter West sent to Ridley urging him to recant. It was first printed in the 1563 edition and reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 40-43 and then reprinted in all subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments. Copies of this letter are BL, Lansdowne 389, fos. 126v-129v, ECL 260, fos. 281r-282v and ECL 282, fos.162r-165v.

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I Wish you grace in god, and loue of the truthe without the which truely stablished in m?nes harts, by the mighty hand of almighty god, it is no more possible to st?d by the truth in christ in tyme of trouble, then it is for the waxe to abyde the heat of the fyre. Sir, know you this that I am (blessed be god) perswaded that this worlde is but transitory, and (as sainct IohnMarginalia1 Iohn. 8 saieth) the world passeth away and the luste thereof. I am perswaded Christes woordes to be true. MarginaliaMath. 10.Whoso euer shall confesse me before men, him wil I c?fesse also before my father which is in heauen. And I beleue that no earthly creature shall bee saued, wh? the redemer and sauior of the world shal before his father deny. This the lord gra?t that it may be so graffed, establyshed, and fyred in my heart, that neither thinges presente nor to come, hygh or lowe, life or death bee able to remoue me thence. It is a goodly wyshe that you wishe me, depelye to consyder thynges pertay-

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