1785 [174]
Actes and Monumentes of the Church.
Sumners, Cluney: Of Iaylors, Alexander keper of Newgate exceaded all other. These I saye who doth not know to be famous and notorious persecutors of Christes flocke, who by their owne factes and doinges haue vttered themselues so manifestly to all the world, that they nede not by me to be recited. And yet as I sayd, my purpose in this chapter is not to recite any, but onely to set forthe gods manifest scourge and iudgment vpon suche, whose punishment may engender a terror in al other persecutors to beware hereafter of spoylinge innocent bloud.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaByshoppe Morgan plaged by Gods hands.And first to begin with Byshoppe Morgan who set vpon the Blessed martir byshop Farrar, Byshop of saint Dauies, and condemned him to death, vniustlye vsurpinge his roume how terribly and seuerely did the Lordes hand reuenge the innocency of that bloud vpon the said Morgan, who not longe after was strokē by such a straunge sort, that his meate woulde not go downe, but rise & picke vp agayne, som time at his mouthe, sometime blowne out of his nose, moste horrible to behold, and so continued til his death. Moreouer when doctor Leyson
Commentary
The conclusion of this story may be fanciful, but Griffith Leyson's seizure of Ferrar's cattle actually occurred (see Andrew J. Brown, Robert Ferrar [London: 1997], pp. 346-47).
being then sherif at the burning of the said bishop Farrar, had afterward fet awaye þ
e said byshops cattel, from his seruauntes house, called Mathew Harbottel, into his owne custody the said cattel comming into the Sherifes custody, diuers of them would neuer eate meate, but lay bellowing and roaring, and so died.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaA notable example of Gods punisment vpon a railing priest.But especiallye is to bee noted the terrible stroke of gods hand vpon a priest of the same country in Carmerthen, called sir Richarde, sometyme a Frier. Who, a litle after the martirdome of the said bishop Ferrar, standynge vpon the toppe of a stayre in one master Downes house, dwelling in the said towne of Carmerthen, iesting at the death of maister Ferrar, fel downe soddainly and brake his necke.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIustice Morgan.It is said likewise of Iustice Morgā, which if it be true is to be marked, that after he had syt vpon the death of the Ladye Iane, he fell mad, and was bereft of his wits.
MarginaliaMayster WoodroffeBefore in the storye of Maister Bradforde, somewhat also was touched of master Woodroffe, who being then Sherife, and reioysing at the death of the poore saintes of Christ, not long after was striken by the sodayne hande of God, that he lyeth yet to this daye benummed and bedred in hys bed, not able to moue hym selfe.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaBewrayer of George Eagle.Lykewyse, in the storye of George Egles was declared, howe the partye by whom the sayd blessed martyr was bewrayed,
Commentary
This account, and the background to it, are described in Thomas S. Freeman, 'Fate, Faction and Fiction in Foxe's "Book of Martyrs"', Historical Journal 43 (2000), pp. 601-23.
after was arrayned him selfe, and hanged.
Among other plentifull and sondrye examples of the Lordes iudgement and seueritye practised vpon the cruell persecutours of hys people, this is not the least that followeth, con
cerning the story of one Wyllyam Fenning,
Commentary
This account, and the background to it, are described in Thomas S. Freeman, 'Fate, Faction and Fiction in Foxe's "Book of Martyrs"', Historical Journal 43 (2000), pp. 601-23. Note that there are additions to this account in every edition, arising from the conflicts that this account generated.
the effect and circumstance of whiche matter is thys.
MarginaliaIohn Cooper.Iohn Cooper, of the age of. xliiii. yeares, dwellinge at Watsam in the Countye of Suffolk, being by science a Carpenter, a man of a verye honest reporte, and a good housekeper, a harbourer of straungers, that trauailed for conscience, and one that fauoured religion, and those that were religious, he was of honest conuersation and good lyfe, and hated al popish and papistical trashe. This man being at home in his house, ther came vnto him one William Fenning,
MarginaliaWyllyam Fennyng. a seruing man, dwelling in the said town of Watsam, and vnderstandinge that the sayde Cooper had a couple of faire Bullockes, dyd desire to bye them of him, which Cooper told him that he was loth to sel them, for that hee had brought them vp for his own vse, and if he shoulde sell them, he then must be compelled to bye other, and that he woulde not doo. When Fenning saw he could not get them (for he had often assayed the matter) he sayd he wold syt asmuch in hys light, and so departed, and went and accused him of treason. The wordes he was charged with al were these: how he should pray, that if God would not take away Queene Mary, that then he should with the diuel to take her away. Of these woordes did this Fenninge charge him before
MarginaliaSir Henri Doiel sherife of Suffolke.syr Henry Doiel knight (vnto whom he was caryed by maister Tymperley
MarginaliaTemperlei of Hincklesam in Suffolk, and one Grimwood
MarginaliaGrimwod. of Lowshaw Constable) which wordes Cooper flatly denied, and said he neuer spake them, but that could not helpe.
MarginaliaFor hee was ryche.Not withstanding hee was arrained therefore at Berry before sir Clemēt Higham, at a Lent Assise, and there this Fenning brought two noughty mē that witnessed the speking of the foresaid wordes, whose names were
MarginaliaWhyt and Grimwood twoo false wytnesses.one Richard Whytte of the same towne of Watsam, and the other Grymwod of Hitcham, in the saide Countye of Suffolke. Whose testimonies wer receiued as truth, although this good man Iohn Cooper had layde what he coulde to declare hymselfe innocent therein, but to no purpose God knoweth. For his lyfe was determined, as in the ende appeared by syr Clement Hyghams woordes, who sayde he shoulde not escape, for an example to al other heretikes, as in deede he thorowly perfourmed. For immediatelye he was iudged to be hanged, drawen, & quartered, which was executed vpon hym shortly after, to the great grief of many a good hart. Here good Cooper is bereft of hys lyfe, and leaues behinde hym alyue his wyfe and. ix. chyldren with goods and Cattel. &c. to the valure of three hundreth markes, the which substaunce was al taken away by the sayde Syr Henry Doiel sherife, but his wyfe and poore childrē left to the wide world in their clothes,
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