MarginaliaBucklayer the kinges Atturney, a persecuter.Now when the Iury had taken their othe and all, Bucklayer the kinges Attourney beganne to speake: and first he alledged many reasons against Anth. Person, to prooue him an hereticke. Which when Anthony would haue disproued, the Bishop sayde: let hym alone Syr, he speaketh for þ^e king: and so went Bucklayer forth with hys matter, making euery mans cause as haynous to the hearers, as he coulde deuise. MarginaliaSyr Humfrey Foster speaketh for Marbecke.And when he had done and sayd what he would, then Syr Humfrey Foster spake to the Quest in the fauour of Marbecke on this wyse: Maisters quoth hee, ye see there is no man here that accuseth or layeth any thing to the charge of this poore man Marbecke, sauing he hath written certaine thinges of other mens sayinges with hys owne hand, wherof he is discharged by the kinges generall pardon  

: therefore ye ought to haue a conscience therein. MarginaliaFachell a persecuter.Then start vp Fachell at the lower end of the Benche, and sayd: what can wee tell whether they were writtē before the pardon, or after? They may as well be written since as afore, for anye thing that we know. These wordes of Fachell (as euery man sayd) were the cause of Marbeckes castyng that day.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaMarbecke cast by the Iury.Then went the Iury vp to a Chamber ouer the place where the Iudges sat, and in the meane tyme, MarginaliaThe knightes & gentlemen refuse to be at their condemnation.went all the knightes and gentlemen abroade, sauing the bishop, Syr Williā Essex, and Fachell, which three sat still vpon the Bench tyll all was done. And when the Iury had bene togethers aboue in the chamber about the space of a quarter of an houre, vp goeth Symons (of his own brayne) vnto them, and taried there a pretye while, & came down againe. After that, came one of the Iury downe to the bishop, and talked wyth hym and the other twaine a good while, whereby many coniectured, that the Iurye coulde not agree of Marbeck. But whether it was so or no, it was not lōg after his going vp agayne, ere that they came downe to geue their verdite. And being required according to the forme of the law to saye their mindes: MarginaliaHyde a Farmer of Windsore Colledge, a persecuter.one called Hyde, dwelling beside Abyngton, in a lordship belonging to the Colledge of Wyndesore, speaking in the mouth of the rest, sayd they were all giltie.

[Back to Top]

Then the Iudges beholding the prisoners a good while (some with watry eyes) made curtesie who shuld geue iudgement. Fachell requiring the bishop to doo it, he sayd he might not: the other also being required, sayd they would not. Then sayd Fachell, it must bee done: one must do it, and if no mā wil, then will I. MarginaliaFachell geueth iudgement against thē.And so Fachell being lowest of all the Bench  

, gaue iudgement. Then Marbecke being the last vpon whom sentence was geuen, cryed to the Bishop, saying: Ah my Lord, you told me otherwyse when I was before you and the other two Bishops. You sayd then, that I was in better case thē any of my felowes, and is your saying come to this? Ah my Lord you haue deceaued me. Then the bishop casting vp his hande, sayde hee could not do withall.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaPerson, Testwood, Filmer, & Marbecke, condemned for heretickes.Now the prisoners being condempned and had away, prepared them selues to die on the morow, comforting one an other in the death and passion of their maister Christ, who had led the way before them, trusting that the same Lord which had made thē worthy to suffer so farre for his sake, would not now withdrawe his strength from them, but geue them stedfast fayth and power, to ouercome those firie tormentes, and of his free mercy and goodnes (without their deserts) for his promise sake, receiue their soules. MarginaliaThe godly prayers of the cōdemned Martyrs, almost all the night.Thus laye they all the night long (till very dead sleepe tooke them) calling to God for his ayde and strength, and praying for their persecuters, which of blinde zeale and ignorance had done they wist not what, that God of his mercyfull goodnes would forgeue them, and turne theyr hartes to the loue and knowledge of his blessed & holy woord: Yea such heauenly talke was among them that night, that the hearers watching the prison without, wherof the Shiriffe himselfe was one, with diuers gentlemen moe, were cōstrayned to sheed out plenty of teares, as they them selues confessed.

[Back to Top]

On the next morow, whiche was Friday, as the prisoners were all preparing them selues to go to suffer, worde was brought thē þ^t they should not dye that day. The cause was this. MarginaliaA letter sent by certaine of the Cōmissioners to Gardiner for Marbecke.The Bishop of Sarum and they among them had sent a letter by one of the Shriffes gentlemen called M. Frost, to the Byshop of Wynchester (the Courte being then at Okyng) in the fauour of Marbecke. At the sight of which letter, MarginaliaMarbeckes pardon obteyned.the Byshop straight waye went to the kyng and obteined his pardon. Whiche beyng graunted, he caused a warrant to be made out of hand for the Shriffes discharge, deliueryng the same to the messenger, who with spede returned with great ioy (for the loue hee bare to the partie) bringyng good newes to the towne, of Marbeckes pardon: whereat many reioysed. Of this pardon were diuers coniectures made. Some sayd it was by the sute of the good Shriffe Syr William Baryngton, and Syr Humffray Foster (with other Gentlemen mo that fauoured Marbecke) to the Byshop of Sarum and the other Commissioners, that the letter was sent.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaDiuers iudgementes why Marbecke was pardoned.Some sayd agayne, that it came of the Byshop of Sarum and Fachels first motion, beyng pricked in conscience for that they had so slenderly cast him away. Other thought agayne, that it was a policie purposed afore, by the Bishop of Winchester, of Sarum, and of D. London, because they would seme to bee mercifull. Which coniecture rose vpon this occasion. There was one Sadocke dwelling in the towne whiche was great with D. London and Symons: and hee should say iiij. dayes before the Sessions began, that the prisoners should be all cast and cōdemned, but Marbecke should haue his pardon.

[Back to Top]

Other there were that thought þ^e forsayd Bishops with Doct. Lōdon, had done it for this purpose: that he now hauing his life, would rather vtter such men as they would haue him to do, then to come in like daunger againe. Which coniecture rose vpon this: Symons metyng with Marbeckes wife, sayd thus vnto her: your husband may thanke God and good frendes: my Lord of Wynchester is good Lord vnto him, whiche hath got his pardon. But shall I tell you, quoth he? MarginaliaMarbecke reserued to vtter others.his pardon wilbe to none effecte, except he tell the truth of thinges to my Lord and other of the counsell, when he shalbe demaunded, for vnto that purpose only is he reserued. Alas Syr, quoth she, what can he tell? Well woman, quoth Symons, I tell thee plaine, if hee do not so, neuer looke to haue thy husband out of prison, and so departed from her.

[Back to Top]

The like meaning did M. Arche make to Marbecke him self, on the Saterday in the mornyng that the men should be brent, when he came to cōfesse them. I haue nothing, quoth hee, to say vnto you Marbecke at this time, but hereafter you must be content to do as shalbe enioyned you: meanyng he should be forced to do some vnlawfull thyng, or els to lye in perpetuall prison. And this was most likely to haue bene attempted, if they had proceded in their purpose: MarginaliaThe pestilent intent of the Byshops.whose intent was to haue gone through the whole Realme, in like sorte as they had begonne at Wyndsore, as the Byshop of Sarum cōfessed openly & said, that he trusted ere Christmas day folowing, to visite & clense a good parte therof. But most cōmonly, God sendeth a shrewed Cowe short hornes  

, or els many a thousand in England had smarted.

[Back to Top]

On Saterdaye in the morning, that the prisoners should go to execution, came in to the prison two of the Canons of the Colledge, the one called doctor Blythe, and the other maister Arche, which two were sent to be their Confessors. Maister Arche asked them, if they would be confest, and they sayd yea. Then he demaūded if they would receiue þ^e Sacramēt. Yea said they, with all our hartes. I am glad, quoth Arche, to heare

[Back to Top]