Critical Apparatus for this Page
Commentary on the Text
Names and Places on this Page
Unavailable for this Edition
1437 [1437]

K. Hen. 8. Persecution in Windsore. Testwood, Filmer, Person, Marbecke, Bennet.

MarginaliaThe Popes lawe is, that they that bee condemned of heresie, must not receaue the Sacrament.you say so, but the law is (quoth he) that it may not be ministred to none that are condemned of heresye. But it is enough for you that ye doe desire it. And so hadde them vp to the hall to heare their confessions, because the prison was full of people. Doctor Blithe tooke Anthony Person to him to confessee, and maister Arch the other two. But howsoeuer the matter went betwene the doctor and Anthony, he taried not long with him but came down again, saying he would no more of his doctrine. MarginaliaD. Blythe, or rather D. Blynde.Do you call him D. Blythe, quoth Antony? He may be called D. Blinde for his learning, as farre as I see. And soone after, the other two came downe also. Then Anthony seing much people in the prison, began to say the Lordes praier, whereof hee made a marueilous godly declaration, wherein hee continued tyll the Officers came to fet them awaye, and so made an end. And taking their leaue of Marbecke (their prison fellow) they praised God for his deliuerance, wishing to him the encrease of godlines and vertue, and last of all besought him hartley to helpe them with his praier vnto God, to make them strong in their afflictions, and so kissing him one after another, departed.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe prisoners lead toward theyr death.Nowe as the prisoners passed thorowe the people in the streetes, they desired all the faithfull people to pray for them, and to stande fast in the truth of the Gospel, and not to be moued at their afflictions, for it was the happpiest thing that euer came to them. And euer as doctor Blithe and Arche (who rode on ech side the prisoners) would perswade them to turne to their mother holy church: away would Anthony cry, away with your Romishe doctrine and all your tromperye, for we will no more of it. When Fylmer was come to his brothers doore, he stayed and called for his brother, but he could not be seene, for Doct. London had kept him out of sight that day for the nonce. And when hee had called for him a three or foure times, and sawe hee came not, he sayde: and wyll hee not come? Then God forgeue him and make him a good man. And so going foorth, they came to the place of execution, where Anthony Person with a cherefull countenaunce, embraced the Post in his armes, and kissing it, sayd: MarginaliaThe wordes of Anth. Person at the stake.Now welcome mine own sweete wife, for this day shalt thou and I bee maried together in the loue and peace of God. And being all three bound to the Post, a certaine young mā of Filmers acquaintance, brought hym a pot of drincke, asking if he would drinke. MarginaliaThe wordes of Henr. Filmer at hys death.Yea quoth Fylmer, I thanke you. And now my brother, quoth he, I shall desire you in the name of the liuing Lord, to stand fast in the truth of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, which you haue receaued, & so taking the pot at hys hand, asked his brother Anthony, if he would drinke. Yea brother Filmer quoth hee, I pledge you in the Lord. And when he had dronke, he gaue the pot to Anthony, and Anthony likewise gaue it to Testwod. MarginaliaThe sclauderous mouth of the Papistes.Of which drinkyng their aduersaries made a iestyng stocke, reportyng abroad that they were all dronke and wyst not what they sayd, when as they were none otherwise dronke then as the Apostles were, when the people sayd they were full of new wyne, as their dedes declared  

Commentary   *   Close

See Acts 2: 13.

. For when Anthony and Testwod had both dronken, and geuen the pot frō them, Filmer reioycing in the Lord, said: MarginaliaFilmers comfortable wordes to hys fellowes.Be merry my brethren, and lift vp your hartes vnto God, for after this sharpe breakefast, I trust we shall haue a good dynner in the kyngdome of Christ our Lord and redemer. At the whiche woordes Testwod liftyng vp his handes and eyes to heauen, desired the Lord aboue to receiue his spirit. And Anthony Person, pullyng the straw vnto him, layd a good deale therof vpon the top of his head, saying: MarginaliaGods Hatte.This is Gods hat: now am I dressed like a true souldiour of Christ, by whose merites onely, I trust this day to enter into his ioye. MarginaliaThe constant death of these Martyrs.And so yelded they vp their soules to the father of heauen, in the faith of his deare sonne Iesus Christ, with such humilitie and stedfastnes, that many whiche sawe their patient sufferyng, confessed that they could haue founde in their heartes (at that present) to haue dyed with them.

[Back to Top]
¶ How all their conspiracies were knowen.

MarginaliaBennet a Lawyer, sicke of the pestilence.YE haue heard before of one Rob. Bennet, how he was at the first apprehended with the other foure persons aforesayd, and cōmitted to the Byshop of Londons prison, and about the tyme hee should haue gone to Windsore, fell sicke of þe pestilence, by meane wherof he remained still in prison. MarginaliaBennet & Symons ioynte cōpanions, but contrarye in religion.This Bennet, & Symons (ye shall vnderstand) were the greatest familiars and company kepers that were in all Windsore, and neuer (lightly) swarued the one frō the other, sauyng in matters of Religion, wherein they could neuer agree. For Bennet the one Lawyer, was an earnest Gospeller, and Symons the other lawyer, a cankered Papist: but in all other worldly matters, they cleaued together like burres.

[Back to Top]

This Bennet had spoken certaine woordes agaynst their litle round God, for the whiche hee was as farre in as the best, and had suffered death with the other, if he had gone to Wyndsore when they went. MarginaliaR. Ockam sent vp by the Byshop of Salisburye and by others, to Gardiner with letters.And now that the matter was al done and finished, it was determined by the Bishop of Salisbury, that Robert Ockā on the Monday after the men were burnt, should go to the Bishop of Wynchester with the whole processe done at the Sessions the Thursday before. Then Symons, at Bennets wiues request, procured of the Bishop of Salisbury his fauourable letter to the Bishop of Wynchester for Bennettes deliueraunce. Whiche letter Bennets wife (for asmuch as her owne man was not at home, whiche should haue gone with the letter) desired Robert Ockam to deliuer to the Byshop, and to bryng her woorde agayne: who sayd he would. So forth went Ockam toward the Byshop of Winchester with his budget full of writynges, to declare and open all thinges vnto him that were done at Wyndsore Sessions: but all their wicked intentes (as God would haue it) were soone cut of and their doinges disclosed. MarginaliaThe conspiracie of the aduersaryes disclosed.For one of the Queenes men (named Fulke( whiche had lyen at Wyndesore all the tyme of the busines, MarginaliaMany good men, and certain of the priuie chamber, indited by the Byshops.and had gotte knowledge what a nomber were priuilye Indited, and of Ockams going to the bishop of Winchester, gat to the Court before Ockam, and told Syr Thomas Cardine and other of the priuie chamber, how all the matter stode. Wherupō Ockam was layd for and had by the backe, as soone as he came to Okyng, and kept from the Byshop.

[Back to Top]

On the next morow very early, Bennets wife sent her mā to the Court after Ockam, to see how hee sped with her husbandes letter. And when hee came there, he foūd Syr Thomas Cardine walkyng with Ockam vp and downe the greene before the Court gate: wherat he maruailed, to see Ockam with him so early, mystrustyng the matter: wherupon he kept him self out of sight, till they had broken of their communication. And as soone as he saw M. Cardine gone (leauing Ockā behinde) he went to Ockam and asked him, if he had deliuered his masters letter to the Bishop. No, said Ockā, the kyng remoueth this day to Gilforde, and I must go thether, & will deliuer it there. Mary, quoth he, and I will go with you, to see what aūswere you shall haue, and to cary woorde to my mistres, and so they rode to Gilford together. Where Bennets man (beyng better acquaynted in the towne then Ockam was) gat a lodgyng for them both, in a kinsmans house of his. That done, he asked Ockam, if hee would go and deliuer his mistres letter to þe bishop. Nay (said Ockam) you shal go and deliuer it your selfe, and tooke him þe letter. And as they were goyng in the streete togethers, and commyng by the Earle of Bedfordes lodgyng (then Lord priuie Seale) Ockam was pulled in by the sleue, and no more sene of Bennets man, till he sawe him in the Marshalsey. MarginaliaBennets mā goeth with hys mistres letter to the Bishop of Winchester.Then went Bennets man to the Bishops lodging and deliuered his letter. And when the Bishop

[Back to Top]
had