pure worde of God I gaue my labours. Read here your generall Councels, or els geue me a booke wherein they are contayned, that I may read them. If that they agree with the worde of God, I will not disagree. MarginaliaThey rūne apase to sheede bloud.Then the rauenyng wolues turned into woodnes & said, wherfore let we him speake any further? Read forth the rest of the Articles and stay not vpon them. Among these cruell Tygers, there was one false hipocrite, MarginaliaIohn Graifinde Scot, an hastye butcher to hys slaughter.a seducer of the people called Iohn Grayfind Scot, standyng behynde Iohn Lauders backe, hastyng him to read the rest of the Articles, and not to tary vpon his witty and godly aunsweres: For we may not abyde them (quoth he) no more then the deuill may abyde the signe of the Crosse, when it is named.
[Back to Top]Marginalia16. Article.16 Thou hereticke sayest, that it is vayne to builde to the honour of God, costly Churches, seyng that God remayneth not in the Churches made by mens handes, nor yet God cā be in so litle space as betwixt the Priestes handes.
MarginaliaAunswere.My Lordes, Salomon
I Kings 8:27.
Job 11:8-9.
Marginalia17. Article.17 Thou false hereticke contemnest fastyng, and sayest thou shouldest not fast.
MarginaliaAunswere.
True fasting hee alloweth.My Lordes, I finde that fastyng is commended in the Scripture: therfore I were a sclaunderer of the Gospell, if I contemned fastyng. And not so onely, but I haue learned by experience, that fastyng is good for the health of the body. But God knoweth who fasteth the true fast.
Marginalia18. Article.18 Thou false hereticke hast preached openly, saying that the soule of man shall slepe to the latter day of iudgement, & shall not obtayne lyfe immortall vntill that day.
MarginaliaAunswere.God full of mercy and goodnes forgeue them that sayth such thynges of me. I wot and know surely by the woorde of God, MarginaliaThe faythfull soule shall neuer sleepe.that hee whiche hath begon to haue the faith of Iesu Christ and beleueth firmely in him, I know surely that the soule of that mā shall neuer slepe, but euer shall lyue an immortall lyfe. The whiche lyfe from day to day is renued in grace and augmented: nor yet shall euer perish, or haue an end, but euer immortall shall liue with Christ. To the whiche lyfe all that beleue in hym shall come and rest in eternall glory. Amen.
[Back to Top]When the Byshops with their complices had accused this innocent man in maner and forme aforesayd, incontinently they condemned him to bee burnt as an hereticke, not hauyng respect to his godly aunsweres and true reasons whiche hee alledged, nor yet to their owne consciences, thinkyng verely that they shoulde do to God good sacrifice, conformable to the sayinges of S. Iohn
John 16:2.
MarginaliaThe praier of Maister George Wysehart for the congregation of God.O Immortall God, how long shalt thou suffer the woodnes and great crudelitie of the vngodly to exercise their fury vpon thy seruauntes whiche do further thy worde in this world, seyng they desire to be cōtrary, that is to choke & destroy thy true doctrine & veritie, by the which thou hast shewed thy selfe vnto the world, which was all drowned in blindnes and misknowledge of thy name. O Lord we know surely that thy true seruauntes must needes suffer for thy names sake, persecution, affliction and troubles in this present lyfe, whiche is but a shadowe, as thou hast shewed to vs by thy Prophets and Apostles. But yet we desire thee hartely, that thou conserue, defende, and helpe thy congregation, whiche thou hast chosen before the beginnyng of the worlde, and geue them thy grace to heare thy worde, and to bee thy true seruauntes in this present lyfe.
[Back to Top]Then by and by, they caused the common people to voyde away, whose desire was alwayes to heare that innocent man to speake. Then the sonnes of darknes pronounced their sentence definitiue, not hauyng respect to the iudgement of God. When all this was done and sayd, the Cardinall caused his warders to passe again with þe meke Lambe into þe Castle, vntil such time as the fire was made ready. When hee was come into the Castle, then there came ij. Gray feendes, Frier Scotte and his mate, saying: Sir ye must make your confession vnto vs. He aūswered and sayd: I wil make no confession vnto you. Go fetch me yonder man that preached this day, and I will make my confession vnto him. Then they sent for the Suppriour
John Winram, who had preached earlier in the day and who was later to be Foxe's informant for much of his other Scottish material.
When the fire was made ready and þe gallowes at þe West part of þe Castle nere the Priory, the Lord Cardinall dreadyng that M. George should haue bene takē awaye by his frendes, commaunded to bende all the ordinaunce of the Castle right agaynst that part, and commaunded all his gunners to bee ready and stand beside their gunnes, vnto such tyme as hee were burned. All this beyng done, they bound Master Georges handes behind his backe, and lead him forth with their souldiours from the Castle to the place of their wicked execution. As hee came forth of the Castle gate, there mette him certayne beggers askyng his almes for Gods sake. To whom hee aunswered, MarginaliaM. Wysehart prayeth for the reliefe of the poore.I wante my handes where with I should geue you almes: but the mercifull Lord, of his benignitie and aboundaunce of grace, that feedeth all men, vounchsafe to geue you necessaries both vnto your bodyes & soules. Then afterward met him two false fiendes, I should say Friers, saying. M. George, pray to our Ladye, that she may be mediatrix for you to her sonne. To whom he aunswered mekely: MarginaliaM. Wysehart aūswereth the Friers tempting hym.Cease, tempte me not my brethren. After this hee was lead to the fire with a rope about his necke, and a chaine of Iron about his middle.
[Back to Top]When that he came to the fire, he sat downe vppon his knees, and rose agayne, and thrise hee sayd these woordes: O thou Sauiour of the world haue mercy on me. Father of heauen I commende my spirite into thy holy handes. When he had made this prayer, hee turned him to the people and sayd these woordes:
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe wordes and exhortation of M. Wysehart at hys death to the people.I beseche you Christian brethren and sisters, that ye bee not offended in the woorde of God for the affliction and tormentes, whiche ye see already prepared for me. But I exhorte you that ye loue the woorde of God, and suffer patiently and with a comfortable harte for the woordes sake, whiche is your vndoubted saluation and euerlastyng comfort.
[Back to Top]Moreouer, I pray you shew my brethren and sisters, which haue heard me oft before, that they cease not, nor leaue of þe worde of God, whiche I taught vnto thē after the grace geuen vnto me, for no persecutions or troubles in this world, whiche lasteth not: and shewe vnto them that my doctrine was no wyues Fables after the cōstitutions made by men. And if I had taught mens doctrine, I had gotten great thankes by mē. MarginaliaThe constant pacience of this good man.But for the wordes sake and true Euāgell, whiche was geuen to my by the grace of God, I suffer this day by mē, not sorowfully, but with a glad hart and minde. For this cause I was sent, that I should suffer this fire for
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