MarginaliaAn. 1555. February.made: but none was founde.

¶ Here foloweth an other examination of Maister Hooper.  

Commentary     Close

An account of this examination, copied from a now lost act book, is among Foxe's papers (BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 36r-39r). Foxe, however, is following an eyewitness account which he printed in the Rerum and then in all versions of the Acts and Monuments.

MarginaliaAn other examination of M. Hooper before the Byshop of Winchester and his fellowes.THe 28. of Ianuary, Winchester and other the Cōmissioners, sat in iudgement at Saint Mary Oueries, whereas Maister Hooper appeared before them at after none agayne, and there, after much reasoning and disputatiō to and fro, he was commaunded aside, tyll Maister Rogers (which was then come) had bene likewyse examined. Examinations being ended, the two Shiriffes of London were commaunded about. 4. of the clocke to cary them to the Counter in Southwarke, there to remayne vntill the morrowe at ix. a clocke, to see whether they woulde relent & come home againe to their catholike church. So Maister Hooper went before with one of the Shirifes, and Maister Rogers came after wyth the other, and being out of the church dore, Maister Hooper looked backe, and staied a little, tyll Maister Rogers drew nere, vnto whom he sayd: MarginaliaM. Hoopers wordes to M. Rogers.Come brother Rogers, must we two take this matter first in hand, and begyn to frye these fagottes? yea Syr (sayd M. Rogers) by Gods grace. Doubt not (said Maister Hooper) but God wyll geue strength. So going forwards, there was such a preasse of people in the streetes which reioyced at their constancy, that they had much adoe to passe.

By the way the Shirife sayd to Maister Hooper: I wonder that ye were so hasty and quicke with my Lord Chaūcelor, and dyd vse no more patience. He aunswered: Maister Shiriffe, I was nothing at all impatient, although MarginaliaM. Hooper earnest in his Maisters cause.I was earnest in my Maisters cause, and it standeth me so in hand, for it goeth vpon life and death: not the lyfe and death of thys world onely: but also of the worlde to come. Then were they committed to the Keeper of the Counter, and appointed to seuerall chambers, wyth commaundement that they should not bee suffered to speake one wyth an other, neyther yet any other permitted to come at them that night.

MarginaliaThe thyrd and last examination of Maister Hooper.Vpon the next day following, the. 29. of Ianuary, at the houre appoynted they were brought agayne by the Shiriffes, before the sayd Byshop and Commissioners in the Church, where they were the day before. And after long and earnest talke, when they perceyued that Maister Hooper would by no meanes condescēd vnto them, they caused him to be disgraded, MarginaliaM. Hooper condemned.and read vnto him his condemnation.  

Commentary     Close

A record of Hooper's condemnation, copied from a now missing act book, is in Foxe's papers (BL, Harley 421, fos. 46r-48v).

When it was darke, Maister Hooper was lead by one of the Shiriffes, wyth many byls and weapons, first through the bishop of Wichesters house, and so ouer London Bridge, through the Citye to Newgate. And by the way, some of the Sergeants were willed to go before, and put out the Costerdmongers candels, who vse to sit wyth ligh- in the streetes: eyther fearing (of lykelyhood) that the people would haue made some attempt to haue taken him away from them by force, if they had seene hym go to that prison: or els beyng burdened wyth an euyll conscience, MarginaliaDarknes best for the Papistes.they thought darknes to be a most fit season for such a busines. But notwithstanding this deuise, the people hauing some foreknowledge of hys cōming, many of them came forth of their doores wyth lyghtes and saluted him, MarginaliaThe people reioycing at the constancie of M. Hooper and Maister Rogers.praysing God for his constancie in the true doctrine which he had taught them, and desiring God to strengthen hym in the same to the end. Maister Hooper passed by, and requyred the people to make their earnest prayers to God for hym, and so went through Cheapeside to the place appoynted, and was deliuered as close prysoner, to the

the keeper of Newgate,MarginaliaMaister Hooper sent to Newgate. where he remayned. vj. dayes, no body being permitted to come to hym, or to talke wyth hym, sauing hys keepers and such as shoulde bee appointed thereto.

Duryng this time, MarginaliaB. Boner & his chaplaynes reason with Maister Hooper in prison.Boner Byshop of London, and others at his appointment, as Fecknam, Chedsey, and Harpsfield. &c. resorted diuers tymes vnto hym to assay if by any meanes they could persuade hym to relent and to become a member of their Antichristian Church. All the wayes they coulde deuise they attempted. For besides disputations and allegations of testimonies of the Scriptures and of auncient writters wrasted to a wrong sense, accordyng to their accustomed maner, they vsed also all outward gentlenes and significatiōs of frendship, with many great profers and promises of worldly commodities, not omittyng also most greuous threatnynges, if with gentlenes they could not preuayle: but they found him alwayes one man, stedfast and immoueable. When they perceiued that they could by no meanes reclame him to their purpose, with such persuasions and offers as they vsed for his cōuersion, then went they about by MarginaliaFalse rumors of Maister Hoopers recantatiō.false rumors & reportes of Recantations (for it is well knowen that they and their seruauntes did spread it first abroad) to bryng hym & the doctrine of Christ which he professed, out of credite with the people. So the brute being a litle spread abroad, and beleued of some of the weaker sort by reason of the often resort of the Byshop of London, and other, it encreased more, and at the last came to M. Hopers eares. Wherewith he was not a litle greued that the people should geue so light credite vnto false rumours, hauyng so simple a ground: as it may appeare by a letter which hee wrote vpon that occasion: the copy wherof foloweth.

¶ A Letter of Maister Hoper for the stoppyng of certaine false rumours spread abroad of hys Recantation.  

Commentary     Close

Hooper wanted this letter to be widely circulated and, judging from the number of copies which survive, he succeeded. Copies of it among Foxe's papers are: BL, Lansdowne 389, fos. 4v-5r; ECL 260, fos. 225v-226r and BL, Add. 19400, fo. 28r. A copy of the letter came into Foxe's hands in exile and it was printed in Rerum, p. 290; 1563; Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 130-31 and subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaA purgation of Maister Hooper against false rumors spred of his recantation.THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with all them that vnfaynedly looke for the comming of our Sauiour Christ, Amen.

Deare brethren and sisters in the Lord, and my felow prisoners for the cause of Gods Gospell: I do much reioyce and geue thankes vnto God for your constācy and perseueraunce in affliction, vnto whom I wishe continuance vnto the end. And as I do reioyce in your fayth and constancy in afflictions that be in prison: euen so do I mourne and lament to heare of our deare brethrē that yet haue not felt such daungers for Gods truth as we haue and do feele, and be dayly lyke to suffer more, yea the very extreme and vile death of the fire: Yet such is the report abroad (as I am credibly enformed) that I Iohn Hoper a condemned man for the cause of Christ, should now after sentence of death (beyng in Newgate prisoner and lookyng dayly for execution) recant and abiure that which heretofore I haue preached. MarginaliaThe occasion of this rumor how it riseth.And this talke ariseth of this, that the Bishops of London and his Chapleines resort vnto me. Doubtles if our brethren were as godly as I would wishe them, they would thinke, that in case I dyd refuse to talke with thē, they might haue iust occasion to say that I were vnlearned, and durst not speake with learned men, or els proud and disdaynfull to speake with them. Therfore to auoyd iust suspition of both, I haue and doe dayly speake with them when they come: not doubting but that they report that I am neither proud, nor vnlearned. And I would wishe all men to do as I do in this poynt. For I feare not their Arguments, neither is death terrible vnto me, praying you to make true report of the same as occasion shall serue: and that I am more confirmed in the truth which I haue preached heretofore by their commyng.

Therfore ye that may send to the weake brethren, pray them that they trouble me not with such reportes of recantatiōs as they do. For I haue hetherto left all things of the world & suffred great paynes and imprisonement, and I thanke God I am as ready to suffer death, as a mortall man may be. It were better for them to pray for vs, then to credite or report such rumors that be vntrue. We haue enemies enough of such as know not God truly. But yet MarginaliaFalse reportes a greuous crosse.the false report of weake brethren is a double Crosse. I wish you eternall saluation in Iesus Christ