Marginalia1555. March.came to visite him, he would passe away the tyme in prayer & exhortations, admonishing thē alwayes to beware of false prophets which come in sheepes clothing.

Now when he had continued in Cardiffe Castle by the space of one whole yeare (as I haue sayd) the tyme of his farther triall was at hand. Whereupon the afore named Byshop of Landaffe caused him to be brought agayne frō the Castle of Cardiffe vnto his owne house besides Chepstow, and whilest hee continued there, the Byshop assayed many wayes how to reduce him to some cōformitie. MarginaliaRaulins by no meanes could be reduced to returne to Popery.But when all meanes either by their threatnyng wordes or flatteryng promises were to no purpose: the Byshop willed him, to aduise and bee at a full point with him selfe, either to recant his opiniōs, or els to abide the rigour of the law, and therupon gaue hym a day of determination.

Which day being come, the Byshop with his Chaplaines went into his chappell, not without a great nūber of other by dwellers that came to beholde the maner of their doynges. MarginaliaRaulins brought before the B. of Landaffe in open iudgement.When the Byshop with his retinue were placed in order, poore Raulins was brought before them. The Byshop after great deliberatiō in addressing him selfe (as it seemed) and silence forewarned to the rest that were there present, vsed a long kynd of talke to hym, declaryng the cause of his sendyng for, which was for that hee was a man well knowen to hold hereticall opinions, and that through his instructiō many were led into blynd errour. In the end he exhorted him to consider his owne estate wherin he stode: for (sayd the Byshop) MarginaliaThe wordes of the bish. to Raulins.Raulins you haue bene oftentymes since your first trouble, both here in my house and elswhere bene trauailed withall touching your opinions, and that notwithstanding ye seeme altogether obstinate & willfull. Now, hereupon we thought good to send for you, to see if there were any conformitie in you: so that the matter is come to this point, that if you shall shewe your selfe repentant for that which you haue done both agaynst God and the Princes law, we are ready to vse fauour towardes you: but if by no meanes we cā persuade with you touchyng your reformation, we are mynded at this tyme to minister the law vnto you, and therefore aduise your self what you will do.

When the bishop had made an end of hys long tale, this good father Rawlins spake very boldly to him and sayd: MarginaliaRaulins answereth to the Byshop.My Lord, I thanke God I am a Christian man, and I hold no opinions contrary to the word of God: and if I do, I desire to be reformed out of the word of God, as a Christian man ought to be. Many mo words in lyke sorte were betwene the bishop and Rawlins, which this reporter doth not very well remēber. But in the ende when Rawlins would in no wyse recant his opinions, the bishop told hym playnly that he must proceede agaynst him by the law, and condemne him as an hereticke.

Proceede in your law a Gods name, sayd Rawlins: but for an hereticke you shall neuer cōdemne me while the world standeth. But (sayd the bishop to hys company) before we proceede any further with hym, MarginaliaThe B. of Landaffe procedeth with prayer in condēnation of Raulins, which cōmonly the popish persecutors are not wont to do.let vs pray vnto god that he would send some sparke of grace vpon hym (meaning Rawlins) and it may so chaunce that God through our prayer wyll turne & conuert hys hart. Whē Rawlins heard þ^e bishop say so: Ah my Lord (quoth he) now you deale well & like a godly bishop, and I thanke you most hartely for your great charity & gentlenes. Christ sayth: Where as two or three be gathered in my name, I wyll be in the middest of them, and there be mo then two or three of you. Now if it bee so that your request be godly and lawfull, and that you pray as ye shoulde pray, wythout doubt God will heare you. And therfore my Lord go to, do you pray to your God, and I wyll pray to my God. I know that my God wil both heare my prayer, and performe my desire.

MarginaliaThe Bish. prayeth to hys God, & Raulins to hys.By and by the bishop wyth hys company fell to praier. And Rawlins turning him selfe to a Pew that stood somwhat neare hym, fell downe vpon hys knees coue-

ring his face with his hands: and whē they had praied a while, the bishop with his cōpany arose from praier. And thē also arose Rawlins, & came before the bishop.

Then sayd the Bishop: now Rawlins, howe is it with thee? wylt thou reuoke thy opinions, or no? Surely (sayd Rawlins) my Lord: MarginaliaRawlins confirmed in his doctrine.Rawlins ye left me, and Rawlins you finde me, and by Gods grace, Rawlins I wyll continue. Certainly if your petitions had bene iust and lawful, God would haue heard them: but you honor a false God, and pray not as ye should pray, MarginaliaPopishe Byshops pray to a false god, and therefore are not heard.and therefore hath not God graunted your desire: But I am onely one poore simple man as you see, & God hath heard my complaynt, and I trust he will strengthen me in his own cause.

The bishop when he perceaued that this hipocrisie of theirs tooke none effect, then with hote wordes hee reproued him, and forthwith was ready to read the Sentence. Howbeit vpon some aduise geuen to hym by hys Chaplens that were there present, MarginaliaA Masse sayd for conuersiō of Rawlins.hee thought best first to haue a Masse, thincking that in deede by so doing, some wonderfull worke shoulde be wrought in Rawlins, and thereupon a Priest began Masse.

In the meane tyme poore Rawlins betooke him selfe to prayer in a secrete place thereby, vntyll such time as the Priest came to the sacring (as they terme it) which is a principall poynt of theyr idolatry. When Rawlins heard the sacring bell ryng (as the vse was) hee rose out of hys place, and came to þ^e Quiere doore, and there standing a whyle, turned hym selfe to the people, speakyng these wordes: MarginaliaThe words of Rawlins to the people at the sacring tyme.Good people, if there be any brethren amongest you, or at the least if there bee but one brother amongest you, the same one beare me wytnes at the day of iudgement, that I bow not to this Idoll, meanyng the Hoste that the Priest held ouer hys head.

The Masse beyng ended, Rawlins eftsoones was called for agayne. To whom the bishop vsed many perswasions: MarginaliaRawlins still constant in the professiō of Gods truth.but the blessed man continued stedfast in his former profession, that the bishops talke was altogether in vayne, and to no purpose. Whereupon the B. caused þ^e diffinitiue Sentence to be read.MarginaliaSentence read against Rawlins. Which being ended, Rawlins was dismissed, and from thēce he was by the Bishops cōmaundement caryed againe to Cardiffe, MarginaliaRawlins sent to prison in Cardiffe castle.there to be put into the prison of the towne, called Cockmarell, a very darke, lothsome, & most vile prison.

Rawlins in the meane whyle passed away the tyme in prayer, and chiefly in singing of Psalmes: whych kynde of godly exercise he alwayes vsed, both at Cardiffe Castell, and in all other places.

Now, after hee had thus continued as prisoner in Cockmarell prison at Cardiffe (as is aforesayd) a good space, about three weekes before the day wherein he suffered, the head officers of the towne that had the charge of his executiō, MarginaliaThe officers intending to burne Rawlins without a writte.were determined to burne him, because they would be the sooner ryd of hym: hauyng not in deede the Wryt of execution awarded, as by the law they should haue. Whereupon one Henry Lewes the Recorder of the towne that thē was, seing that they went about to burne hym without any warrant by Writ came to them, & told thē, that if they dyd burne hym before they had the Wryt De hereticis cōburendis, the wife of the said Rawlins would vpon iust cause by law, call their doinges into question.  

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De heretico comburendo is actually the name of the act, enacted in 1401,repealed under Edward VI, and re-enacted under Mary, which made heresy a crime punishable by death. But it was true that a writ had to be secured from Chancery for the execution of a heretic.

Immediately vpon this aduertisment, they sent to London for the Wryt aboue named: MarginaliaThe writte awarded for burning of Rawlins.vpon the receipt whereof they made some speede to the execution of the sayd Rawlins. Now when the day was come, wherin the good father should performe and accomplish the last act of thys hys worthy conflict, he was the night before willed to prepare him selfe.

Now, when hee perceaued his tyme no lesse neare then it was reported vnto him, he sent forthwith to his wyfe, and willed her by the messenger that in any wise she should make ready and send vnto hym his MarginaliaRaulins wedding garment.wedding garment, meaning a Shiert which afterward hee was burned in. Which request or rather commaundement