1570 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1770 
Marginalia1555. Aprill.was sent to England, he sayd, he thanked God that euer he had lyued to see that day, addyng moreouer that he beleued that by the vertue of that Bull he was as cleane from sinne, as that night that he was borne:MarginaliaBlasphemy to Christes Gospell punished.
Closeand immediatly vpon the same fell sodenly downe out of the Puplit, and neuer styrred hand nor foote, and so lay he. Testified by Rob. Austen of Chartham
CloseNightingale was not named in the 1563 edition; instead he was identified, or misidentified, as the parson of 'Arundall in Canterbury'. Nor was the sermon quoted in the 1563 edition nor was Robert Austen mentioned in this edition. Clearly, Austen read the account in the 1563 edition and sent Foxe further details, clarifying and correcting the original account.
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CloseThere was a brief note in the Rerum stating that John Alcock died on 2 April 1555 in Newgate prison and was buried in the fields (p. 431). This note was reprinted in all editions of the Acts and Monuments, without change, except that Newgate was only mentioned in the Rerum.
This John Alcock, or Awcock, is very probably the Hadleigh shearman whose arrest and imprisonment is described elsewhere by Foxe. There is a manuscript copy of Alcock's answer to the privy council's interogation of him in Foxe's papers (BL, Lansdowne 389, fo. 212v).
MarginaliaAprill. 2. Iohn Awcocke, Martyr.IN the moneth of Aprill, and the second day of the same moneth, dyed in prison Iohn Awcocke, who after was buryed in the fieldes, as the maner of the Papists was to deny their Christian buriall to such as dyed out of their popish Antichristian Church.
CloseThe information, and lack of information, on George Marsh in the Rerum is revealing. Foxe stated that Marsh was the curate of [Church] Langton and that he received the living from Laurence Saunders, the martyr, who was the rector of Church Langton. Foxe added that Marsh was burned on 24 April 1555 (Rerum, p. 432). He then stated that nothing else had reached him about Marsh apart from two letters, which are printed in Rerum, pp. 432-41. Once again, the Rerum was strong on documents but weak on oral sources and eyewitness accounts.
[Back to Top]In the 1563 edition, Foxe added the background on Marsh's early life, Marsh's own account of examinations by Bishop Cotes of Chester and an eyewitness account of Marsh's death and Cotes's sermon denouncing the martyr. In the second edition, Foxe added Marsh's account of his treatment and examinations by the earl of Derby and members of his household. (It is quite interesting that Marsh's accounts of his imprisonment and examinations by Derby first, and then by Bishop Cotes, came to Foxe at separate times and, presumably, from separate sources. The source for the information used in 1563 appears to have been in Chester. This is an important reminder of Foxe's dependence on informants, particularly informants who were able to send eyewitness accounts or material written by the martyrs themselves). Marsh's letter summarizing his examinations was also added to 1570, while Foxe shortened and modified his earlier account of Bishop Cotes's sermon against Marsh and its aftermath.
[Back to Top]The account of Marsh's martyrdom was unchanged in the third and fourth editions of the Acts and Monuments.
CloseAs is usual, many of the glosses in this section describe the various stages of apprehension, interrogation and execution. Some of the glosses suggest Marsh's approximation to / imitation of Christ ('G. Marsh of his owne voluntary minde offereth himself to his enemies'; 'Peters counsell to Christ, to saue himselfe'; 'G. Marsh followeth Christes aunswere to Peter'). Opposed to him are the forces of Antichrist, characterised in the usual ways: Marsh is cruelly treated during his imprisonment (the favoured term is 'straitness') and is forced to do things asked of common criminals ('G. Marsh caused to hold vp his handes at Lancaster amongest other malefactours'; 'The vnmercifull straitenes of the Byshop toward G. Marsh in prison'; 'The strayt keeping of Marsh in prison'). Bishop Cotes is particularly disliked by Foxe. One gloss accuses Cotes of prejudice ('The B. iudgeth Marsh to be an hereticke, before he heareth him'), followed soon after with a series of glosses accompanying an account of bad bishops of the ancient church ('No new thing for Byshops to be persecutors', 'Examples of persecuting Bishops in the old tyme', 'Byshop Iasan', 'B. Annas and Cayphas'). There is a reference to the lustful demise of the bishop ('Gods iust reuenging hand vpō a persecuting Bishop'); the text reveals Foxe's source to have been rumour.
[Back to Top]Further attacks on the ungodly include a gloss pointing to the disloyalty of catholic nobles to Edward I ('The Earle of Darby, L. Windsor, and Lord Dacars in K. Edwards time agreed not to the Actes of Religion') and an attack on the blasphemous utterance of one of Marsh's detractors ('This blasphemous mouth of the parson of Grapnal'). There are also glosses objecting to the manner in which discussions with Marsh were conducted ('The Byshops clergy more able to examine than to dispute'; 'So sayth the Turke in his Alcaron that no man must dispute of his lawe'). These objections may have been motivated by Marsh's less than authoritative performance in the face of his interrogators. The glosses point to his reluctance to answer on the crucial question of the sacrament, and his later sense that this was due to a lack of boldness ('G. Marsh loth to aunswere to the question of transubstantiation'; 'Marsh troubled in his consciēce for being no more bolde touching the Sacrament'), a quality he eventually obtains ('G. Marsh strengthened in prison with the boldnes of Gods spirite').
[Back to Top]There is an interesting contrast between the glosses 'Neither the place nor person of the Pope spoken agaynst but onely his doctrine' and 'Gods mercy preferred before the Queenes mercy': the first reproduces Marsh's relatively sophisticated point that his dislike of the papacy is not to be taken as hatred for particular popes. The latter gloss emphasises his stark choice between the queen's authority and his faith. Unlike the earlier gloss, it omits his qualifications (in this case his loyalty to the queen in all but this), presenting the reader with the bare terms of his choice; the precedence of faith over political allegiance was too crucial a point to be obscured. Foxe occasionally sharpens or adds logical matters to Marsh's words ('Christes breaking of bread. Luke 24 proueth not the receiuing vnder one kinde'; 'Argument. Linus and Anacletus were good men. Ergo the Pope is the supreame head of all Churches'). Some glosses are out of position in the 1583 edition.
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CloseMarsh was also the curate of Laurence Saunders' other living at All Hallow's Bread Street, London. Clearer evidence that Marsh's career was being fostered by powerful Edwardian protestants could not be desired.
MarginaliaGeorge Marsh detected.thē Bishop of Chester,MarginaliaGeorge Cotes Bishop of Chester persecuter. in streit prison in Chester, within the precinct of the Byshops house, about the space of iiij. monethes, beyng not permitted to haue relief and comfort of his frendes: but charge beyng giuen vnto the Porter to marke who they were that asked for him and to signifie their names vnto the Byshop, as by the particular description of his story testified and recorded with his own penne, more euidently may appeare in the processe here vnder folowyng.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe examination of George Marsh, written with his own hand.ON the Monday before Palme Sonday, which was the xij. day of March, it was told me at my mothers house that Rog. Wrinstone with other of M. Bartons seruauntes did make diligent search for me in Bolton,
CloseIt becomes clear, later in this account, that the earl of Derby ordered that a determined search be made for Marsh. This suggests that Marsh had been quite active preaching in the area of Bolton, Lancashire, where he clearly had friends, family and a network of supporters.
I knowing this by relation of diuers of my frendes, was diuersly affected, MarginaliaGeorge Marsh aduertised by his frendes to flye.my mother and other my frēdes aduertising me to flye and to auoyde the perill, which thing I had intended afore after a weeke then next ensuyng, if this in the meane while had not chaunced, seing, that if I were takē and would not recant in matters of Religion, (as they thought I would not, and as God strēgthening & assistyng me with his holy spirite I neuer wil) it would not onely haue put thē to great sorrow, heauines, & losses, with costes & charges, to their shame and rebuke in this worlde, but also myne own self after troublous & painfull prisonmēt, vnto shamefull death.
[Back to Top]This considered, they aduised and counselled me to depart and flye the countrey, as I had intended to haue done if this had not happened. MarginaliaG. Marsh in a perplexity whether to flye or to tary.To whose counsell my weake flesh would gladly haue consented, but my spirite did not fully agree: thynking and saying thus to my selfe: that if I fled so away, it would be thought, reported, and sayd, that I did not onely flye the countrey and my nearest and dearest frendes: but much rather frō Christes holy word, accordyng as these yeares past I had with my hart, or at least with myne outward liuyng professed, & with my mouth & word taught, accordyng to the small talent giuen me of the Lord. I beyng thus with their aduise and counsell, and the cogitations and counsailes of myne owne mynde drawen, as it were, diuers wayes, went from my mothers house, saying I would come agayne at euenyng.
[Back to Top]In the meane tyme I ceased not by earnest prayer to aske and seeke counsaile of GodMarginaliaGeorge Marsh consulteth with God. (who is the geuer of all good giftes) and of other my frendes, whose godly Iudgementes and knowledge I much trusted vnto. After this I mette with one of my sayd frendes on Deane Moore about sūne goyng down: & after we had consulted together of my busines, not without harty prayer kneelyng on our knees, we departed, I not fully determining what to do, but takyng my leaue with my frend, sayd I doubted not but God (accordyng as our prayer and trust was) would geue me such wisedome and counsaile, as should be most to his honour and glory, the profite of my neighbours and brethren in the world, and obtainyng of myne eternall saluation by Christ in heauen.
[Back to Top]This done, I returned to my mothers house agayn, where had bene diuers of M. Bartons seruauntes seeking after me: who when they could not find me, straitly charged MarginaliaMarshes brethren charged to seeke hym.my brother and William Marsh to seeke me that night, & to bring me to Smethehilles the next day: who beyng so charged were gone to seeke me in Adderton, or elswhere I know not. Thus intendyng afore to haue bene all night with my mother, but then considering that my tarying there would disquiet her with
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