MarginaliaAn. 1555. Aprill.her houshold, I departed frō thence, and went beyond Deane Church, and there taryed all night with an olde frend of myne, takyng ill rest, and consultyng much with my selfe of my trouble.

So at my first awakyng, one came to me frō a faythfull frend of mine with letters, which I neuer read nor yet looked on, who sayd this: MarginaliaThe meruailous prouidence of God in resoluing G. Marsh not to flye, but to tary.My frendes aduise was that I should in no wise fly, but abyde & boldly confesse þ^e faith of Iesus Christ. At whose wordes I was so confirmed and established in my conscience, that frō thence forth I consulted no more, whether was better to flye or to tary, but was at a point with my self that I would not flye, but go to M. Barton, who did seeke for me, and there present my selfe, and patiently beare such crosse, as it should please god to lay vpō my shoulders. Wherupon my mynd and conscience afore beyng much vnquieted and troubled, was now mery & in quyet estate. So betymes in the mornyng I arose, and after I had sayd the English Letany (as my custome was) with other prayers kneelyng on my knees by my frendes bed side, I prepared my selfe to goe toward Smethhilles: and as I was goyng thether ward, MarginaliaG. Marsh tooke his leaue of his frendes.I went into the houses of Harry Widdowes, of my mother in law, of Raffe Yeton, & of the wife of Tho. Richardson, desiryng them to pray for me, and haue me commended to all my frendes, and to cōfort my mother, and be good to my litle children: for (as I supposed) they should not see my face any more, before the last day: and so tooke my leaue of them not without teares shed on both parties, and came to Smethhilles about nine of the clocke, and presented my selfe afore M. Barton:MarginaliaG. Marsh of hys owne voluntary mynde offereth himselfe to hys enemies. who shewed me a letter from the Earle of Darbye, wherein hee was commaunded to send me with others to Lathum.

Whereupon he charged my brother and William Marsh, to bryng and deliuer me the next day, by tenne of the clocke before the sayd Earle or his counsaile. I made earnest sute with other speciall frendes, which I had there at þ^e same tyme, to M. Barton, that he would take some one of them or thē all bound by recognysaūce or otherwise, for myne appearing before the said Earle or his sayd counsaile, that my brother and William Marsh might be at home, because it was the chiefest time of seedyng, and their ploughes could not go if they were not at home: but nothyng could be obtained.

So we went to my mothers, and there I dyned and shifted part of my clothes, & so praying, MarginaliaG. Marsh taketh his leaue of his mother.tooke my leaue of my mother, the wife of Richard Marsh, and both their housholdes, they and I both weepyng, and so departed frō them, and went toward Lathum, and were all night a myle & a halfe on this side Lathum. So the next day which was Wednesday, we arose, prayd, and came to Lathum betymes, and taryed there till foure of the clocke at after noone. Then was I called by Roger Mekynson, to come to my Lord and his counsaile,MarginaliaG. Marsh brought before the Earle of Darby. and so I was brought into the chāber of presēce, where was present Syr W. Nores, Syr Pierce Alee, M. Shereburne the Parson of Grapenhall, M. More, with others. Where when I had taryed a litle while, my Lord turned him toward me, and asked what was my name. I aūswered, Marsh. Then he asked whether I was one of those that sowd euill seede and dissension amongest the people. Which thyng I denyed, desiryng to know myne accusers, and what could be laid against me: but that could I not know.

Then sayd he, he would with his counsaile examine me themselues,MarginaliaG. Marsh examined before the Earle of Darby. and asked me whether I was a Priest. I said no. Thē he asked me, what had ben my liuing? I aūswered, I was Minister, serued a Cure, and taught a Schole. Then sayd my Lord to his counsaile, this is a wonderfull thyng. Afore he sayd he was no Priest, and now he confesseth hym selfe to be one. I aunswered, by the lawes now vsed in this realme (as farre as I do know) I am none.

Then they asked me who gaue me orders, or whether I had taken any at all? I aūswered, I receiued or-

ders of the Bishops of London and Lincolne.

Then sayd they one to an other, those bee of these new heretickes, & asked me what acquaintance I had wyth them? I aunswered, I neuer saw them, but at the tyme when I receiued orders.

They asked me how long I had ben Curate, and whether I had ministred wyth a good conscience? I answered, I had bene Curat but one yeare, and had ministred with a good conscience, I thanked God, and if the lawes of the Realme would haue suffered mee, I woulde haue ministred styll: and if the lawes at any time here after would suffer me to minister after that sort, I would minister agayne.

Whereat they murmured: and the parson of Grapnall sayd: MarginaliaThe blasphemous mouth of the parson of Grapnall.thys last Communion was the most diuelishe thing that euer was deuised. Then they asked me what my beliefe was?

I aunswered, I beleued in God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Gost, according as the scriptures of the old and new testament do teach, and according as the. iiij. Symboles or Creedes, that is to wyt, the Creede commonly called Apostolorum, the Creede of Nice Coūcel, of Athanasius, & of Austen, & Ambrose doe teach.

And after a fewe wordes, the Parson of Grapnall said: but what is thy beliefe in the sacramēt of þ^e aultar?

MarginaliaGeorge Marshes beleife in the sacrament.I aunswered, I beleued that whosoeuer, according to Christes institution, dyd receaue the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud, dyd eate and drinke Christes body and bloud with all the benefites of his death and resurrection to their eternall saluation: for Christ (sayd I) is euer present with hys sacrament.

Then asked they me, whether the bread and wyne, by the vertue of the wordes pronounced of the Priest, were chaunged in to the flesh and bloud of Christ, and that the sacrament, whether it were receiued or reserued, was the very body of Christ?

Whereunto I made aunswere, I knew no further then I had shewed already. MarginaliaG. Marsh loth to answer to the question of transubstantiatiōFor my knowledge is vnperfect (sayd I): desiring them not to aske mee such hard and vnprofitable questions, whereby to bring my body in to daunger of death, and to sucke my bloud. Whereat they were not a little offended, saying they were no bloudsuckers, and intended nothing to mee but to make me a good Christian man.

So after many other questions, which I auoyded as well as I could, remembring the saying of Paule: Foolish and vnlearned questions auoyde, knowing they do but ingender strife: my Lord commaunded me to come to the boord, and gaue me pen and incke in my hand, MarginaliaG. Marsh commaunded by the Earle of Darby to write his answeres.and cōmaunded me to write mine aunswers to the questions of the sacrament aboue named: and I wrote as I had aunswered before. Whereat he being much offended, commaunded me to wryte a more direct aunswer, saying, I should not chuse but do it. Then I tooke the pen and wrote, that further I knew not. Whereat he being sore greeued, after many threatnings, said I should be put to shameful death like a traytor, with such other lyke wordes, and sometymes geuing me faire wordes, if I would turne and bee conformable as other were, how glad he would be.

In cōclusion, after much adoe, MarginaliaThe Earle of Darby cōmaundeth G. Marsh into prison.he commaunded me to Ward into a cold windy stone house, where was litle roume, where I lay two nightes without any bed, sauing a few great canues tentclothes, and that done, I had a payre of sheetes, but no woollen clothes, and so continued tyll Palmsonday, occupying my selfe aswell as I could in meditation, prayer, and study, for no man could be suffered to come to me, but my keeper twyse a day when he brought me meate and drincke.

¶ An other examination of G. Marsh before the Earle of Darby.  

Commentary     Close

18 March 1554.

ON Palme sonday at after dinner I was sent for to my Lord and his counsel (sauing Sir William No-