MarginaliaAn. 1555. May.one running one way, an other an other way, whych caused such a noyse in the church, that they in the Consistory were all amazed, and marueiled what it shoulde meane: wherefore the bishop also being somewhat afrayd of this sodayne sturre, asketh what there was to do. The standers by aunswering sayd, that there was like to be some tumult, for they were together by the eares. MarginaliaThe ridiculous feare of Boner and his Doctours.When the bishop heard this, by and by his hart was in his heeles, and leauing his seat, he with the rest of that Court betooke them to theyr legges, hastenyng with all speede possible to recouer the doore that went into the Bishops house: but the rest being somewhat lighter of foote then my Lord, dyd sooner recouer the doore, & thronging hastely to get in, kept the bishop still out, and cryed: saue my Lord, saue my Lord, but meaning yet fyrst to saue them selues, if any daunger should come, whereby they gaue the standers by good matter to laugh at: resembling in some part a spectacle not much vnlike to the old stagers of Oxford, worse feared then hurt, when as the Church there was noysed to be on fier, wherof ye may read before pa. 1383. But of this matter enough.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIoh. Symson and Iohn Ardeley sent into Essex to be executed.Now Iohn Symson and Iohn Ardeley being deliuered (as is aforesayd) to þe Shiriffes, were shortly after sent down from London to Essex, where both they on one day (which was about the. x. day of Iune) were put to death, albeit in seuerall places: for MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Symson, and Ardeley. Iune. 10.Iohn Symson suffered at Rocheford, Iohn Ardeley the same day was had to Rayley, where he finished hys martyrdome most quietly in the quarell of Christes gospell.
This last clause was added in the 1570 edition; it is quite possible that this reflects Foxe's belief that this is what should have happened, rather than reflecting any new information as to what actually happened.
FOr the better consideration of the rigorous crueltie of these catholicke dayes, thys is furthermore not vnworthy of all men to be noted and knowen to all posteritie, concerning the examinations of thys Ardeley and his company: how that they being brought before the Commissioners, were by them greatly charged of stubburnnes and vayne glory. Vnto whom they aunswered in defence of theyr owne simplicitie, that they were content wyllingly to yeld to the Queene all their goodes and landes, so that they might be suffered to lyue vnder her, in keeping their conscience free from al idolatry, and Papisticall religion. Yet thys would not be graunted, although they had offered all to their hart bloud: so greedy and so thirsty be these Persecutors, of Christian bloud. The Lord geue thē repentance if it be hys wyll, and keepe from them the iuste reward of such cruell dealyng, Amen.
[Back to Top]A narrative of Tooley's execution for theft, denunciation of the pope, the posthumous excommunication of him and the exhumation of his body were printed in the Rerum (pp. 443-44). This narrative was reprinted in all editions of the Acts and Monuments. In the first edition of the Acts and Monuments, Foxe added the letter sent to Bonner from the privy council, dated 28 April 1555, and Bonner's writ beginning the process of excommunication against Tooley as well as the depositions regarding Tooley's words on the scaffold and the examination of Robert Bromley. All of this material came from official records, now lost. There was probably a separate register kept for this case alone.
[Back to Top]Nothing in this account was altered in subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments
Many of the glosses (apart from the narrative pointers) are adversarial, and seek to show the absurdity of burning Tooly's bones. The use of the term 'Councell' ('A Councell called agaynst Tooly') seems designed to mock the excessive effort given over to the pursuit of Tooly after his death. Pole's name is linked with the practice ('Cardinall Poole a great doer in burning dead mens Bones'; 'M. Bucer Paulus Phagius, Peter Martyrs wyfe. Iohn Tooly, burned for heretickes after their death'). Another gloss investigates Bonner's motives and denies his assertion that he was motivated by conscience; his motivation was rather simply obedience to the Council, an attitude which could be more easily allied to the stereotype of Bonner as passionate and fearful than could the notion of a delicate conscience ('Note how Boner here pretendeth conscience in prosecuting this matter. when onely he was commaunded vnto it by the Counsells letters'). There is also a suggestion that the attack on Tooly's remains was a ploy to reveal sympathisers ('The Bishop layeth his bayte to catch whom he may trouble').
[Back to Top]There was about the time that the Spanyardes began first to keepe a sturre
I.e., when the Spaniards first began to be a notable presence in England.
Foxe is intimating that Tooley was treated more harshly than he otherwise would have been because his victim was Spanish.
ged, wheras notwithstādyng in this Realme there are many moe theftes committed then theeues executed.
The foresayd Tooly beyng lead to the Gallowes (which stoode fast by Charyng Crosse) a litle before hee died, standing vpon the Cart, read a certaine prayer in a Printed booke, and ij. other prayers written in ij. seuerall papers, who then hauyng the halter about hys necke, desired the people there present to pray for him, and to beare him witnes that MarginaliaIoh. Tooly dyed a true christian man.he dyed a true Christian man, and that he trusted to be saued onely by the merites of Christes passion and shedyng of his precious bloud, MarginaliaThe christen confession of Tooly.and not by any Masses, or Trentals,
Trentals were a set of 30 requiem masses said on behalf of the dead.
Trentals were a set of 30 requiem masses said on behalf of the dead.
After this it happened that when Tooly had read the byll the first tyme, it fell from hym: and a certayne young man (who was thought to be a prentise)
I.e., an apprentice.
I.e., paper.
I.e., paper.
I.e., Bromley was brought before Bishop Bonner's court.
Thus, while Tooly had made hys prayers, as is aboue sayd, to be deliuered from the Popes tyranny, by the same praier he fell into great tyranny. For so soone as the brute
I.e., report or rumour.
At the last (after much pro and contra) they al consented to those mens iudgements, which thought it meete that the violatyng of the Popes holynes should be reuenged wyth fier and fagot. MarginaliaCardinall Poole a great doer in burning dead mens bones.And I do easely beleue, that Cardinall Poole was no small doer in thys sentence: for as Winchester and Boner dyd alwayes thyrst after the bloud of the liuing, so Pooles lightning was for the most part kyndled agaynst the dead: and hee reserued thys charge onely to hym selfe, I knowe not for what purpose, except peraduenture being loath to be so cruell as the other, he thought neuertheles by thys meanes to discharge his dutye toward the Pope. By the same Cardinals lyke lightening and fiery fiste, MarginaliaM. Bucer, Paulus Fagius, Peter Martyrs wife, I. Tooly, burned for heretickes after their death.the bones of Martin Bucer, & Paulus Phagius, which had lyen almost two yeares in their graues, were takē vp and burned at Cambridge, as Toolyes carcase was here at London. And besides thys, because he would shew some toke of his diligence in both Vniuersities,
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