MarginaliaAn. 1555. Iune.sayd that I came to talke with my Lord, and not with any of them.
With that came the Byshop, bringing a letter in his hand the which he had written in my name, and read it vnto me after thys maner: MarginaliaThe Byshop writeth Haukes confession.I Thomas Haukes, do here confesse and declare before my said Ordinary Edmund Byshop of London, that the Masse is abominable and detestable, and full of all superstition, and also as concerning the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ (commonly called the sacrament of the altar) that Christ is in no part therof, but onely in heauen: this I haue beleued, and this I do beleue. &c.
[Back to Top]Haukes. Stop there my Lord: what I haue beleued, what haue you to do withall? But what I do beleue, to that stand I and will.
Then he tooke his penne, and sayd that he would scrape it out for my pleasure, & so did to my thinckyng. Then he went further with his writyng, and sayd: I Tho. Haukes haue talked with my sayd Ordinary, and with certaine good, godly, and learned men. Notwithstandyng I stand still in myne opinion.
Haukes. Shall I graunt you to be good, godly, and learned men, and yet graunt my selfe to stand in a contrary opinion? No, I will not graunt you to be good, godly, and learned men.
Boner. Ye will graunt that ye haue talked with vs: the other I will put out for your pleasure. Then sayd all his Doctours, if your Lordshyp be ruled by hym, he will cause you to put out all together: and then he read more vnto me. Here vnto this bill haue I set to my hand: and then he offred me the bill and his pen, and bad me set my hand to it.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaTho. Haukes denieth to set his hand to Boners writing.Haukes. Ye get not my hand to any thyng of your makyng or deuising.
Boner. Wilt not thou set to thy hand? It shalbe to thy shame for the denying of it. And then he called all his Doctours, & sayd he would haue euery mans hand to it that was in the chamber, and so he had of theyr handes to it, and sayd: he that will not set his hand to it, I would he were hanged, and so sayd all his Chaplains and Doctours with a great noyse.
[Back to Top]Then the Bishop thrust me on the breast with great anger, and sayd he would be euen with me and with all such proud knaues in Essex.
Haukes. Ye shall do no more then God shall geue you leaue.
MarginaliaBoner in a fume with Tho. Haukes.Boner. This geare shall not be vnpunished, trust to it.
Haukes. As for your cursinges, raylinges, and blasphemynges, I care not for thē: for I know the mothes and wormes shall eate you, as they eate cloth or wool.
Bysh. I will be euē with you, when time shall come.
Haukes. Ye may in your malice destroy a man: but when ye haue done, ye can not do so much as make a finger, and ye be meetly euen with some of vs already.
Boner. If I do thee any wrong, take the law of me.
Haukes. Salomon sayth: God not to law with a Iudge. For he wyll iudge according to hys own honour.
This verse is obscure.
Boner. Salomon sayth: Geue not a foole an aunswer.
Proverbs 26: 4.
Haukes. What? do you count me a foole?
Boner. Yea by my trouth do I, and so doest thou me to: but God forgeue thee, *Marginalia* And euen now ye sayd you would be euen with him. and so do I.
Haukes. Thought is free my Lord. Then tooke Boner the byll and read it againe, and when he sawe that he could not haue my hand to it, then hee woulde haue had me take it into my hande, and to geue it hym againe.
Haukes. What needeth that ceremonye? Neyther shall it come into my hand, hart, nor minde. Then hee wrapt it vp, and put it in his bosome, and in a great anger went his way, and called for his horse and went to horsbacke: for the same day he rode in visitation into Essex: and so went I to prison, frō whence I came, with my keeper. And this was the second time of my examination. Written by me Thomas Haukes, who desireth all faithfull men and brethren, to pray vnto
[Back to Top]God to strengthen me in his truth vnto the end. Pray, pray, pray, gentle brethren pray.
After all these priuate cōferences, persuasions, & lōg debatinges had with Tho. Haukes in þe bishops house, as hetherto hath bene declared, the Byshop seyng no hope to wynne hym to his wicked wayes, was fully set to procede opēly agaynst him after the ordinary course of his Popish law. MarginaliaThoms Haukes cited to the Bishops consistory.Whereupon Tho. Haukes shortly after was cited with the rest of his other felowes aboue specified, to wytte, Tho. Tomkyns, Ste. Knyght, W. Pygot, Ioh. Laurence, & W. Hunter, to appeare in the Bishops Consistory, the viij. day of February, this present yeare, videlt. 1555.MarginaliaEx Registro. Vpon which appearaūce was layd agaynst him, in like order, as to the other, MarginaliaThe first daies Sessions against Thomas Haukes.first the bill of his confession, written with Boners hand, to the which bill ye heard before how this blessed seruaūt of God denyed to subscribe. After which bill of confession beyng read, and he constantly standyng to the sayd confession, the Byshop then assigned hym with the other v. þe next day folowing, which was þe ix. of February, to appeare before him agayn, to giue a resolute aūswere what they would sticke vnto. MarginaliaThe secōd daies Sessions agaynst Thomas Haukes.Which day beyng come, and these foresayd vj. prisoners beyng seuerally called before the Byshop, at the commyng of Thomas Haukes, the Byshop willed him to remember what was sayd to him yesterday, & now while he had tyme & space, to aduise with hym selfe, what he would aunswere: for he stoode vpō lyfe and death. MarginaliaThe aunswere of Thomas Haukes.Wel, quoth M. Haukes agayne, I will willyngly receaue what soeuer shall be put vnto me.
[Back to Top]Then were certaine other Interrogatories or Articles commensed agaynst hym by the sayd Bishop (in like maner as to the other) to the number of foure: with an other bill also, which Boner brought out of his bosome conteining priuate matters agaynst the sayde Tho. Haukes, which the bishop called heresies and errours, but we may better call them Christian verities. To the which matter being read, the sayd Haukes answered openly againe saying, that it was true, and that he was glad it was so true as it was: with mo wordes to the like effect. And this was on the forenoone, the. ix. day of February.
[Back to Top]In the afternoone againe the sayd Haukes appearing and hearing the foresayde byll of his confession, with the Articles and Interrogatories read vnto hym, with like constancie aunswering againe to the bishop: MarginaliaThe word s of Thomas Haukes at his iudgemēt.My Lord (sayd he) as you being my great friend haue caused these my sayings to be written: so do you cause them to be read: and yet I will neuer go from them. And then being exhorted by þe bishop with many fayre wordes, to returne againe to the bosome of the mother Church: No my Lorde (sayd hee) that wyll I not: MarginaliaThe inuin-ble constancy of Thomas Haukes.for if I had an hūdred bodies, I would suffer them all to be torne in peeces, rather then I wyll abiure or recant. And so continuing stil in the same song, notwithstanding that þe Doctors & Lawyers were euer calling vpon him to come agayne to the vnity of the Church, he euer kept them of with this aunswer, that he would neuer go from the beliefe he was in, so long as hee lyued. MarginaliaThomas Haukes condemned by B Boner.Wherupon Boner at last read the Sentence of death vpon hym, and so was hee condemned the same day with the residue of hys fellowes, which was the. ix of February.
[Back to Top]Neuertheles MarginaliaThe death of Haukes differred.his execution was prolonged, and he remained in prison till the 10. day of Iune.
Most unusually Haukes was formally condemned twice; once on 9 February 1555 and once on 25 May 1555 (See PRO, C/85/127, fos. 4r and 9r). It is probable that Haukes had friends who interceded and tried to secure clemency for him. When this failed, the authorities decided to secure another writ for his execution as a precaution.
[Back to Top]Thomas Haukes by the way vsed much exhortatiō to his frendes, and when soeuer oportunitie serued to