Marginalia1555. August.Priests which had maried in king Edwards daies, putting their wyues from them, should be compelled to returne agayne to their chastity and single lyfe. MarginaliaRobert Samuell would not consent to the wicked decree of Q. Mary to put away his wife.This decree would not Samuel stand vnto, for that he knew it to be manifestly wicked and abominable, but determining with him selfe, that Gods lawes were not to bee broken for mans traditions, kept his wyfe styll at Ipswich, and gaue his diligence in the meane time to the instructing of other which were about him, as occasion serued. At last M. Foster hauing intelligēce hereof, being a great doer in those quarters, foreslacked  

no tyme nor diligēce, but eftsoones sēdeth out his espials abroad, laying hard wayte for Samuel, that if he came home to hys wyfe at any tyme, they might aprehend hym and cary hym to prison.

[Back to Top]

In conclusion, when such as should betray him, espied hym at home with hys wyfe, they bringing word to the officer, came immediately flocking about his house, and beset it with a great company, and so tooke hym in the nyght season, because they durst not do it in the day time for feare of trouble and tumult,  

although good Samuell did nothing withstand them at all, but meekely yelded him selfe into their clouches of his own accord.MarginaliaRobert Samuell apprehended in his house by night. When they had thus caught him, they put him into Ipswych gaile,MarginaliaRobert Samuell put in Ipswich Gaile. where he passed his time meekely among his godly brethren, so long as he was permitted to continue there. Howbeit not long after, being taken from thence, he was caried (through malice of the wycked sort) to Norwich,MarginaliaRobert Samuell remoued to Norwich. where the sayd Bishop D. Hopton, (whether he or D. Dunnings his Chauncellour)   full lyke vnmercyfull Prelates exercised great cruelty against him, as in deede they were men in that tyme of persecution, as had not their matches for straitnes and cruell tormenting the bodies of the Saintes among all the rest beside, and specially through the procuring of Dunninges. MarginaliaThe crueltie of D. Dūninges the bloudy Chauncellour.For although the other were sharpe inough in their generation: yet could they be satisfied with imprisonment and death, and woulde go no further. Neyther did I euer yet heare of any besides these which so farre exceeded all boundes of pity and compassion in tormēting their poore brethrē as this bishop did: in such sort that many of them he peruerted & brought quite from the truth, and some from their wyts also.

[Back to Top]

The Bishop therfore, or els his Chauncellour, thinking that he might as easely preuayle wyth Samuel, as he had done with other before, MarginaliaThe cruell handling of Robert Samuell in prison.kept him in a very strait pryson at hys first cōming, where he was chained bolt vpright to a great post, in such sort, that standing onely on tiptoe, hee was fayne to stay vp the whole payse or waight of hys body therby. And to make a mendes for þ^e cruelty or payne that he suffered, they added a farre more greuous torment, keeping hym wythout meate & drinke, whereby he was vnmercifully vexed through hunger and thirst:MarginaliaRobert Samuell famished in prison. sauing that he had euery day allowed two or three mouthfulls of bread, and three spone fuls of water, to the end rather that he might be reserued to farther torment, then that they woulde preserue hys lyfe. O worthy constancye of the Martyr. O pityles harts of Papists, worthy to be complayned of , and to be accused before God and nature.  

O the wonderfull strength of CHRIST in hys members? Whose stomacke, though it had bene made of Adamant stone, would not haue relented at these intollerable vexatiōs, and extreme paynes aboue nature? MarginaliaRobert Samuell desirous to drinke his owne water, and could not.How often times would he haue dronken hys own water, but hys body was so dryed vp with this long emptines, that hee was not able to make one drop of water?

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaStrange visions that happened to Samuell.
Samuell brought to burning.At the last, when he was brought forth to be burned,  

which was but a trifle in comparison of those paynes that he had passed, certaine there were that heard him declare what straunge things had happened vnto hym during the tyme of hys imprisonment: to wyt, that after he had bene famished or pined with hunger two or three daies together, he then fell into a sleepe, as it were one halfe in a slumber, at which tyme one clad all in

[Back to Top]

white, semed to stand before him, which ministred cōfort vnto hym by these wordes: Samuell, Samuell, be of good chere, and take a good hart vnto thee. For after thys day shalt thou neuer be either hungry or thirsty: Which thing came euen to passe accordingly: for speedely after he was burned, and from that tyme tyll he should suffer, he felt neither hunger nor thirst. And thys declared he, to the ende (as he sayd) that all men myght behold the wonderfull workes of God. Many mo like matters cōcerning the great cōfort he had of CHRIST in hys afflictions, he could vtter (he sayd) besides thys, but that shamefastnes and modestye would not suffer hym to vtter it.MarginaliaGreat comforts ministred by the Lord to Samuell in his paynfull prisonment. And yet if it had pleased God, I would rather hee had bene lesse modest in that behalfe, that the loue and care that CHRIST hath of hys, myght haue the more appeared thereby vnto vs by such present argumentes, for the more plentifull comfort of the godly, though there be sufficient testimonies of the same in the holy scriptures already.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAn other memorable vision of Samuell in prison.No lesse memorable it is, and worthy also to be noted cōcerning the three ladders which he told to diuers he saw in his slepe, set vp toward heauen: of the which there was one somewhat longer then the rest, but yet at length they became one, ioyning (as it were) all three together. This was a forwarning reuealed vnto him, declaryng vndoubtedly the martyrdome, first of hym selfe, and then the death of two honest women, whych were brought forth and suffered in the same towne anon after.

[Back to Top]

As this godly Martyr was goyng to the fire, there came a certain maideMarginaliaThe name of this maide was Rose Nattingham. to him which tooke him about the necke and kissed him, who beyng marked by them that were present, was sought for the next day after, to bee had to prison and burned, as the very partie her selfe informed mee:  

howbeit, as God of hys goodnes would haue it, she escaped their fiery handes, keepyng her selfe secrete in the towne a good while after. But as this maide, called Rose Nattinghā, was meruailously preserued by þ^e prouidēce of God: so there were other ij. honest women did fall into the rage & fury of that time. MarginaliaTwo godly wemē, the one a bruers wife, the other shomakers wife, apprehēded.The one was a Bruers wife, the other was a Shoemakers wife, but both together now espoused to a new husband CHRIST.

[Back to Top]

With these two was this mayd  

aforesayd very familiar and well acquainted, who on a time geuing coūsell to the one of them, that she should conuey her selfe away while she had tyme and space, seyng she could not away with the Queenes vniust procedynges, had this aunswere at her handes again: I know well saith she, that it is lawful inough to flie away, which remedy you may vse, if you list. But my case standeth otherwise. MarginaliaThis godly wife exhorted to fly, would not so do, hauing husband and children to sticke to.I am tied to a husband, and haue besides a sort of young children at home: and then I know not how my husband being a carnall man will take my departure from him: therfore I am minded for the loue of CHRIST and his truth to stand to the extremitie of the matter.

[Back to Top]

And so, the next day after Samuell suffered, these ij. godly wiues, the one called MarginaliaAnne Potten. Michaell Trunchfieldes wife.Anne Potten, the other called Ioane Trunchfield, the wife of Michaell Trunchfield Shoemaker  

of Ipswich, were apprehended, and had both into prison together. Which as they were, both by sexe and nature somewhat tender: so were they at first lesse able to endure the straitnes of the prison, and especially the Bruers wife was cast in to marueilous great agonyes and troubles of minde therby. MarginaliaThe Lord Iesus a ready helper in times of weakenes.But CHRIST beholdyng the weake infirmitie of his seruaunt, did not faile to help her when she was in this necessitie. So at the length they both suffered after Samuell. an. 1556. February 19. as shalbe by the Lordes grace declared hereafter. And these (no doubt) were those ij. ladders, which beyng ioyned with the third, Samuell saw stretched vp into heauen. This blessed Samuell þ^e seruaunt of CHRIST, suffered the 31. of August. an. 1555.

[Back to Top]

The report goeth  

among some that were the presēt,