MarginaliaAn. 1556. Aprill.hast, the sayd Alyce went with spede to bryng the key, and so takyng vp the key in hast did pitiously burne her hād. Wherupon she crying out at the sodein burnyng of her hand: Ah thou drabbe, quoth the other, thou that canst not abyde the burnyng of the key, how wilt thou be able to burne the whole body, and so she afterward reuoked. And thus much concernyng these three Salisbury Martyrs.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAprill. 24.MarginaliaSixe Martyrs burnt in Smythfild at one stake.ABout the. xxiiij. day of Aprill. Anno Do. 1556. were burned in Smithfielde at one fyre, these sixe constant Martyrs of Christ, suffering for þ^e profession of þ^e Gospel, viz.

Robert Drakes Minister.
William Tyms Curate.
Rychard Spurge Shereman.
Thomas Spurge Fuller.
Iohn Cauell VVeauer.
George Ambrose Fuller.

MarginaliaThese Martyrs were sent vp by the L. Rich, by M. Tyrrell, and others.They were all of Essex, and so of the dioces of London, & were sent vp, some by the Lord Rich, & some by others at sundry tymes, vnto Steuen Gardiner B. of Winchester, then L. Chauncellour of England, about the. xxij. day of March. An. 1555. Who vpon small examination, sent them, some vnto the kynges Bench,  

and others vnto the Marshalsey, where they remayned almost all the whole yeare, (vntill the death of the sayd Bishop of Winchester) and had during that tyme nothing sayd vnto them. Whereupon, after that Doct. Heath Archbyshop of Yorke was chosen to the offyce of Lord Chauncellorship, foure of these persecuted brethren, being now weery of thys their long imprysonment, made their supplication vnto the sayd D. Heath, requyring his fauour and ayde for their deliueraunce: the copy whereof ensueth.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaA supplication vnto the Lord Chauncelor.MAy it please your honorable good Lordship, for the loue of God, to tēder the humble sute of your lordships poore Orators, whose names are subscribed, which haue lyen in great misery in the Marshalsey, by the space of. x. monethes and more, at the commaundement of the late Lord Chauncellour, to their vtter vndoing, wyth their wiues and children. In consideration wherof, your Lordships sayd Oratours do most humbly pray and besech your good Lordship to suffer them to be brought before your honour, and there, if any man of good conscience can lay any thing vnto our charge, we trust eyther to declare our innocency against their accusations, or if otherwyse theyr accusations can bee proued true and we faulty, we are ready (God helping vs) wyth our condigne punishmentes to satisfy the law according to your wyse iudgement, as we hope full of fatherly mercy towardes vs and all men, according to your godly office, in the which we pray for your Godly successe to the good pleasure of God, Amen.

[Back to Top]

This Supplication was sent (as is sayd) and subscribed with the names of these. iiij. vnder following.

MarginaliaNames subscribed to the supplication.
Richard Spurge.
Thomas Spurge.
George Ambrose.
Iohn Cauell.

Vpon the receat and sight hereof, it was not longe after, but Sir Richard Read Knight, then one of the Officers of the Court of the Chauncery. 16. day of Ianuary, was sent vnto the Marshalsey, to examine the sayd foure prisoners: MarginaliaRich. Spurge examined.and therefore beginning first wyth Richard Spurge vpon certayne demaundes, receyued his aunswers thereunto: the effecte whereof was, that he with others were complayned vpon by the Parson of Bocking,MarginaliaThe Parson of Bocking accuser. vnto the Lord Rich,  

for that

[Back to Top]

they came not vnto their Parish Church of Bocking, where they inhabited: and thereupon was by the said Lord Rich, sent vnto the late Lord Chauncellour, about the. xxij. day of March last past, viz. Anno. 1555. And farther he said, MarginaliaFor not comming to the Popish church.that he came not to Church sithens the first alteration of the English seruice into Latine, (Christmas day was thē a tweleuemoneth only except) and that, because he mislyked both the same and the Masse also, as not consonant and agreeing with Gods holy word. Moreouer, he requyred that he might not be any more examined vpon the matter, vnlesse it pleased the Lord Chauncellour that then was, to know his fayth therein, which to hym he would willingly vtter.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThomas Spurge examined.Thomas Spurge being then next examined, made the same aunswere in effect that the other had done: MarginaliaNot comming to the church, and why.confessing that he absented him selfe from the Church, because the word of God was not there truely taught, nor the Sacramentes of CHRIST duely ministred in such sort as was prescribed by the same word. MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.And being farther examined of his beliefe concerning the Sacrament of þ^e aultar, he sayd: that if any could accuse hym thereof, he would then make aunswere as God had geuen hym knowledge therein.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaGeorge Ambrose examined.The like aunswere made George Ambrose, adding moreouer, that after hee had red the late Byshop of Winchesters booke, intituled De vera obedientia, with Boners Preface thereunto annexed, inueying (both) against the authority of the Bishop of Rome, he did much lesse set by their doinges then before.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaIohn Cauell examined.Iohn Cauell agreeing in other matters wyth them, MarginaliaThe cause why Ioh. Cauell came not to church.aunswered that the cause why he did forbeare the comming to the Church, was, that the Parson there had preached two contrary doctrines. For first in a Sermon that hee made at the Queenes first entry to the crowne, he did exhort the people to beleue the Gospell: for it was the truth, and if they did not beleue it, they should be damned. But in a second Sermon, he preached that the Testament was false in fourty places. which contrarietie in hym was a cause amongst other, of his absenting from the Church. MarginaliaThe Parson of Bocking false and contrary to hys owne doctrine.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaRobert Drakes Parson of Thundersley examined.About the fourth day of March next after, Robert Drakes was also examined, who was Parson of Thūdersley in Essex, & had there remayned þ^e space of three yeares. He was first made Deacon by Doct. Taylor of Hadley, at the commaundement of Doct. Cranmer,  

late Archbishop of Caūterbury. And within one yeare after (which was the third of the reigne of Kyng Edward) hee was by the sayd Archbishop and Doctour Ridley Bishop of London, admitted minister of Gods holy word and Sacramentes, not after the order then in force, but after such order as was after stablished, MarginaliaDrakes placed in the benefice of Thundersley by the L. Rich.and was presented vnto the sayd benefice of Thundersley by the Lord Rich, at the sute of M. Causton and M. Treheron:   and now notwithstanding was sent vp by the sayd Lord Rich, with the others before mentioned: and at his comming to the bishop of Winchester, was by hym demaunded whether hee would conforme hym selfe lyke a subiect to the lawes of this realme then in force. To the which he sayd, he would abide all lawes that stoode with the lawes of God: and thereupon was committed to pryson, where hee and the rest aboue named did remayne euer sythens.

[Back to Top]

Now remayneth likewyse to declare the examination of W. Tyms, Deacon and Curate of Hocley in Essex. But before I come to hys examination, first here is to be opened and set forth the order and maner of