Thematic Divisions in Book 11
1. The Martyrdom of Rogers 2. The Martyrdom of Saunders 3. Saunders' Letters 4. Hooper's Martyrdom 5. Hooper's Letters 6. Rowland Taylor's Martyrdom 7. Becket's Image and other events 8. Miles Coverdale and the Denmark Letters 9. Bonner and Reconciliation 10. Judge Hales 11. The Martyrdom of Thomas Tomkins 12. The Martyrdom of William Hunter 13. The Martyrdom of Higbed and Causton 14. The Martyrdom of Pigot, Knight and Laurence 15. Robert Farrar's Martyrdom 16. The Martyrdom of Rawlins/Rowland White17. The Restoration of Abbey Lands and other events in Spring 155518. The Providential Death of the Parson of Arundel 19. The Martyrdom of John Awcocke 20. The Martyrdom of George Marsh 21. The Letters of George Marsh 22. The Martyrdom of William Flower 23. The Martyrdom of Cardmaker and Warne 24. Letters of Warne and Cardmaker 25. The Martyrdom of Ardley and Simpson 26. John Tooly 27. The Examination of Robert Bromley [nb This is part of the Tooly affair]28. The Martyrdom of Thomas Haukes 29. Letters of Haukes 30. The Martyrdom of Thomas Watts 31. Mary's False Pregnancy32. Censorship Proclamation 33. Our Lady' Psalter 34. Martyrdom of Osmund, Bamford, Osborne and Chamberlain35. The Martyrdom of John Bradford 36. Bradford's Letters 37. William Minge 38. James Trevisam 39. The Martyrdom of John Bland 40. The Martyrdom of Frankesh, Middleton and Sheterden 41. Sheterden's Letters 42. Examinations of Hall, Wade and Polley 43. Martyrdom of Christopher Wade 44. Martyrdom of Carver and Launder 45. Martyrdom of Thomas Iveson 46. John Aleworth 47. Martyrdom of James Abbes 48. Martyrdom of Denley, Newman and Pacingham 49. Richard Hooke 50. Martyrdom of William Coker, et al 51. Martyrdom of George Tankerfield, et al 52. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Smith 53. Martyrdom of Harwood and Fust 54. Martyrdom of William Haile 55. George King, Thomas Leyes and John Wade 56. William Andrew 57. Martyrdom of Robert Samuel 58. Samuel's Letters 59. William Allen 60. Martyrdom of Roger Coo 61. Martyrdom of Thomas Cobb 62. Martyrdom of Catmer, Streater, Burwood, Brodbridge, Tutty 63. Martyrdom of Hayward and Goreway 64. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Glover 65. Cornelius Bungey 66. John and William Glover 67. Martyrdom of Wolsey and Pigot 68. Life and Character of Nicholas Ridley 69. Ridley's Letters 70. Life of Hugh Latimer 71. Latimer's Letters 72. Ridley and Latimer Re-examined and Executed73. More Letters of Ridley 74. Life and Death of Stephen Gardiner 75. Martyrdom of Webb, Roper and Park 76. William Wiseman 77. James Gore 78. Examinations and Martyrdom of John Philpot 79. Philpot's Letters 80. Martyrdom of Thomas Whittle, Barlett Green, et al 81. Letters of Thomas Wittle 82. Life of Bartlett Green 83. Letters of Bartlett Green 84. Thomas Browne 85. John Tudson 86. John Went 87. Isobel Foster 88. Joan Lashford 89. Five Canterbury Martyrs 90. Life and Martyrdom of Cranmer 91. Letters of Cranmer 92. Martyrdom of Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield 93. Persecution in Salisbury Maundrell, Coberly and Spicer 94. William Tyms, et al 95. Letters of Tyms 96. The Norfolk Supplication 97. Martyrdom of John Harpole and Joan Beach 98. John Hullier 99. Hullier's Letters 100. Christopher Lister and five other martyrs 101. Hugh Lauerocke and John Apprice 102. Katherine Hut, Elizabeth Thacknell, et al 103. Thomas Drury and Thomas Croker 104. Thomas Spicer, John Deny and Edmund Poole 105. Persecution of Winson and Mendlesam 106. Gregory Crow 107. William Slech 108. Avington Read, et al 109. Wood and Miles 110. Adherall and Clement 111. A Merchant's Servant Executed at Leicester 112. Thirteen Burnt at Stratford-le-Bow113. Persecution in Lichfield 114. Hunt, Norrice, Parret 115. Martyrdom of Bernard, Lawson and Foster 116. Examinations of John Fortune117. John Careless 118. Letters of John Careless 119. Martyrdom of Julius Palmer 120. Agnes Wardall 121. Peter Moone and his wife 122. Guernsey Martyrdoms 123. Dungate, Foreman and Tree 124. Martyrdom of Thomas More125. Examination of John Jackson126. Examination of John Newman 127. Martyrdom of Joan Waste 128. Martyrdom of Edward Sharpe 129. Four Burnt at Mayfield at Sussex 130. John Horne and a woman 131. William Dangerfield 132. Northampton Shoemaker 133. Prisoners Starved at Canterbury 134. More Persecution at Lichfield
Critical Apparatus for this Page
Commentary on the Text
Names and Places on this Page
Unavailable for this Edition
2163 [2124]

Quene Mary. Iulius Palmer. The trouble of Agnes Wardall in Ipswich.
MarginaliaAn. 1556. July.MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Iulius Palmer at Newbery. An. 1556. Iuly. 16.¶ The burnyng of Iulius Palmer, Martyr.

De martyrio Palmeri hexasticon.

MarginaliaEpitaphium in Palmerū.
Palmerus flammas Christi pro dogmate passus,
Impositum pondus, ceu bona palma tulit.
Non retrocessit, sed contra audentior iuit,
Illæsam retinens, fortis in igne fidem.
Propterea in cœlum nunc Palmifer iste receptus,
Iustitiæ Palmam non pereuntis habet.

Iustus vt Palma florebit.

A memorable story of one Agnes Wardall in the Towne of Ipswiche, pursued for the true fayth of CHRISTES Gospell.  
Commentary   *   Close
Agnes Wardall

This entire account was first introduced in the 1570 edition and was unchanged in subsequent editions. As Foxe reveals in a marginal note, at the end of this story, Foxe reveals that the source for this account was Peter Moon, whose account of his own ordeals follows this one.

MarginaliaIuly. A notable storye of Agnes Wardall of Ipswich.ABout the sayd moneth of Iuly, in this present yeare. 1556. there was one Richard Argentine, Doct. of Physicke, otherwise called Richard Sextē, with certaine other dwelling then in the Towne of Ipswiche, not many in number, but in hart and purpose mightily bent to impugne and impeach the growyng of CHRISTES Gospell, and the fauourers of the same. MarginaliaD. Argentine scholemaster, Mat. Butler Constable, Phil. Vlmet, Edm. Leach, Ioh. Steward, persecutors.In the number of whō were Philip Vlmes, Edmond Leache, Iohn Steward, and Mathew Butler Apothycarie,  

Commentary   *   Close

Phillip Ulmes is almost certainly Phillip Williams. In 1556, Williams, Steward and Butler sent a petition to the royal commissioners, denouncing protestants in Ipswich and urging that they be prosecuted (1576, p. 1981; 1583, pp. 2089-90).

a curious singing man, a fine player of the Organes, a perfect Papist, and a diligent promoter of good men. This Butler beyng then Constable in the Towne of Ipswiche, as he was in his watch by night vpon Cornehill, commeth to him Doct. Argentine in great hast, geuyng him intelligence of one Agnes Wardall, beyng then lately come home to her house in Ipswiche. Wherupon immediatly such a way was contriued betwene them, that the said Agnes Wardall forthwith should be apprehended: but God in whose prouidence the direction of all thinges consisteth, by whose disposition they haue their operation, so gratiously prouided for his seruant, and so preuented their malignant deuises, that they came to no great effect in workyng, although on the contrary part there wanted no good will, as here consequently you shall further vnderstād.

[Back to Top]

This Agnes Wardall was a woman that lyued in Gods feare,  

Commentary   *   Close

Agnes Wardall was a member of the parish of St Clement's in Ipswich which contained a striking number of protestants (see 1576, p. 1981; 1583, p. 2090). Richard Agentine was the rector of St Clement's, so he would certainly have known the Wardalls and his persecution of them may well have been personal.

[Back to Top]
and was at defiance with their Romish trash, desiryng rather with hard fare and euill lodging to be abroad, then to be at home in her house, & among the tentes of the vngodly: Her husband  
Commentary   *   Close

For Agnes's husband, Robert Wardall, see 1576, p. 1981 and 1583, p. 2090).

also being a mā lyuing in the feare of God, and for the testimony of his conscience beyng also hunted, by force of the law was

[Back to Top]

constrained to auoyde his house, MarginaliaRobert Wardall driuen by persecution to serue in a ship.and got into a Crare  

Commentary   *   Close

A small trading vessel.

with an honest man, seruyng as a sayler, a facultie not before of him frequented, nor he a man nymble for that trade, because God had geuen him an impediment by reason of a stumped foote, vnfit to clymbe to top and yard: yet so it pleased God to enhable him with hys strength, that he was strong and lusty to do good seruice, as they can well witnes that were of his cōpany.

[Back to Top]

The sayd Agnes Wardall chaūced on a day to come home to see her poore house and childrē, which was vnder the guidyng of a young mayd, and beyng espyed, newes was borne to Doct. Argentine, MarginaliaAgnes Wardall persecuted by Doct. Argentine and hys mates.who hauyng knowledge therof, as is afore said, went spedily vnto þe Apothecary  

Commentary   *   Close

I.e., Matthew Butler.

the Constable aforesaid, and informed him what a notable cure was to be wrought on Wardals wife, in the apprehendyng of her. Which was more like to spede then mysse, had not the mightie prouidēce of God wrought contrary to their expectation.

[Back to Top]

This knowen to the Constable the watch was charged spedely, and eche company sent to his place. And Argentine and Butler tooke vnto them a good nomber, and forth they go vnto the house of this poore woman to lay handes vpon her, and beset the house on the foreside and backeside, lying open in the fieldes, and other some were set to the house of his mother, which was not farre from his house. MarginaliaVnmercifull seekers of a poore womans bloud.This done, one knockt at the streete doore, where Argentine and Butler was, with one of their weapons, and no aunswere was made: the second tyme somwhat harder, but had no aunswere. In the meane tyme they fearyng that some conueyance was made, knocked the thyrd tyme more harder then before.

[Back to Top]

There was not far from the doore where they knocked, a certein bay wyndow where one might looke out, and speake: And so at the third knockyng, a woman, who at that time was tenant to Robert Wardalls mother, & had but two nightes before lien in þe house, speakyng out hard by their eares, asked who was there?

[Back to Top]

Ah syrrha, quoth Argentine, are ye so nie & will not speake? How fortuned it that ye spake not at he first, beyng so nie? How fortuned it, quoth the woman? Mary I shall tell you: I am but a straunger here, and I haue heard say, that there be spirites walkyng hereabout,MarginaliaThe Lord blesse euery good man and woman from such wicked spirites. which if a man do aunswere at the first call, or second, he standes in great daunger: and I was neuer so afrayd of my lyfe. At this her answere, they laughed, and commaunded her to open the doore in the Queenes name: for they were the Queenes watch.

[Back to Top]

Agnes Wardall beyng at that tyme in bed in an inner chamber, hauing her mayd with her, and her two children, she beyng at that time very heauy a sleepe, hard not the knockyng. MarginaliaHe slepeth ne slumbreth not that keepeth Israel. Psa. 120.Her mayd hearyng at the secōd knocke, called & shogged her dame, and with much ado, awaked her, and sayd: the watch is at the doore. What thou lyest, said she. Yes truly, said the mayd, and hath knockt twise. With that she arose with all speede, and put on her clothes very sleyghtly, and tooke with her a bocarom apron,which afterward she cast on her head when she was fayne to creepe in a ditch with nettels, and so passed down into a parlour, wherein stode a cupbord with a fayre presse, MarginaliaAgnes Wardell hydeth her selfe in a presse from the handes of her persecutors.into the which the mayd did locke her.

[Back to Top]

And immediatly went vp to a chamber, which was hard by the streete, where she might see and speake to the watch, and sayd: who is there. Then they bad her open the doore. And she sayd, we haue no candle. And they sayd, open the doore or we will lay it in the flore: With that she came down & opened the doore. Then asked they the mayde: who is within? And she said, none but a woman that dwelleth within vs, & two children. Thē said they, where is thy dame? Truly, said she, MarginaliaExample of a faythfull maide to her mistres.I cā not tell, she is not within. She was here in þe euenyng, sayd they. Yea, said þe mayd, but she went forth I know not whether. Notwithstandyng they charged her that she knew where she was, which she denyed. Then got

[Back to Top]
they