MarginaliaAn. 1557. Ianuary.might not be missing in such solemne ceremonies. Not onely this man iested at the preachers folly, but diuers other also laughed at his manifest vnshamefastnes, in preaching these so vayne and folish superstitions.

While he was thus talking to his audience, Iohn Christopherson elected B. of Chichester, MarginaliaThe sodaine swounde of Christopherson.beyng stricken with a sodayne sicknes, fell downe in a sounde among the prease,  

and with much a do, beyng scarce able a good while to come to himselfe againe, in þ^e meane tyme babled many thinges vnaduisedly, and as though he had bene out of his wittes. Some thought it came vpon this occasion, because he had bene greatly accused before þ^e Cōmissioners for mispendyng & misorderyng the goods of þ^e Colledge, & therefore was greued with the matter, knowing that they had bene offended with hym, by that that Ormanet had cancelled before his face a leafe of hys, by þ^e which he had let to ferme to his brother in law a certayne Manour of that colledge, because the couenauntes seemed vnreasonable.

[Back to Top]

By thys time, was returned agayne the Pursiuant, who (as we before told) was sent to London with the Commissioners letters, and brought with hym a warraunt for the burning of these men. MarginaliaThe day assigned for burning of Martyn Bucer and Paulus Phagius bodyes.Vpon the receyte wherof they appoynted the vj. day of February for the accomplishment of the matter. For it had hanged already a great while in hand. Therfore when the sayd day was come, the Commissioners sent for the Vicechauncellour, demaunding of him in what case things stoode, whether all thinges were in a readines for the accomplishment of thys busines, or no. Vnderstanding by hym that all thinges were ready, they commaunded the matter to be broched out of hand.

[Back to Top]

The Vicechauncellour therefore taking with hym Marshall the cōmon Notary, went first to S, Michales church, where Phagius was buryed. There he called forth Andrew Smith, Henry Sawyer, and Henry Adams, men of the same parishe, MarginaliaThe takyng vp of Martyn Bucer and Paulus Phagius.and bounde them with an othe to digge vp Phagius bones, and to bring them to the place of execution. Marshall tooke their othes, receiuyng the lyke of Roger Smith, and W. Hasell, the Towne Sergeauntes, and of Iohn Capper, Warden of the same Church, for doyng the lyke with Bucer. Smith the Maior of the Towne, which should be their executioner (for it was not lawfull for them to entermedle in cases of bloud)  

commaunded certaine of hys townesmen to waite vpon hym in harnesse, by whom the dead bodyes were garded, and beyng bound with ropes, and layd vpō mens shoulders (for they were enclosed in chestes, Bucer in the same that he was buried, & Phagius in a new) they were borne into þ^e middest of the marketstede with a great trayne of people folowyng them.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe burnyng of Mart. Bucer and Paulus Phagius.This place was prepared before, and a great post was set fast in the ground to bynd the carcasses to, and a great heape of woode was layd ready to burne them withall. When they came thether, the chestes were set vp on end, with the dead bodyes in them, and fastened on both sides with stakes, and bound to the post with a long yron chayne, as if they had ben alyue. Fire beyng forthwith put to, as soone as it began to flame round about, a great sort of bookes that were condemned with them, were cast into the same.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe talke of the countreyfolke of the burning of M. Bucer and Paulus Phagius.There was that day gathered into the Towne, a great multitude of coūtryfolke (for it was market day) who seyng men borne to execution, and learnyng by enquirie that they were dead before, partly detested and abhorred the extreme cruelty of the Commissioners toward the rottē carcasses, and partly laughed at theyr folly in makyng such preparature. For what nedeth any weapon, sayd they? as though they were afrayd that the dead bodyes which felt them not, would do them some harme? Or to what purpose serueth that chayne wherewith they are tyed, sithens they might be burnt lose without perill? for it was not to be feared that they would runne away.

[Back to Top]

Thus euery body that stood by, found fault with the cruelnes of the deede, either sharply or els lightly, as euery mans mind gaue him. There were very few that lyked their doyng herein.

MarginaliaWatsons Sermon at the burning of Bucer and Phagius.JN the meane tyme that they were a rostyng in the fire, Watson went into þ^e pulpit in S. Mary church, and there before his audiēce rayled vpon their doctrine as wicked and erronious: saying that it was the groūd of all mischief that had happened of a long tyme in the common weale. For behold (sayd he) as well the prosperitie as þ^e aduersitie of these yeres that haue ensued, and ye shall finde that all thinges haue chaunced vnluckely to thē that haue folowed this new found faith: as contrary all thinges haue happened fortunately to thē that haue eschewed it. MarginaliaAs though in these dayes of Q. Mary had bene raysed no subsidies at all.What robbyng and polyng (quoth he) haue we sene in this Realme, as long as Religion was defaced with Sectes, the common treasure (gathered for the maintenaunce of the whole publike weale) & the goodes of the realme shamefully spent in wast for the maintenaunce of a few folkes lustes: all good order broken: all discipline cast aside: holy dayes appointed to the solemnising of ceremonies, neglected: and that more is, the places them selues beaten down, flesh and other kynd of prohibited sustenaunce eaten euery where vpon dayes forbidden, without remorse of conscience: the Priestes had in derisiō: the Masse railed vpon: no honour done to the Sacramentes of the Church: all estates and degrees geuen to such a licencious liberty without checke, that all thynges may seeme to draw to their vtter ruine and decay.

[Back to Top]

And yet in the meane tyme, the name of the Gospell was pretended outwardly, as though that for it men ought of duety to geue credit to their erroneous opinions: whereas in deede there is nothyng more discrepant, or more to the sclaunder of Gods word then the same. MarginaliaWatson sclaunderously depraueth þ^e doctrine of þ^e Protestantes.For what other thyng taught they to remaine in that most blessed and mysticall Sacrament of the body of our Lord, thē bare vnleauened bread? And what els do the remnaunt of them teach vnto this day? Wheras Christ by expresse wordes doth assure it to be his very body. How perillous a doctrine is that which concerneth the fatall and absolute necessitie of Predestinatiō? And yet they set it out in such wise, that they haue left no choise at all in thynges. As who should say, it skilled not what a man purposed of any matter, sithens he had not the power to determine otherwise then the matter should come to passe. The which was the peculiar opinion of them, that made God the authour of euill, bringyng men through this perswasion into such a careles securitie of the euerlastyng eternity, that in the meane season, it made no matter either toward saluation, or toward damnation what a man did in this lyfe. These errours (which were not euen among the Heathen men) were defended by them with great stoutnes.

[Back to Top]

These and many such other thinges be sclaūderously and falsely alledged agaynst Bucer, whose doctrine (in such sorte as he hym selfe taught it) either he would not vnderstand, or els he was minded to sclaūder. And yet he was not ignoraūt, that Bucer taught none other thynges, MarginaliaWatson & Scot had both subscribed to the doctrine of the Gospell in the raigne of Kyng Edward the vj.then the very same wherunto both he and Scot in the reigne of kyng Edward the vj. had willingly assented by subscribyng therto with their owne hāds. While he talked in this wise before the people, many of them that had written verses before, did set vp other new, in the which lyke sort of water frogges, they spewed out their venemous malice agaynst Bucer and Phagius. This was the last acte of this enterlude, and yet there remained a few thynges to be done, MarginaliaThe recōciling of the Churches that were interdicted.among the which was the reconcilyng of two Churches, of our Lady, and of S. Michaell, which we declared to haue bene enterdicted before.

[Back to Top]