Marginalia1557. Aprill. May.ther they would stand to their answeres, and whether they would recant or no. But when they refused to recant and deny the receaued and infallible truth, the byshop caused them to be brought into the open Consistory, the third day of the same month of April in the forenoone, where first vnderstanding by them their immutable constācie and stedfastnes, he demaunded particularly of euery one what they had to say, why he shoulde not pronounce the sentence of condemnation.

MarginaliaThomas Losebies wordes to the bishop.To whom Thomas Losebye first aunswered: God geue me grace and strength to stand agaynst you and your sentence, and also agaynst your law, which is a deuouring lawe, for it deuoureth the flocke of Christ. And I perceaue there is no way with me but death, except I would consent to your deuouring law, and beleue in that Idoll the Masse.

MarginaliaThomas Thyrtells wordes to Boner.Next vnto him answered Tho. Thyrtell, saying: my Lord, I say thus, if you make me an hereticke, then you make Christ & all the xij. Apostles heretickes, for I am in the true fayth and ryght beliefe, & I wyll stand in it, for I know full well I shall haue eternall lyfe therfore.

MarginaliaHenry Romseys wordes to Boner.The byshop then asked the like question of Henry Ramsey. Who sayde agayne: my Lord, will you haue me to goe from the truth that I am in? I say vnto you that my opinions be the very truth, which I will stand vnto, and not go from them: and I say vnto you farther, that there are two churches vpon the earth, and we (meaning him selfe and other true Martyrs and professours of Christ) be of þ^e true church, & ye be not.

MarginaliaMargaret Hydes wordes to Boner.Vnto thys question, next aunswered Margaret Hyde, saying: My Lorde, you haue no cause to geue sentence agaynst me, for I am in the true fayth and opinion, and will neuer forsake it: and I do wyshe that I were more stronger in it then I am.

MarginaliaAgnes Stanleys wordes to Boner.Last of all aunswered Agnes Stanley, and sayd: I had rather þ^t euery heare of my head were burned, if it were neuer so much worth, then that I will forsake my fayth and opinion which is the true fayth.

The tyme beyng now spent, they were commaunded to appeare agayne at afternoone in the same place, which commaundement beyng obeyed, the Byshop first called for Loseby, and after his accustomed maner wylled his articles and aunsweres to bee red: and in reading thereof, when mention was made of the Sacrament of the altar, the Byshop wyth hys Colleagues put of their cappes. MarginaliaLosebyes wordes to the byshop.Wherat Loseby sayd: my Lorde, seyng you put of your cappe, I wyll put on my cappe, and therewithall did put on his cappe. And after, the Byshop continuyng in his accustomable perswasions, Loseby agayne sayd vnto hym: my Lorde, I trust I haue the spirite of truth, which you detest & abhorre, for the wisdome of God is folishnes vnto you. MarginaliaSentence geuen agaynst Loseby.Wherupon the Bishop pronounced the sentence of condemnation against him. And deliuering him vnto the Sheriffe, called for Margaret Hide, with whom he vsed the lyke order of exhortations.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Margaret Hyde to the Bishop.To whom notwithstanding she sayd: I wyll not depart from my sayinges till I be burned: and my Lord (quoth she) I would see you instruct me wyth some part of Gods word, and not to geue me instructions of holy bread and holy water, for it is no part of the scripture. MarginaliaSentence geuen agaynst Margaret Hyde.But he beyng neyther himselfe, nor any of his, able rightly to accomplish her request, to make short worke, vsed hys finall reason of conuincement, which was the sentence of condemnation. And therefore leauing her of, called for another, videl. Agnes Stanley, who vpon the Bishoppes like perswasions made thys aunswere.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Agnes Stanley to the Byshop.My Lord, where you say I am an hereticke, I am none: neither yet wyll I beleue you, nor any mā that is wyse wyll beleue as you do. And as for these that ye say be burnt for heresie, I beleue are true Martyrs before God: therefore I wyll not goe from my opinion and fayth, as long as I lyue.

Her talke thus ended, she receiued the lyke reward

that the other had. And the Byshop then turning hys tale and maner of intisement vnto Thomas Thyrtell, receiued of him lykewyse thys finall aunswere: MarginaliaThe words of Tho. Thirtell to the byshop.My Lord, I wyll not holde wyth your idolatrous wayes, as you do: for I say the Masse is idolatry, & will sticke to my fayth and beliefe so long as the breath is in my body. MarginaliaTho. Thyrtell condemned.Vppon which wordes he was also condemned as an hereticke.

MarginaliaThe aunswere and condemnation of Henry Ramsey.Last of all, was Henry Ramsey demaunded if he woulde (as the rest) stand vnto his aunsweres, or els recanting the same, come home agayne, and be a member of their church. Whereunto he aunswered: I wyll not go from my religion and beliefe as long as I lyue: and my Lord (quoth he) your doctrine is naught, for it is not agreeable to Gods word. After these wordes, the Byshop (to conclude) pronouncing the sentence of condemnation agaynst hym and the rest (as ye haue heard) charged the Sheriffe of Londō with them: who being thereunto commaunded, the xij. day of the same

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

Having been used for the five martyrs of Canterbury (which it fitted) the block was here reused inappropriately for the martyrdom of three men and two women, whose names are given in the margin.

moneth of April, brought them into Smithfield, where al together in one fire, most ioyfull and cōstantly they ended theyr temporall lyues, receiuing therefore the lyfe eternall.

Three burned in saint Georges field in Southwarke.  

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Stephen Gratwick and Two Other Martyrs

There is only a note about these martyrs in the 1563 edition; this complete account first appears in the 1570 edition. The entire account is based on Gratwick's account of his examinations.

MarginaliaMay.
W. Morant, Steuen Gratwicke, One King, Martyrs.AFter these, moreouer in the moneth of May, folowed 3. other that suffred in S. Georges fielde in Southwarke, Williā Morant, Steu. Gratwicke, w^t one King.  

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The mentions of King in this account - and it is significant that Foxe does not know his first name - is all that we know of King.

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As a resident of the diocese of Chichester, Gratwick's ordinary - who alone had jurisdiction over him for spiritual offences - was the bishop of Chichester. The problem for the Marian authorities was that George Day, the bishop of Chichester, died on 2 August 1555, while the proceedings against Gratwick were underway. Day's successer, John Christopherson, would not be installed until 25 November 1557. The attempt to trick Gratwick by pretending that a servant was the bishop wasshabby, but in defence of those responsible, the effort was made in an attempt to intimidate Gratwick into recanting and thus saving his life.

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Secondly, when he did appeale from those incompotent Iudges to hys right Ordinary, hys appeale could not be addmitted.

Thirdly, whan they had no other shifte to colour theyr inordinate procedinges withall, they suborned one of the priestes to come in for a counterfeate and a false Ordinary, and to sit vpon hym.

Fourthly, being openly conuinced and ouerturned in his owne argumentes, yet the sayd Bishop of Winchester D. White, neither would yeld to the force of