Marginalia1557. Iune.Collins. This rebell wil beleue nothyng but Scripture. How knowest thou that it is þ^e Scripture but by the Church? and so sayth S. Austin.

Allin. I cannot tell what Austin sayth, but I am persuaded, that it is Scripture, by diuers Argumentes:MarginaliaHow the Scripture is knowen to be Scripture.First that the law worketh in me my condemnatiō. The law telleth me that of my selfe I am damned: and this damnation, M. Collins, you must find in your self, or els you shall neuer come to repentance. For as this grief and sorrow of conscience, without fayth, is desperation, so is a glorious and Romish fayth without the lamentation of a mans sinnes, presumption.

The second is the Gospell, which is the power and spirite of God. This spirite (sayth S. Paul) certifieth my spirite, that I am the sonne of God, and that these are the Scriptures.

The thyrd, are the wōderfull workes of God, which cause me to beleue that there is a God though we glorifie hym not as God. Rom 1. The sunne, þ^e moone, the starrres, and other his workes (as Dauid discourseth in the 19. PsalmeMarginaliaPsal. xix.) declareth that there is a God, and that these are the Scriptures, because that they teach nothyng els but God and his power, maiesty and might: and because that the Scripture teacheth nothyng disonant from this prescription of nature.

And fourthly, because that the word of God gaue authoritie to þ^e church in Paradise, saying that the seede of the womā should brast down the Serēptes head. This seede is the Gospel: that is all the Scriptures, & by this we are assured of eternall life & these wordes: The seede of the woman shall brast the Serpentes head, gaue authoritie to the Church, and not the Church to the word.

Baker. I heard say that you spake against Priests and Byshops.

Allin. I spake for them, for now they haue so much liuing & especially Bishops, Archdeacons, & Deanes, that they neither cā nor will teach Gods word. If they had a hundreth poundes a peece, then would they apply their study: now they can not for other affaires.

Collins. Who will then set his children to schole?

Allin. MarginaliaThe reuenues of Bishops & Prelates in England.Where there is now one set to schole for that end, there would bee fortie, because that one Byshops lyuyng deuided into xxx. or xl. partes, would find so many as well learned men as the Byshops be now, who haue all this lyuyng: neither had Peter or Paule any such reuenew.

Baker. Let vs dispatch him: he will marre all.

Collins. If euery mā had a hundreth poundes, as he sayth, it would make moe learned men.

Baker. But our Byshops would be angry if that they knew it.

Allin. It were for a common wealth to haue such Byshoprickes deuided for the further increase of learning.

Baker. What sayest thou to the Sacrament?

Allin. As I sayd before.

Baker. Away with hym. And thus was he caryed to prison and afterward burned.  

Commentary     Close

In the 1570 and 1576 editions, an account follows here of Allin's escape from Sir John Baker's custody - see Thomas S. Freeman, 'Notes on a Source for John Foxe's Account of the Marian Persecution in Kent and Sussex' Historical Research67 (1994), pp. 203-11.

MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of v. women and ij. men, at Cant. An. 1557. Iune. 18.Who with the fiue other Martyrs aboue named, beyng vij. to witte, v. women, and ij. men, were altogether burned at Maydstone, the yeare and moneth afore mentioned, and the xviij. day of the same moneth.

An other story of like crueltie shewed vpon other vij. Marryrs burnt at Canterbury iii. men and iiii. women.  

Commentary     Close

Alice Benden and Other Kentish Martyrs

In the 1563 edition, Foxe had an account of these martyrs which was based on trial documents. (In one case Foxe clearly had the confession of one of these martyrs but did not print it because the martyr admitted that he was unsure of his beliefs about the eucharist). In the 1570 edition, Foxe added a narrative of Alice Benden's imprisonment and martyrdom, which was contributed, as Foxe states, by her brothers John and Roger Hall. (On the Hall brothers and Foxe, see Thomas S. Freeman, 'Notes on a Source for John Foxe's Account of the Marian Persecution in Kent and Sussex' Historical Research 67 (1994), pp. 203-11). This account remained unchanged in subsequent editions.

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MarginaliaIune. 19.MarginaliaThe story of vij. other Martyrs.AMong such infinite seas of troubles in these most daungerous dayes, who can withholde himselfe from bitter teares, to see the madding rage of these pretensed catholickes,  

Commentary     Close

In the 1563 edition, this phrase is 'cruel papists'. This is another example of Foxe moderating his language in the second edition of the Acts and Monuments.

the immaculate Gospell of theyr saluation. MarginaliaVnmercifull crueltie of the Catholickes agaynst poore women.What hart will not lamēt þ^e murdering mischief of these mē, who for want of worke, do so wrecke theyr tine on sely poore womē, whose weake inbecillitie þ^e more strength it lacketh by naturall imperfection, the more it ought to be helped, or at least pitied, and not oppressed of men that be stronger, and especially of priestes that should be charitable.

But blessed be the Lord omnipotent, who, supernaturally, hath indued from aboue such weake creatures with such manly stomacke and fortitude, so constantly to withstand the vttermost extremitie of these pitiles persecutours: as he did before strengthen the mother of the seuen sonnes in the Machabees, and as he hath done since with diuers & sondry other godly women in these our latter daies, partly before mentioned & partly to be mencioned hereafter, and here presently may appeare by þ^e Martyrdome of these vij. here vnder following, of the which were 4. women and 3. men, burnt together at Canterbury the. xix. day of the sayd moneth of Iune, in the yeare aforesaid, whose names are these.

Iohn Fishcocke.   Commentary     Close John Fishcock's examinations survive among Foxe's papers (BL, Harley MS 421, fos 101r-103v. Foxe never revealed that Fishcock confessed that he was uncertain what he believed about the eucharist and that he was ready to accept what Pole believed as the truth. Nicolas Whyte. Nicholas Pardue. Barbara Fynal,   Commentary     Close Among Foxe's papers is the confession of one Adriana Vynall of Tenterden (BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 100r). Very likely this is the same person as 'Barbara Final'. widow.

* Marginalia* Thys Bradbreges wife was thought to be with childe.Bradbregeswidow.   Commentary     Close Joan Bradbridge was burned at Maidstone the day before widow Bradbridge was burned at Canterbury. Presumably they were relatives. Wilsons wyfe. Bendens wyfe.

As it were to tedious exactly and particularly to prosecute the seuerall story of euery one of these godly Martyrs: so I cannot passe ouer vntouched the cruell and vnchristian handling of Alice Benden during her imprisonment, according as I haue receaued by the faithfull relation of them which best were acquainted wyth her, and partly also some doers in the matters, being her own naturall brethren.  

Commentary     Close

These were Alice Benden's brothers John and Roger Hall; see Thomas S. Freeman, 'Notes on a Source for John Foxe's Account of the Marian Persecution in Kent and Sussex' Historical Research 67 (1994), pp. 203-11.

MarginaliaThe imprisonment of Alice Bēden, and maner of her handling.FIrst Alice Benden was brought before one Maister Roberts of CrambrokeMarginaliaM. Robertes of Crambroke persecutor. in the sayd county, the 14. day of October, in the yeare of our Lord 1556. of whom she was demaunded, why she would not go to the church.

And she aunswered, that she could not so do wyth a good and cleare consciēce, because there was much idolatry cōmitted against the glory of God. MarginaliaAlice Benden imprisoned for not cōming to the Church.For the which, wyth many mockes and tauntes she was sent to prison, where she lay xiiij. dayes. For on the 20. day of October her husband required hys neyghbours the wealthy men of Stapleherst to write to the Byshop of Douer, who had the chiefe gouernment of the tyrannicall sword in Kent for those dayes, which they did,MarginaliaAlice Benden deliuered by sute of her neighbours. desiring him to send her home.

Wherefore the Byshoy called her before hym and asked her if she would goe home and goe to the church.

Whereunto she answered: If I would haue so done I neede not to haue come hether.

Then wilt thou go home and be shreuen of the parish priest? And she said, no, that would she not.

Well, sayd he, goe thy wayes home, and goe to the church when thou wilt. Wherunto she aunswered nothing. But a priest that stoode by, said: she saith, she will, my Lord. Wherefore he let her goe, and she came forthwith home.

MarginaliaThe husband procureth the trouble and imprisonment of hys wife.On the Satterday folowing, her husband willed her to goe to the church: which she both then and els when refused to do. Wherefore on the Sanday, 14. dayes after, he going to the church, came into the company of diuers inhabitantes of the same parish, among whom through his fond talke and behauiour, he procured her to be sent to MarginaliaSyr Iohn Gilford cōmaundeth Alice Benden to the Castle of Cāterbury.Syr Iohn Gilford, who cōmaunded her to prison agayne, yea and the more to vtter hys owne shame, the sayd her husband tooke money of the Counstable to carry her to prison, the price of hys wiues bloud, meaning in deede to carry her to prison