MarginaliaAn. 1557. Iune.himselfe. But she hauing much more care of hys honest and good report, then he had regard (as it is easy to see) of hys own infamy, and no lesse ashamed of his so rude and vnnaturall doinges, chose rather to commit her selfe willingly into the handes of her ennemyes, then that the world should witnes agaynst her husband, of so facinorous a fact. Wherfore she went to the Constable, desiring him to go with her. But he answered that he coulde not so doe, but graunted her his boy to goe wyth her: with whom she went to prison, namely, the Castle of Canterbury, according to the commaundement geuen.

MarginaliaThe spare dyet of Alice Bēden and Potkins wife in Cāterbury Castle.Where this one thing is worthy to be noted, that whyle she was in this prison, she practised wyth a prison fellow of hers, the wife of one Potkin, to liue both of them with two pence halfepeny a day,  

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This is Alice Potkin who died of starvation in Canterbury castle.

The 22. day of Ianuary following, her husband wēt agayne to the Byshop, desiring him to deliuer hys wife out of prisō: but he sayd she was an obstinate hereticke and would not be reformed, and therefore sayd that he could not deliuer her.

MarginaliaThe husband complayneth of hys wiues brother Rog Hall.Then sayd he: my Lorde, she hath a brother whose name is Roger Hall, that resorteth vnto her. If your Lordship could keepe hym from her, she woulde turne: for he comforteth her, geueth her money, and perswadeth her not to returne or relent.

This occasion was not so soone giuen, but it was as quickly taken, & as cruelly put in execution. MarginaliaAlice Benden remoued to the Byshops prison.For the Byshop commaundyng her vppon the same to a prison called Mondayes hole, there also hee gaue straite charge that if at any tyme her brother came, he should be taken and apprehended.

MarginaliaThe Byshops prison described.This prison was within a Court where the Prebendes chābers were, being a valt beneath the groūd, and being before the window inclosed with a pale of height, by estimation 4. foote and an halfe, and distant from the same 3. foote, so that she looking from beneth might only see such as stoode at the pale. After thys, her Brother sought often for her, with no lesse daūger of life, then diligence. But for the vnknowne situation of the place, it being also but rarely vsed for a prison, and the matter as closely kept as it was secretly done, he could neuer come to vnderstand of her being there, vntill through Gods mercifull will and vnsearchable prouidence, he comming thither very rath in a morning, her keper being then gone to the church to ring (for he was a bell ringer) MarginaliaExample of Gods mercifull prouidence in relieuing his Sainctes.chaunced to heare her voyce, as she powred out vnto God her sorowfull complayntes, saying the Psalmes of Dauid: and then could he none otherwise reliue her, but by putting money in a loafe of bread and sticking þ^e same on a pole, and so reached it vnto her: for neither with meate nor drinke he could susteyne her. And thys was fiue weekes after her comming thether. All the which tyme no creature was knowne to come at her, more then her keper.

Their lying in that prison was onely vpon a litle short straw, betwene a paire of stockes & a stone wall: being allowed three farthinges a day, that is, a halfe peny bread, and a farthing drinke: neither could she get any more for her money. Wherfore she desired to haue her whole alowance in bread, and vsed water for her drinke. MarginaliaAlice Benden kept in þ^e Byshops prison lx. weekes with bread and water.Thus did she lye ix. weekes. During all which tyme she neuer changed her apparell: wherby she be came at the last a most pitious and lothsome creature to beholde.

MarginaliaThe affliction of Alice Benden at her first cōming to prison.At her first comming into this place, she did greuously bewayle with great sorrow and lamentation, and reasoned with her selfe: why her Lord God did with his so heauy Iustice, suffer her to be sequestred

from her louing fellows into so extreame misery.

In these dolorous morninges did she continue till on a night as she was in her sorowfull suppications in rehearsing this verse of the psalme: why art thou so heauy O my soule? and agayne: The right hād of the most hiest can change all: MarginaliaAice Benden receaueth comfort of the Lord in the middest of her miseries.she receaued comfort in the midest of her miseries, and after that continued very ioyfull vntill her deliuery from the same.

MarginaliaAlice Benden called before the Byshop.About the xxv. day of March, in the yeare of our Lorde. 1557. she was called before the Bishop: who demaunded of her, whether she would now go home, and go to the church or no, promising her great fauour if she would be reformed and doo as they did.

To whom she aunswered: MarginaliaThe aunswere of Alice Benden to the Byshop.I am throughly persuaded by the great extremitie that you haue already shewed me, that you are not of God, neyther can your doinges be godly: and I see (saith she) that you seke my vtter distruction, shewing how lame she then was, of cold taken, and for lacke of foode, while she lay in that paynfull prison: wherby she was not able to moue her selfe without great payne.

MarginaliaAlice Benden from the Byshops prison, sent to Westgate.Then did the bishop deliuer her frō that filthy hole, and sent her to Westgate, wheras after she had bene changed, and for a while bene cleane kepe, her skinne did wholy so pille and scale of, as if she had bene with some mortall venome poysoned. Here she cōtinued till the latter end of Aprill. At which time they called her before them, and with others condemned her, committing her then to the prison called the Castle.MarginaliaAlice Benden cōdemned and sent to the Castle in Cant. Where she continued tel the slaughter day, which was the xix. day of Iune, when by terrible fire they tooke away her life.

Whē she was at the stake, she cast her handkerchife vnto one Ioh. Bankes, requiring him to keepe the same in the memory of her, & from about her middle she tooke a white lace which she gaue to the keper, desiring him to geue the same to her brother Roger Hall, and to tell him that it was the last band that she was bound with, except þ^e chaine. A shilling also of Phillip and Mary she tooke forth, which her father had bowed and sent her when she was first sent to prison, desiring that her sayd brother should with obedient salutations render the same to her father agayne, and shew him that it was þ^e first peece of money that hee sent her after her troubles begun, which (as she protested) she had kept and now sent him to doo him to vnderstand that she neuer lacked money while she was in prison.

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

An example of a small cut (Type 1) which was a self-evident misfit, given the marginal note 'The Martyrdome of 3. men, and 4. women'. It was, however, accurate for the Colchester burning two months later, for which it was reused (1583, p. 2008).