MarginaliaAn. 1557. August.nied: especially those that did behold þ^e iust punishment of God, against him þ^t had mocked so earnest a matter. George Eagles in þ^e meane tyme, after he had hanged a smal tyme, hauing a great checke with the halter, immediately one of the Bailiffes cut the halter asunder, and he fel to the ground being stil aliue, although much amased with the checke he had of the ladder.

MarginaliaW. Swallow tormentor of George Eagles.Then one William Swallow of Chelmesforde a Bailiffe did draw him to þ^e slede that he was drawne thether on, and layd his necke theron, and with a cleauer, such as is occupied in many mens kitchins, and blunt, did hackell of his head, and sometyme hit hys necke, & sometime his chinne, & did fouly mangle him, and so opened him. Notwithstanding this blessed martir of Christ abode stedfast and constant in the very midst of his tormentes, till such tyme as this tormentor W. Swallow did plucke the harte out of his body. The body being deuided in iiij. partes, and his bowels burnt, was brought to the aforesaid Swallowes doore, and there laid vpon the fishe stalles before his dore, till they had made ready a horse to cary his quarters one to Colchester and þ^e rest to Harwich, Chemsford, and S. Rouses.  

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Compare the accounts of the treatment of Eagles' corpse in the 1563 and 1570 editions and note Foxe's concern to be as detailed as possible in describing the degradation, which increased the comparison of Eagles to that of Christ.

His head was set vp at Chelmesford on the market crosse on a long pole, and there stoode till the wynde did blow it downe, and lying certaine dayes in the streete tūbled about, one caused it to be buried in þ^e churchyard in þ^e night. MarginaliaGod iust punishment vpon a cruell persecutor.Also a wonderful work of God was it þ^t he shewed on this wicked Bailiffe Swallow, who within short space was so punished, that all the heare wēt wellnere of his head, his eyes were as it were closed vp and could skant see, the nayles of his fingers & toes went cleane of. He was in such case of his body as though he had bene a leper, and now in his last age almost a very begger, MarginaliaWilliam Swallowes wife punished with þ^e falling sicknes.and his wife which he a little after maried, God hath punished with the falling sickenes or a disease lyke vnto that: which may be a warning or glasse for all men and women to looke in, that be enemies to Gods true seruauntes.

MarginaliaGods iudgement vpon Rich. Potto an other persecutor of George Eagles.No lesse token of hys marueilous iudgement dyd God shewe vppon the foresayd Richard Potto, which did so much trouble thys George Eagles in the Inne, and at the place of execution, as is aboue specified. He liued till the beginning of Queene Elizabethes raigne, all which tyme he little ioyed, and on a tyme being in a great chafe with ij. or iij. of his neighbors in his own house, feling himself not well, he said to one of his seruauntes: go with me into the chamber, & when he came there, he fell downe on a low bed as heauy as it had bene lead, and lay there foming at the mouth and could neuer speake after, neither yet vnderstand what was said to hym, as by all meanes was tryed by hys neighbours with signes to him made, but lay as senseles as it had bene a very dūme beast, & within iij. or iiij. dayes dyed. God graunt that this token sent of God, with many mo like, may be a warning to vs euer hereafter while we shall liue vnto the worldes end.

Besides this, god hath wōderfully shewed his worke. For at a tyme when they laid great waite for thys George Eagles, so that it was thought that it was vnpossible but that he should be taken being so beset, his frendes did put him in a prentice apparell, that is to say, watchet hose, as their maner is, & an olde cloke, and set him on a packe of woll, as though he had riddē to cary woll to the spinners, & so he rode amongest the midst of his aduersaries, and escaped them all for that tyme. An other troubler of the sayd George Eagles was also Iustice Browne, who inioyed not his cruelty many yeares after, &c.

Also when he was at the Sessions at Chelmesford, there was a rumor raysed that he had accused diuers honest mē that did kepe him in their houses, & was cōuersant with him, & all to discredite him, which rumor was very false and vtterly vntrue. Witnesse one Reynold, with diuers other dwelling in Chemsforde.

The Martyrdome and examination of Richared Crashfield of Wymoundham, condemned to death for the testimonie of Iesus Christ.  

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Richard Crashfield

The account of Crashfield was based almost entirely on Crashfield's account of his examinations. This account appeared in the 1563 edition and remained unchanged in subsequent editions.

MarginaliaAug. 5.ABout this time suffered at Norwich a godly man & a constant Martyr of Christ called Richard Crasshfield, whose examinations before the Chauncellor, named Dunninges, as he penned them with his owne hand, so haue we faythfully recorded the same.

MarginaliaThe examination of Richard Crashfield before Dunning Chauncellour of Norwich.How say you Syrrha, sayd the Chauncellour, to the ceremonies of the church?

Then sayd I: what ceremonies?

He say vnto me: doo you not beleue that all the ceremonies of the church are good and godly?

My aunswere was: I doo beleue so many as are grounded in the testament of Iesu Christ.

Tush, sayd he: do you beleue in the MarginaliaSacramēt of the altar.Sacrament of the Altar?

I sayd I knew not what it was.

Then sayd he: doo you not beleue that Christ tooke bread, gaue thankes, brake it, and sayd: take, eate, this is my body?

Yes verely sayd I, and euen as Christ did speake, so did he performe the worke.

Tush sayd he, doo you not beleue this, that after the wordes be spoken by the priest, there is the substance of Christes body, flesh and bloud? How say you? doo you not beleue this? speake man.

I doo beleue that Christes body was broken for me vpon the crosse, and his bloud shed for my redemption, whereof the bread and the wine is a perpetuall memory, the pledge of his mercy, the ringe or seale of his promise, and a perpetuall memory for the faythfull vnto the end of the world. So then I was commaunded into prison vntill the next day.

MarginaliaAn other examination of R. Crashfield.THe day following I was brought forth. Then the Chauncellor said vnto me: Richard, how say you? Are you otherwise minded then you were yesterday? He rehearsing all the wordes that we had afore, sayd: are not those your wordes? Whereto I answered, yes.

Then sayd he: how say you? MarginaliaWorshipping of Images.can you not finde in your hart, when you come to church, to knele downe before the Roode, and make you prayer?

I aunswered and sayd no: rehearsing the commaundement of God forbidding the same.

He sayd, haue you not read or heard that God commaunded an image to be made?

I answered, what image?

He sayd, the brasen serpent.

I sayd yes, I haue hearde it red, how that God dyd commaund it to be made, and likewise to be broken downe.

Then D. Brigges sayd: wherefore did God commaunde the Seraphines and Cherubines to be made?

I sayd I could not tell: I would fayne learne.

Then sayd the Chauncellour, but how say you to this? can you finde in your hart to fall downe before the picture of Christ which is the Roode?

I sayd no: I feare the curse of God: for it is written that God curseth the handes that make them, yea, and the handes that make the tooles wherwith they are carued.

Then D. Brigges raged, and sayd: list now what a peece of Scripture he hath here gotten to serue his purpose: for he will not allowe but where he listeth.

Then sayd the Chauncellor: MarginaliaConfession to þ^e priest.how say you to confes-