Marginalia1557. Septemb.swered: because I finde not these thinges in Gods worde which you so vrge & magnifie, as thinges most needefull for mens saluation. If these thinges were in the same worde of God commended, I would with all my hart receaue, esteeme, and beleue them. The Byshop aunswered: if thou wilt beleue no more the is in the Scripture, concerning matters of religion, thou art in a damnable case. At the which wordes she was wonderfully amased, & being moued by the spirite of God, tolde the Byshop, that hys wordes were vngodly and wicked.

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MarginaliaMistres Lewes a yeare in prison after her cōdemnation.After her condemnation,  

she continued a whole xij. moneth in prison, because she was committed to the Shrieffe that was of late chosen, who could not be cōpelled to put her to death in hys time, as he affirmed: for the which thyng, after her death, he was sore troubled and in daunger of hys life. All that tyme she was in prison, her behauiour was such, both in wordes and deedes, that all they that had any sparke of godlines or ciuile honestie, dyd greatly lament her case that she should be put to death.

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Now, when the tyme dyd drawe neare the which God had appointed for her deliueraunce, the writte De comburendo  

(as they terme it) being brought downe frō London, she desired certayne of her frendes to come to her, with whom, when they came, she consulted how she might behaue her selfe, that her death might be more glorious to the name of God, comfortable to hys people, and also most discomfortable vnto the enemies of God. As for death, sayd she, I doe not greatly passe: when I behold the amiable countenance of Christ my deare Sauiour, the vgsome face of death doth not greatly trouble me. In the which tyme also she reasoned most comfortably out of Gods word, of Gods election and reprobation.

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In the euening, before the day of her suffering, two of the priestes of the Close of Lichfield came to the vnder Shrieffes house where she lay, and sent worde to her by the Shrieffe, that they were come to heare her confession: for they would be sory she should die without it. MarginaliaMistres Lewes refuseth to be confessed of the Priestes.She sent them word agayne, she had made her confession to Christ her Sauiour, at whose handes she was sure to haue forgeuenes of her sinnes: As concerning the cause for the which she should die, she had no cause to confesse that, but rather geue vnto God most humble prayse that he did make her worthy to suffer death for hys worde: And as concerning that absolution that they were able to geue vnto her, being authorised by the Pope, she did defie the same, euen from the bottome of her hart. The which thyng whē þ^e Priestes heard, they sayd to the Shrieffe: Well, to morrow her stoutnes will be proued and tryed. For although perhappes she hath now some frendes that whisper her in her eares, to morrow will we see, who dare be so hardy as to come neare her: and so they went theyr wayes with anger that their confession and absolution was nought set by.

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All that night she was wonderfully cherefull and mery, with a certaine grauitie, in so much that the Maiestie of the spirite of God did manifestly appeare in her, who dyd expell the feare of death out of her hart, spending the time in prayer, reading, and talking with them that were purposely come vnto her for to comfort her with the worde of God.

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MarginaliaTemptation of Mistres Lewes before her death and Martyrdome.About three of the clocke in the morning, Sathan (who neuer sleepeth, especially when death is at hand) began to styrre him selfe busily, shooting at her that firy darte the which he is wont to doe agaynst all that are at defiaunce with hym, questioning with her, how she could tell that she was chosen to eternall life, and that Christ dyed for her. I graunt that he died, but that he dyed for thee, how canst thou tell? With thys suggestion when she was troubled, they that were about her, did counsell her to follow the example of Paule. Gal. 2. where he sayth: Which hath loued me, and geuen him selfe  

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for me.  

Also, that her vocation and calling to þ^e knowledge of Gods worde, was a manifest token of Gods loue towardes her, especially that same holy spirite of God working in her hart that loue & desire towardes God to please hym, and to be iustified by hym through Christ. &c. MarginaliaIoyce Lewes comforted in her tēptations.By these and lyke perswasions, and specially by the comfortable promises of Christ, brought out of the Scripture, Sathan was put to flight, and she comforted in Christ.

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About 8. of the clocke master Sheriffe came to her into her chāber, saying these words: Mistres Lewes, I am come to bring you tidinges of þ^e Queenes pleasure, the which is, that you shal liue no longer but one houre in this world: therfore prepare your selfe therunto: it standeth you in hand. At which wordes being so grosely vttered and so sodeinly by such an officer as he was, she was somwhat abashed. Wherfore one of her frendes & acquaintaunce standing by, sayd these wordes: Mistres Lewes, you haue great cause to prayse God, who will vouchsafe so speedely to take you out of thys world, & make you worthy to be a witnes to his truth, and to beare record vnto Christ that he is the onely Sauiour.

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After the which wordes spoken thus, she sayd: master Sherife your message is welcome to me, and I thanke my God that he will make me worthy to aduenture my life in his quarel. And thus Master Sherife departed: and within the space of one houre, he came agayne, cum gladijs & fustibus  

: and when he came vp into the chamber, one of her frends desired him to geue him leaue to go with her to the stake, and to comfort her, the which the Sheriffe graunted at that time, but afterwardes hee was sore troubled for the same when she was dead.

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MarginaliaIoyce Lewes brought to the place of Martyrdome.Now when she was brought through the towne with a number of bill men, a great multitude of people being present, she being led by ij. of her frends (which were M. Michaell Renigar & M. Augustine Bernher)  

she was brought to the place of execution: and because the place was far of, & the throng of the people great, and she not acquainted with the fresh ayre (being so long in prison) one of her frendes sent a messenger to the Sheriffes house for some drinke: and after she had prayed three seuerall times, in the which prayer she desired God most instātly to abolish þ^e idolatrous masse, and to deliuer this Realme from PapistryMarginaliaHer prayers. (at the end of which prayers the most part of the people cried Amen, yea, euen the Sheriffe that stoode hard by her, ready to cast her in the fire for not alowing the masse, at this her prayers sayd with the rest of the people, Amen): when she had thus prayed, she tooke the cup into her handes saying: I drinke to all them that vnfaynedly loue the gospell of Iesus Christ, and wish for the abolishment of papistry. When she had dronken, they that were her frendes, dranke also. After that a great number, especially the women of the towne did drinke with her: MarginaliaWomen put to penance for pledging Ioyce Lewes.which afterward were put to open penaūce in the church by the cruell Papistes, for drinking with her.

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When she was tied to the stake with the chayne, she shewed such a cherefulnes, that it passed mans reason, being so well coloured in her face, and so pacient, that the most part of them that had honest harts did lamēt, and euen with teares bewayle the tiranny of the Papistes. MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Mistres Ioyce Lewes.When the fire was sette vpon her, she neyther struggled nor sturred, but onely lifted vp her handes towardes heauen, being dead very spedely: for the vnder Shrieffe at the request of her frendes had prouided such stuffe, by the which she was sodeinly dispatched out of this miserable world.

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This amongest other thinges may not be forgottē, that the papistes had appointed some to rayle vpon her openly, and to reuile her, both as she went to the place of execution, and also when she was at the stake. Amongest others there was an old priest, which had a