MarginaliaAn. 1557. September.Vnto which articles, because they were for the most part, so foolish and full of lyes, he would in a maner make no answere, sauing he graunted that he did mislike theyr masse and other ceremonies, because they were wicked and naught. And moreouer he tolde the bishop that he and his complices did nothing but seeke how to kill innocentes.

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The bishop then asked him, whether he would beleue in all poyntes touching the sacrament of the altar, as is conteined in the generall Coūcell holden and kept vnder Innocentius. 3.: and therwithall hee dyd read the decree of þ^e sayd Councell touching þ^e Sacrament.

Wherunto Allerton agayne made aunswere and sayd: I beleue nothing conteined in the same Councel, neither haue I any thing to doo therwith: and it were also very necessary that no man els should haue to doo therwith.

Then (quoth Boner) thou art of the opinion that the heretickes lately burned at Colchester were of.

Yea (sayd he) I am of their opinion, and I beleue that they be saintes in Heauen.

This doone the Bishop perceauing that he would not recant, demaunded what he had to say, why he should not pronounce the sentence of condemnation agaynst him. To whom he answered: ye ought not to condemne me as an hereticke, for I am a good Christian. But now go to, doo as you haue already determined: for I see right well, that right and truth be suppressed, and cannot appeare vpon the earth.

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These wordes ended, the Bishop pronounced the sentence of condemnation, and so deliuered him vnto the temporall officers: Who reserued him in theyr custody vntill the xvij. day of September, at which time, both he and the other three before mencioned were all burned, as ye haue already heard. Of which other three, because as yet litle is sayd, I will therfore now procede to declare such cause of theyr cruell deathes as in the Registry is recorded.

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MarginaliaExaminatiō of Iames Austoo & Margery hys wife.TOuchyng the first apprehension of these two persons, I finde neither occasion why, neither time, nor maner how. Howbeit as the dayes then serued, it was no hard or straunge matter to fall into the handes of such as with crueltie persecuted the true professours of Gods Gospell, especially hauyng so many promoters, and vnneighbourly neighbours to helpe them forwardes. By which kinde of people, it is not vnlike these two godly yokefellowes were accused and taken: and beyng once deliuered into the pitilesse handlyng of Boner: their examinations (ye may be sure) were not long differred. For þ^e xvj. day of Iuly. 1557. they were brought before him into his palace at London. Where first he demaunded of the said Iames Austoo (amōgest other questions) where he had bene confessed in Lent, and whether he receaued the Sacrament of the altare at Easter or not.

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To whom he aunswered that in deede he had bene confessed of the Curate of Alhallowes Barkyng, nigh vnto the Tower of London, but that he had not receaued the Sacrament of the altar, for he defied it from the bottom of his hart.

Why, quoth the Byshop, doost thou not beleue that in the Sacrament of the altare there is the true body and bloud of Christ?

No sayd Austoo, not in the Sacrament of the altar: but in the Supper of the Lord, to the faythfull receauer is the very body and bloud of Christ by faith.

Boner not well pleased with this talke, asked then the wife, how she did like the Religiō then vsed in this Church of England.

She aunswered that she beleued, that the same was not accordyng to Gods word, but false and corrupted, and that they which did go therunto, did it more for feare of the law, then otherwise.

Then he agayne asked her if she would go to the Church and heare Masse, and pray for the prosperous estate of the kyng, beyng then abroad in his affaires.

Wherunto she sayd that she defied þ^e Masse with all her hart, and that she would not come into any Church wherin where Idols.

After this the Byshop obiected vnto them certaine Articles, to the number of xviij. The tenure wherof (because they touch onely such common and triflyng matters as are already mēcioned in diuers and sondry places before) I do here for breuity sake omit and passe ouer: geuyng you yet this much to vnderstand, that in matters of fayth, they were as sound, and aunswered as truly (God be therfore praysed) as euer did any, especially the woman, to whom the Lord had geuen the greater knowledge & more feruentnes of spirite. Notwithstandyng, accordyng to the measure of grace that God gaue them, they both stode most firmely vnto the truth. And therfore to conclude, the. x. day of September, they were (with Rafe Allerton, of whom ye haue heard) brought agayne before the Byshop within hys Chappell at Fulham, where he speakyng vnto them, sayd first on this wise: Austoo, doost thou know where thou art now, and in what place, and before whom, and what thou hast to do?

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Yea (quoth Austoo) I know where I am: For I am in an idols temple.

After which wordes their Articles being again read, and their constancy in fayth perceaued, Boner pronoūced agaynst either of them seuerally the sentence of cōdemnatiō, and deliuering them vnto the Shrieffe there present, did rid his handes (as he thought) of them: but the Lord in the end will iudge that: to whom I referre hys cause.

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MarginaliaMargery Austoo terrified in prison.It so happened vppon a night  

that as this Margery Austoo was in the Byshops prison (which prison I suppose was his dogge kennell,. for it was, as is reported, vnder a payre of stayres) by the Byshops procurement there was sent a stout champion (as appeared) about twelue of the clocke at night, who suddenly opened the doore, & with a knife drawen or ready prepared, fel vpon her, to the intent to haue cut her throte. Which she by the reason of the clearnes of the Moone perceauyng, and callyng vnto God for helpe, he (but who it was she knew not) giuyng a grunt, and fearyng (belike) to commit so cruell a deede, departed his wayes without any more hurt doyng.

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The next night follwyng, they caused a great rumbelyng to be made ouer her head, which seemed to her to haue bene some great thunder, which they did for to haue feared her out of her wittes, but yet thankes be to God, they myssed of their purpose.

MarginaliaExamination of Richard Roth.IN the Godly fellowship of the forenamed three Martyrs, was also this Richard Roth, as is already before specified. Who being apprehended and brought vp vnto the Bishop of London, was by him examined the fourth day of Iuly: at what time the bishop did earnestly trauell to induce him to beleue that there were seuen sacramentes in Christes Church, and that in the sacrament of the altar (after the wordes of consecration duely spoken) there remayned the very substance of Christes body and bloud and none other. Wherunto, (at that present) he made only this aunswere: that if the scriptures did so teach him, and that he might be by the same so perswaded, he would so beleue, otherwise not. But at an other examination (which was the ix. day of September) he declared playnly, that in the said sacramēt of þ^e altar (as it was then vsed) there was not the very body and bloud of Christ, but that it was a dead God, and that the masse was detestable and contrary to Gods holy worde and will, from the which fayth and opinion he would not go or decline.

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The next day being the x. day of the same moneth of