Marginalia1557. Septemb.September, the bishop at his house at Fulham (by way of an article) laid and obiected against him: that he was a comforter and boldener of heretickes, and therfore had written a letter to that effect vnto certayne that were burned at Colchester: the copy wherof ensueth.

¶ A letter written by Rich. Roth, vnto certaine brethren and sisters in Christ, condemned at Colchester, and ready to be burned for the testimony of the truth.  

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This letter was printed in all editions of the Acts and Monuments and also in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 680-81.

MarginaliaA letter of Richard Roth.O Deare brethren and sisters, how much haue you to reioyce in God, that he hath geuen you such fayth to ouercome this bloud thirsty tirauntes thus farre: and no doubt he that hath begon that good worke in you, will fulfill it vnto thend. O deare hartes in Christ, what a crowne of glory shall ye receaue with Christ in the kingdome of God? Oh that it had bene the good wil of God, that I had bene ready to haue gone with you. For I lye in my lordes litle ease in the day, and in the night I lye in the Colehouse, from Rafe Allerton, or any other: and we looke euery day when we shall bee condemned. For he sayd that I should be burned within x. dayes before Easter: but I lye still at the pooles brinke, and euery mā goeth in before me: but we abide paciently the Lordes laysure, with many bandes, in fetters and stockes: by the which we haue receaued great ioye in God. And now fare you well deare brethren and sisters, in thys world: but I trust to see you in the heauen face to face.

Oh brother Munt, with your wife and my deare sister Rose, how blessed are you in the Lorde, that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake: with all the rest of my deare brethren and sisters knowen and vnknowen. O be ioyfull euē vnto death. Feare it not, sayth Christ: for I haue ouercome death, sayth he. Oh deare hartes, seing that Iesus Christ will be our helpe, oh tary you the Lordes laysure. Be strong, let your hartes be of good comfort, and wayte you still for the Lord. He is at hand. Yea the angell of the lord pitcheth his tent round about them that feare him, and deliuereth them which way he seeth best. For our liues are in the Lords hands: and they can do nothing vnto vs before god suffer them. Therfore geue all thankes to God.

Oh deare hartes, you shall be clothed with long white garmentes vpon the mount Sion, with the multitude of Saintes, & with Iesus Christ our Sauior, which will neuer forsake vs. Oh blessed Virgins, ye haue plaied the wise virgines part, in that you haue taken oyle in your lampes, that ye may go in with the brydegrome when he commeth, into the euerlasting ioy with him. But as for þ^e foolish they shall be shut out, because they made not themselues ready to suffer with Christ, neither go about to take vp his crosse. O deare hartes, how precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord? for deare is the death of his saintes. O fare you well, and pray. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all, Amen, Amen Pray, pray, pray.

By me Rich. Roth, written with
mine owne bloud.

This letter he confessed in dede (vpon the sayd examination) to haue written with his bloud, and that he ment to haue sent the same vnto such as were condemned at Colchester for the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and were afterwardes burned there, as ye haue already heard.

The Byshop then farther asked hym, what he thought his prison fellow Rafe Allerton to be?

MarginaliaThe testimony of Rich. Roth of Rafe Allerton.He answered that they thought hym to be one of the elect children of God: and that if at any tyme hereafter he happened to be put to death for hys fayth and religion, he thought he should dye a true Martyr. And moreouer finding himselfe agreued with the Bishops priuy and secret condemninges of Gods people, he sayd vnto hym in this sort: My Lord, because the people should not see and behold your doinges, ye cause me and others to be brought to our examinatiōs by night, beyng afrayd (belike) to do it by day.

The Bishop not greatly caring for thys talke, proceded to examine him of other matters, amōgest which this high and waighty thing was one, videlicet, how he did lyke the order and rites of the church then vsed

here in England.

To whom he sayd, that he euer had and yet then did abhorre the same with all his hart.

Then diuers of the Bishops complices entreated and perswaded hym to recant, and aske mercy of the Byshop.

No (quoth Roth) I will not aske mercy of hym that can not geue it. MarginaliaCondemnation of Rich. Roth.Whereupon he was (as the rest before mencioned) condemned, and deliuered vnto the

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This woodcut (Type 1), with its correct representation of three men and one woman praying and signalling with raised hands, was for martyrs who ended their lives 'most joyfully'. Its single subsequent reuse was inappropriately for four men burned two years later at 'S. Edmunds Bury' (Bury St Edmunds).

Shriffe. And the xvij. day of September they all most ioyfully ended their lyues in one fire at Islington, for the testimony of Christ, as before is declared.

Agnes Bongeor, and Margaret Thurston,  

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Agnes Bongeor and Margaret Thurston

Margaret Thurston was the wife of John Thurston, who died in prison (see 1563, p. 1611; 1570, p. 2202; 1576, p. 1900 and 1583, p. 2009.

two godly Christian women, burnt at Colchester for the sincere professing of Christes Gospell.  

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In 1563, Foxe printed an account of the martyrdoms of Bongeor and Thurston which was based on a letter to Bonner from the baliffs of Colchester and on testimony from individuals about Bongeor's readiness to die and about Thurston's temporary backsliding. In the 1570 edition, Foxe added Joan Cook's testimony about the postponement of Thurston's martyrdom. But in the same edition, Foxe deleted the letter to Bonner, which explained why Bongeor's execution was postponed; instead Foxe merely replaced it with a short explanation of Bongeor's temporary reprieve. The account remained unchanged in subsequent editions.

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MarginaliaSeptēb. 17.MarginaliaMargaret Thurston, Agnes Bongeor, Martyrs.A Little before (gentle reader) was mention made of tenne that suffred Martyrdome at Colchester pag. 2198. at which tyme there were two other women also, one called Margaret Thurston, and the other Agnes Bongeor, that should haue suffred with them, and were likewise condemned at the same tyme and place that the other aboue named ten were, for the like cause, and answered also in their examinations the like in effect as the other did. But the one, namely Margaret Thurston, that morning she should suffer with those that went from the Castle, was for that time deferred. What þ^e cause was, the testimony of Ioane Cooke shall declare vnto vs. Which Ioane Cooke, the wife now of Iohn Sparke beyng then in the Castell of Colchester for religion, did demaund of this widow Thurston,MarginaliaA note of Margaret Thurston. whose husband dyed in the prison being imprisoned for religion, wherfore the sayd Margaret beyng a condemned woman, should be reserued, when the other suffered in the Castell Baily. She aunswered, that it was not for any feare of death, but beyng prepared as the rest were that suffered the same day, she felte in her selfe a great shiuering and trembling of the fleshe. Wherupon forsaking the company she went aside to pray. And whilest she was a praying, she thought that she was lifted vp with a mighty winde that came round about her. Euen at that instant came in the Iayler and company with hym, and whilest she turned her