Marginalia1558. August. Nouemb. The vniust execution and Martyrdome of foure burned at Saint Edmundes Bury.  

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Four Martyrs at Bury St Edmunds

This account first appeared in the 1570 edition and was reprinted without change in subsequent editions. Although Foxe had copies of the trial records (see BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 169r-170v), he was clearly working from a sympathetic witness's account of the trial of John Cook.

MarginaliaAugust.MarginaliaThe story of 4. Martyrs in Suffolke.IN this yeare aforesayd, which was the last of Queene Maries reigne D. Hopton beyng Byshop of Norwiche, and D. Spenser bearyng the roume of his Chaūcellour, about S. Iames tyde, at S. Edmundes Bury, were wrongfully put to death foure Christian Martyrs, to witte:

MarginaliaMartyrs.Ihon Cooke, a Sawyer.
Robert Miles, aliâs Plummer, a Shereman.
Alexander Lane, a Wheelewright.
Iames Asheley, a Bacheler.

The examinatiō of these forenamed persons, beyng seuerally called before the Byshop of Norwiche, and Syr Edward WalgraueMarginaliaSyr Edw. Walgraue persecutor. with others, was partly vpon these Articles following.

MarginaliaExamination of Iohn Cooke.First Syr Edward Walgraue called Ioh. Cooke to him, & said: how fortuneth it that you go not to church?

Iohn Cooke sayd: I haue bene there.

Syr Edward said: what is the cause that you go not thether now in these dayes?

Iohn Cooke sayd: because the Sacrament of the altar is an abominable Idoll, and (saith he) the vengeāce of God will come vpon all them that do maintayne it.

Syr Edward sayd: O thou ranke traytour, if I had as good Commission to cut out thy toung as I haue to sit here this day, thou shouldest be sure to haue it cut out. Then commaunded he the Constable to haue him away, saying he was both a traytour and a rebell.

MarginaliaExamination of Robert Miles.Then he called Robert Myles and sayd: how fortuneth it that you go not to the Church?

Robert Myles aunswered: because I will folow no false Gods.

Then sayd þ^e Bishop: who told thee that it is a God?

Then sayd Myles: euen you and such as you are.

Then the Byshop commaunded him aside and to appeare before him the next day.

MarginaliaExamination of Alexāder Lane.Then he called Alexander Lane before him, and asked hym how it chaunced that he would not go to the Church.

He sayd þ^t his cōscience would not serue him so to do.

Then Syr Edward said: how doest thou beleue?

Then said Lane: euē as it is written in Gods booke.

Then Syr Edward commaunded hym to say hys beliefe.

Then the sayd Lane beyng somewhat abashed, sayd his beliefe to these wordes, which he missed vnwares: Borne of the Virgine Mary.

Then Syr Edward sayd: what was he not borne of the virgine Mary?

Yea, sayd Lane, I would haue sayd so.

Nay, said Syr Edward, you are one of Cookes scholers, and so commaunded him away, and to come before him the next day.

MarginaliaExamination of Iames Ashley.After the like maner they passed also with Iames Ashley, whom they warned the next day likewise to appeare before them again. So in fine they appearyng againe had their condemnation. MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Cooke, Miles, Lane, & Ashley, at Bury. An. 1558. August.And thus these iiij. blessed Martyrs and seruantes of Christ, innocently suffered together at S. Edmundes Bury, as is aforesayd, about the begynnyng of August, not lōg before the sickenes of Queene Mary.

The Martyrdome of ij. godly persons suffring at Ipswich for the gospell of Christ and his euerlasting testament, named Alexander Gouch, and Alice Driuer.  

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Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver

The backgrounds of Gouch and Driver, as well as their examinations, first appeared in the 1563 edition. Foxe was drawing on individual informants for their arrest and background and on official records for Gouch's examinations. (The processes against Gouch and Driver, and the sentence against Driver, are among Foxe's papers - see BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 140r-v and 142r-143r). The account ofDriver's examinations was compiled by a sympathetic observer of her trial. In the 1570 edition an account of their executions, supplied by an eyewitness, was added to this account. No further changes were made to the narrative of their martyrdoms.

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MarginaliaNouēb. 4.MAster Noone,  

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In the 1563 edition (p. 1698) Foxe has a further account of how Francis Nunn, the JP, who hunted Gouch and Driver so relentlessly, also nearly captured John Noyes (or 'Moyse'). This account was probably dropped because of Nunn's influence (he remained a JP well into Elizabeth's reign), but it is interesting that Foxe retained the account of his hunt for Gouch and Driver.

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and Driuers wife of Grousborough to be at Grousborough together, a little from his house, immediately tooke hys men with him and went thether, & made diligent search for them, where the poore man and womā were compelled to steppe into an hay golph to hide themselues from their cruelty. At the last they came to search the hay for them, and by gaging thereof with pitchforkes, at the last found them: MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer takē at Grousborough.so they tooke them and led them to Melton Gaile,MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer caried to Melton Gaile. where they remayning a tyme, at the length were caried to Bury, against the assise at Saint Iames tide, and being there examined of matters of fayth, did boldly stand to confesse Christ crucified, defiyng þ^e Pope with all his papisticall trash. And amōg other things Driuers wife likened Queene Mary in her persecutiō to Iezabell,MarginaliaQ. Mary called Iezabell. and so in that sense calling her Iezabell, for that, syr Clement Higham being chiefe iudge there, adiudged her eares immediatly to be cut of, MarginaliaAlice Driuers eares cut of, for likening Q. Mary to Iezabell.which was accomplished accordingly, and she ioyfully yelded her selfe to the punishment, and thought her selfe happy, that she was counted worthy to suffer any thing for the name of Christ

After the assise at Bury, they were caryed to Meltō Gaile agayne, where they remayned a tyme. MarginaliaAlexander Gouch.Thys Alexander Gouch was a man of þ^e age of 36. yeares, or theraboutes, & by his occupation was a Weauer of shredding couerlets, dwelling at Woodbridge in Suffolke, and borne at Vfford in the same county. Driuers wife was a woman about the age of xxx. yeares, and dwelt in Grousborough where they were taken in Suffolke. Her husband did vse husbandry. MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer caried to Ipswich.These two were caryed from Melton Gaile, to Ipswich, where they remayned and were examined. The which their examination as it came to our handes here after followeth.

FIrst, she comming into the place where she should be examined with a smiling countenaunce, Doct. SpēserMarginaliaDoct. Spenser after þ^e death of D. Dunning who dyed sodeinly in Lincolnshire, was Chauncellor vnder Byshop Hopton. sayd: why womā, doest thou laugh vs to scorne?

Driuers wife. Whether I do or no, I might well inough, to see what fooles ye be.

Doct. Spenser. Then the Chauncellour asked her wherefore she was brought before hym, and why she was layd in prison.

Dry. Wherefore? I thinke I neede not tell you: for ye know it better then I.

Spenser. No, by my trouth womā, I know not why.

Dry. Then haue ye doone me much wrong (quoth she) thus to imprison me, and know no cause why: For I know no euill that I haue done, I thanke God, and I hope there is no man that can accuse me of any notorious facte that I haue done, iustly.

Spens. Woman, woman, MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.what sayest thou to the blessed sacrament of the aultar? Doest thou not beleue that it is very flesh and bloud after the wordes be spoken of consecration?

Driuers wife at those wordes helde her peace, and made no aunswere. Then a great chuffeheaded priest that stoode by, spake and asked her why she made not the Chauncellor an aunswere. With that, the sayd Driuers wife looked vpon him austerely, & sayd: MarginaliaA fatte priest put to silence.Why priest, I come not to talke w^t thee, but I come to talke with thy master: but if thou wilt, I shall talke with thee, cōmaund thy master to holde his peace: And with that the priest put his nose in his cappe, and spake neuer a word more. Then the Chaūcellor bad her make answere to that he demaunded of her.

Dry. Syr (sayd she) pardon me though I make no answere, for I cannot tell what you meane therby: for in all my life I neuer heard nor red of any such sacramēt in all the scripture.

Spens. Why, what scriptures haue you red, I pray you?

Dry. I haue (I thanke God) red Gods booke.