MarginaliaAn. 1558. Nouember.and children be faithfull, then am I theirs. God is my father, God is my mother, God is my sister, my brother, my kinsman, God is my frend most faithfull.

MarginaliaThe woman deliuered to the Shrieffe, and led to the place of execution.Then was she deliuered to the Sheriffe, and innumerable people beholdyng her, she was led by the Officers to the place of execution without the walles of Exetor called Sothenbey, where agayne these superstitious Priestes assaulted her: and she prayed them to haue no more talke with her, but cried still, God be mercyfull to me a sinner, God be mercyfull to me a sinner. And so whiles they were tying her to þ^e stake thus still she cried and would geue no aunswere to them, but with much pacience tooke her cruell death, & was with

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

The poor woman, finally identified as 'one Prestes wyfe' was sufficiently important to warrant a new, third, small woodcut of a woman at the stake. She has been given strong individual features.

the flames & fire consumed: and so ended this mortall lyfe as constant a womā in the faith of Christ, as euer was vppon the earth. She was as simple a woman to see to as any mā might behold: of a very litle and short stature, somwhat thicke, about liiij. yeares of age. She had a cherefull countenaunce, so liuely as though she had bene prepared for that day of her mariage to meete the Lambe: Most pacient of her wordes and aunsweres, sober in apparell meate and drinke, and would neuer be idle: a great cōfort to as many as would talke with her: good to the poore, and in her trouble money she sayd she would take none, for she sayd, I am goyng to a Citie where money beareth no mastry: Whiles I am here God hath promised to feede me. Thus was her mortall lyfe ended. For whose constancie God be euerlastyngly praysed, Amen.

Touching the name of this woman (as I haue now learned)  

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In the 1563 edition, Foxe did not know Mrs Prest's name and, in fact, he never learned her first name.

The persecution and Martyrdome of three godly men, burnt at Bristow, about the latter yeares of Queene Maryes reigne.  

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Sharp, Benion and Hale

This account reached Foxe as the 1563 edition was nearing completion and it was printed in an appendix to the first edition (1563, p. 1737). The account was integrated into the main text in the 1570 edition, but beyond that, it remained unchanged in subsequent editions. Whoever Foxe's sources were for these martyrs, they appear to have been reliable. The charges against Richard Sharpe survive ina Cause Book in the Bristol Archive (K. G. Powell, The Marian Martyrs and theReformation in Bristol [Bristol: 1972], pp. 13-14).

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MarginaliaThe story of iij. Martyrs which suffered at Bristow.IN writing of the blessed Saintes, which suffered in the bloudy dayes of Queene Mary, I had almost ouerpassed þ^e names and story of three godly Martyrs, which with their bloud gaue testimonie likewise to the Gospell of Christ, beyng condemned and burnt in the Towne of Bristow. The names of whom were these.

MarginaliaMartyrs.Richard Sharpe.
Thomas Hale.
Thomas Benion.

MarginaliaRichard Sharpe, Martyr.First Richard Sharpe Weauer of Bristow, was brought the ix. day of March, an. 1556. before MarginaliaM. Dalby Chaūcellor of Bristow, persecutor.M. Dalbye Chauncellour of the Towne or Citie of Bristow, and after examination concernyng the Sacrament of the altar, was persuaded by the sayd Dalby and others to recant, and the. xxix. of the same moneth was enioyned to make his recantation before the Parishoners in his Parish Church. Which whē he had done, he felt in his conscience such a tormēting hell, that he was not able quietly to worke in his occupation, but decayed and chaunged, both in colour and likyng of his body. Who shortly after vppon a Sonday came into his Parish Church called Temple, and after high Masse, came to the queere doore & said with a loud voyce: Neighbours, beare me recorde that yonder Idoll (and poynted to the altar) is the greatest and most abominable that euer was: and I am sory that euer I denied my Lord God. Then the Constables were commaunded to apprehēd him, but none stepped forth, but suffered him to go out of the Church. After by night he was apprehended and caryed to Newgate, and shortly after, he was brought before the sayd Chauncellor, denying the Sacrament of the altar to be the body and bloud of Christ, and sayd it was an Idoll, MarginaliaRichard Sharpe condēned.& therfore was cōdemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby. He was burnt the 7. of May. 1557. and died godly, paciently, and constantly, confessing the Articles of our faith.

MarginaliaThomas Hale, Martyr.THe Thursday in the night, before Easter. 1557. came one M. Dauid Herrys Alderman, and Iohn Stone to the house of one Thomas Hale, a Shomaker of Bristow, and caused him to rise out of his bed, and brought him forth of his doore. To whom þ^e sayd Thomas Hale sayd: you haue sought my bloud these two yeares, and now much good do it you with it. Who beyng committed to the watchmen, was caried to Newgate the xxiiij. of Aprill, þ^e yeare aforesayd: was brought before M. Dalbie the Chauncellour, committed by him to prison, and after by him condemned to be burnt, for saying the Sacrament of the altar to be an Idoll. He was burned the vij. of May with þ^e aforesayd Richard Sharpe, and godly, paciently, and constantly embracyng the fire with his armes.