MarginaliaAn. 1558.derstandyng.

Bysh. Womā, be reformable, for I would thou were gone, and M. Deane here hath earnestly sued for thee.

Deane. Woman, I haue sued for thee in deede, and I promise thee, if thou wilt be reformable, my Lord will be good vnto thee.

Eliz. I haue bene before my Lord Byshop, and before maister Chauncellour three times, and haue declared my fayth.

Deane. And yet I know that maister Chauncellour will say that thou art a ranke hereticke.

Doct. Story. Away with her.

Bysh. M. Deane, ye know that I may not tary, nor you neither. MarginaliaElizabeth Young committed to the Deane.Let her keeper bryng her home to your owne chāber soone at foure a clocke at afternoone, and if that ye finde her reasonable, then let her go, for I would that she were gone.

Then sayd the Deane, with a good will, my Lord: and so she was sent vnto the place from whence she came vntill it was foure of the clocke at afternoone.

MarginaliaThe ninth examination of Eliz. Young.WHen it was foure of the clocke at afternoone, as the houre was appointed, and the Deane was set, he asked her: Art thou a foole now, as thou wast to day?

Eliz. Syr I haue learned but small wisedome since.

Deane. Doest thou thinke that I am better learned then thou?

Eliz. Yes Syr, that I do.

Deane. Thinkest thou that I can do thee good?

Eliz. Yea Syr, and if it please God that ye will.

Deane. Then I will do thee good in deede. MarginaliaTalke betwene the Deane and Eliz. Young about receauing the Sacrament.What doost thou receiue when thou receiuest the Sacramēt which Christ left among his disciples the night before he was betrayed?

Eliz. Syr, that that his disciples did receiue.

Deane. What did they receaue?

Eliz. Syr, that that Christ gaue them they receiued.

Deane. What aunswere is this? was Christ there present?

Eliz. Syr, he was there present, for he instituted hys owne Sacrament.

Deane. He tooke bread and he brake it, and gaue it to his disciples, and sayd: take, eate: this is my body which shalbe broken for you. When thou receiuest it, doost thou beleue that thou receiuest his body?

Eliz. Syr, when I receaue, I beleue that thorough fayth I do receaue Christ.

Deane. Doost thou beleue that Christ is there?

Eliz. Syr, MarginaliaChrist not absent from hys Sacramentes.I beleue that he is there to me, and by faith I do receaue hym.

Deane. He also tooke the cup and gaue thankes, and gaue it to his disciples, and sayd: drinke ye all hereof. This is the cup of the new testament in my bloud, which is shed for many for the remißion of sinnes. When thou doost receaue it after the institution that Christ ordayned it among his disciples the night before he was betrayed, doost thou beleue that Christ is there?

Eliz. Syr, by faith I beleue that he is there, and by fayth I do beleue that I do receaue him.

Deane. Now thou hast aunswered me. Remember that thou sayest, that when thou doost receaue according to þ^e institutiō of Christ, thou doost receaue Christ.

Eliz. Syr, I beleue Christ not to be absent from hys owne Sacrament.

Deane. How long wilt thou continue in that beliefe?

Eliz. Syr, as long as I do liue, by the helpe of God: for it is and hath bene my beliefe.

Deane. Wilt thou say this before my Lord?

Eliz. Yea Syr.

Deane. Then I dare deliuer thee. Why thou Calfe, why wouldst not thou say so to day?

Eliz. Syr, ye asked me no such question.

Deane. Then ye would stand in disputation how many bodyes Christ had.

Eliz. Syr, in deede that question ye did aske me.

Deane. Who shalbe thy suerties that thou wilt appeare before my Lord of London and me vpon Friday nexte?

Eliz. Syr, I haue no suerties, nor know not where to haue.

MarginaliaTwo women suerties for Elizabeth Young.Then spake the Deane vnto two women that stoode there, who had earnestly sued for her, saying: women, will ge be her suerties, that she shall appeare before my Lord of London and me vpon Friday next?

The women. Yea Syr, and it please you.

Deane. Take heede that I finde you no more a brabler in the scripture.

Eliz. Syr, I am no brabler in the scripture, nor yet any man can burthern me therewith.

Deane. Yes, I haue heard of you well inough what ye are.

Then sayd he to the two women: what if a man should touch your conscience, do ye not smell a little of heresy also?

The women. No, Syr.

Deane. Yes, a litle of the frying pan, or els wherefore haue ye twayne so earnestly sued for her?

The one woman aunswered: because that her children were lyke to perish, and therfore God put me in mynde to sue for her.

Then sayd the other woman: And I gat her child a nurse and I am threatened to stand to the keepyng of her child, and therfore it standeth me in hand for to sue to haue her out.

Deane. Womā, geue thankes vnto these honest women who haue so earnestly sued for thee:MarginaliaElizabeth Young vpon suerties deliuered. and I promise thee so haue I. These great heretickes wil receiue nothyng but in spirite and fayth: and so he rose and departed.

Elizab. Syr, God be praysed, and I thanke you for your goodnes, and theirs also, and so he went away: and vpon the Friday next, because that she was acrased, her two suerties went thether, & were discharged.

þ Elizabeth Lawson.  

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Copies of the sentence condemning Elizabeth Lawson survive in Foxe's papers as BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 164r-165r and 177r-178v.

MarginaliaElizabeth Lawson, Cōfessour.IN the towne of Bedfield and in the Countie of Suffolke was dwelling a godly auncient matrone named Elizabeth Lawson. about the age of lx. yeares. This Elizabeth was apprehended as an hereticke, by the Constables of the same towne, named MarginaliaRobert Kitrick, Tho. Elas, persecutors.Robert Kitrich, and Thomas Elas, in the yeare of our Lord. 1556. because she would not go to Church to heare Masse, and receaue the Sacrament, and beleue in it. First they layde her in a dungeon, and after that she was caried vnto Norwich, and from thence to Bury gayle, where at last she was condemned to be brent. In the meane tyme MarginaliaSyr Iohn Sylliarde Shrieffe.Syr Iohn Sylliard had her home vnto his house, be beyng high Sheriffe that yeare, where she was hardly kept and wrapped in yrons, till at length whē they by no wise could moue her to recant, she was sent to prison againe with shamefull reuilinges.

Thus she continued in prison the space of two yeares and three quarters.MarginaliaElizabeth Lawson in prison 2. yeares & 3. quarters. In the meane tyme there was burnt her sonne and many other, whereby she would often say: Good Lord, what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee with thy children?MarginaliaElizab. Lawson sory þ^t she was not burned. well good Lord, thy blessed will be done, and not myne. Not long after this (most happely) followed the death of Queene Mary, after whom succeded our Queene that now is. At which tyme this Elizabeth Lawson remained yet still in Bury prison, MarginaliaElizabeth Lawson bayled vpō suerties in Q. Elizabethes time.till at last she was bayled vppon suerties, or els she could not be deliuered. For she beyng a condemned person, neither the temporalitie nor yet spirituall authoritie would discharge her without suerties.

Now she beyng abroad, & her suerties made afrayd by wicked men, sayd they would cast her agayne in pri-