MarginaliaAn. 1558.well, do not tempt God, go thy way. And so takyng the warnyng as sent of God, with a quyet conscience eschued burnyng.

MarginaliaThe story of Ieffrey Hurst dwelling in the towne of Shakerley in þ^e parish of Leaight.IN the Towne of Shakerley in Lancashyre dwelled one Ieffrey Hurst þ^e sonne of an honest yeoman, who had besides him a xj. children, þ^e sayd Ieffrey beyng the xij. & eldest of the rest: and for that their father beyng willing to bryng them vp, so that they should be able an other day to helpe them selues, he did bynd this Ieffrey prentise vnto the craft of nayling, to make all kinde of nayles: which occupation he learned and serued out the time of vij. yeares. The which yeres being expired, he gaue him selfe at tymes to learne of his other brethren which went to schole: and as he was very willyng to the same, so God sent him knowledge, wherin he did perseuer and go forwardes, in such sort that he could write and read indifferently, and in longer continuaunce came by more knowledge, and so hauyng the Bible & diuers other bookes in his house, did come by pretie knowledge in the Scripture. MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst brother in law to George Marshe the Martyr.After this, he tooke vnto him a wife beyng the sister of M. George Marshe, of whose Martyrdome mention is made before, pag. 1738. and being much familiar with him, did mend his knowledge not a litle, Now when Q. Mary was entred, þ^e first yeare of her reigne he kept him self away from their doynges & came not at the Church: Wherupon he was layd in wayte for, and called hereticke, and Lollard, and so for feare of further daunger, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst leaueth wife, children, and house for persecution.he was compelled to leaue his wife and his child, and all, and fled into Yorkeshyre, and there beyng not knowen did lead his life, returnyng sometymes by night to his house to comfort his wife, and bryngyng with him some preacher or other, who vsed to preach vnto them so long as the tyme would serue, and so departed by night agayn. MarginaliaPreachers vsing to Ieffrey Hurstes house, and to preach.The names of the preachers were: M. Reneses, M. Best, M. Brodbāke, M. Russell, and euery tyme they came thether they were about xx. or xxiiij. sometymes, but xvj. at least, who had there also sometimes a Communion. And thus in much feare did he with others lead his life, till the last yeare of the reigne of Queene Mary. Then it chaunced that the sayd Ieffrey Hurst, after the death of his father, came home, and kept him selfe close for vij. or viij. weekes.

There dwelt not farre of at Morlese, a certeine Iustice of peace and of quorum, named M. Thomas Lelond,MarginaliaM. Thomas Lelond Iustice of peace at Morlese in Lancashire, a cruell persecutor. who hearyng of him, appointed a tyme to come to his fathers house where he then dwelt, to rifle the house for bookes, and to search for him also, and so did. Ieffrey and hys company hauing knowledge of hys commyng, tooke the bookes which were in þ^e house, as the Bible, þ^e Cōmunion booke, the new Testament of Tyndals trāslation, & diuers others, & threw thē all vnderneath a tubbe or fat, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst cōueyed vnder a Dryfatte.conueyng also the sayd Ieffrey vnder the same, with a great deale of straw cast vnderneth him: for as it chaunced they had the more time, because that when the Iustice came almost to the doore, he stayd & would not enter the house till he had sent for Hurstes mothers landlady M. Shakerlay,MarginaliaMistres Shakerlay Hurstes Landlady. & then with her cōsent to go forwardes. In þ^e meane tyme, Ieffrey by such as were with him, was willed to lay in his window þ^e Testament of Tindalls trāslation, & a litle booke cōteinyng the third part of the Bible, with the booke of Ecclesiasticus, to try what they would say vnto them.

This done, Mistres Shakerlay came. Vnto whō eftsoones the Iustice declareth the cause of his commyng, & how he was sory to attempt any such thing agaynst any of her tenantes for her sake, but notwithstandyng he must needes execute his office. And agayne you must (sayd he) note this, that a skabbed sheepe is able to enfect a great number: and especially hauyng, as he hath, so many brethren, and sisters, he is able to marre them all, if it be not looked vnto in tyme. MarginaliaM. Lelond entreth to search Hurstes house.And thus cōcluding, M. Lelond entred into þ^e house, and being come in, set

him selfe a chayre in the midle of the house, and sendyng Syr Rafe ParkinsonMarginaliaRafe Parkinson a Popish persecuting priest. his Priest, and one of his men, and one of Mistres Shakerlays men about the house, to search and rifle þ^e chestes for bookes (which so did) in the meane tyme he talked with Hurstes mother, being of þ^e age almost of iij. score yeares: And chiding with her that she should suffer her sōne so to order and behaue him selfe like an hereticke, sayd: thou old foole, I do know my selfe that this new learnyng shall come agayne: but for how long? euen for three monethes or iiij. monethes and no longer. MarginaliaThe Papistes follow false prophesies, of the Gospell to come agayn after iiij. moneth and more.But I will lay thee old foole in Lancaster dungeon for this geare, and well worthy.

Now as concernyng the searchers, they found nothyng but Latin bookes, as Grammer and such lyke. These be not they that we loke for (said they): we must see further, and so looked into Hurstes chamber where they found the foresayd bookes. Thē Syr Rafe takyng vp the Testament, looked on it and smiled. His Master seyng that, sayd: now Syr Rafe, what haue we there? Forsooth, sayd he, a Testament of Tyndals translatiō, playne heresie,MarginaliaThe new Nestament of Tindals translation made heresie. and none worse then it. Thē is all their goodes, sayth he, lost to the Queene and their bodyes to prison, and was wonderfull hasty: notwithstandyng through Mistres Shakerlay, for a space he was content to see farther.

Then the Priest looked on the other booke: What say ye to that Syr Rafe, is that as euill as the other? No sayd he, but it is not good that they should haue such English bookes to looke on: for this and such others, may do much harme. MarginaliaSearch made for Hurst & hys sister Alice.Then he asked the mother where her eldest sonne was, and her daughter Alyce? She aunswered, she could not tell: they were not with her of long tyme before. And he swore by Gods body, MarginaliaThe olde mother threatned to go to Lancaster Castle.he would make her tell where they were, or he would lay her in Lancaster dungeon, & yet he would haue them, notwithstandyng too. To be short, MarginaliaHurstes mother and brother bound in a C. pound for hys forth comming.for feare he had hys brother Iohn Hurst and his mother bound in a C. Ž to bryng the parties before hym within xiiij. dayes, and so departed he, & the Priest put both the bookes in his bosome, and caryed them away with him Then Iohn Hurst went after them, desiryng that he might haue the booke which the Priest found no fault with: but he (sayd they) should aunswere to them both, and which so euer was the better, was not good.

As this past on, when the tyme was come that Ieffrey Hurst and his sister should be examined, þ^e Iustice sent for them betymes in the morning and had prepared a Masse to beginne with all, asking Ieffrey Hurst if he would first go and see his maker, MarginaliaMaster Lelondes maker.and then he would talke further with him. MarginaliaTalke betwene Ieffrey Hurst and the Iustice.To whom then Ieffrey aunswered and sayd: Syr my maker is in heauen, and I am assured in goyng to your Masse I shall finde no edification thereby, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst denyeth to come to Masse.and therefore I pray you holde me excused.

Well well, sayd he, I perceaue I shall finde you an hereticke, by God: but I will go to Masse, and I wyll not lose it for all your pratling. Then into his Chappell he went, and when Masse was done, MarginaliaExamination after Masse.he sent for them, and caused his Priest to read a scrole vnto them as concerning the vij. Sacramētes, & euer as he spake of þ^e body & bloud of Christ, he put of his cap, & sayd, loe ye may see: you will deny these thinges & care not for your Prince: but you shal feele it ere I haue done with you, and all the facultie of you, with other talke more betwene them, I know not what: MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst & Alice his sister, let goe vnder suerties.but in the end they were licensed to depart vnder suerties to appeare agayne before him within three weekes, and then to goe to Lancaster. MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst by þ^e death of Queene Mary, released.Howbeit in the meane while it so pleased God, that within foure dayes of the day appointed it was noysed that the Queene was dead, and within xiiij. dayes after, the sayd Ieffrey Hurst fette home hys two bookes, and nothing was sayd vnto him.

It followed after this that Gods word begonne to take place, and the Queenes visitors came downe into