Marginalia1558.that Countrey, who did chuse fower mē in the parish: to wit, Simond Smith, Ieffrey Hurst, Henry Browne, George Eccersly, which fower were Protestantes, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst in Q. Elizabethes time put in authoritie to see the proceding of Religion.to see the Queenes proceedinges to take place: which according to their power did the same, notwithstanding it did litle preuayle: and therefore the sayd Ieffrey being sore greeued with the office, fell sicke, in which sicknes it pleased God to call him, making a very godly end, God haue the prayse for it.

MarginaliaTho. Leland the Popishe Iustice, would not come to the church in Q. Elizabethes time, & yet continued Iustice still.Now to returne to the foresayd Thomas Lelond agayne, he continuing in his office still, did very fewe tymes come to the church, but sayd he was aged and might not labour, and there kept with hym Syr Rafe Parkinson hys Priest, which coulde (as it was sayd) minister the Communion vnto the people, and sing Masse to his master: Yea and (as the fame reported) did a pretier feat then all that: MarginaliaA Catholicke father of the Popish church.for he begot two children by a seruaunt in the house, his master knowing it, & saying nothing, for that he would not loose his good Masse Priest.

MarginaliaNote a catholicke knacke of a Popishe Iustice.Furthermore, this was noted in the same Iustice Lelondes behauiour at seruice tyme, that hee had a little dogge which hee woulde play with all seruice tyme, and the same dogge had a coller full of Bels, so that the noyse of them did molest and trouble others as well as himselfe, from hearing the seruice. Also in the same Iustice it was noted and obserued, that as he sat in his Chappell at seruice tyme, his maner was on a willow barke to knit knottes, for that he could not be suffered to haue his Beades, and to put the same vpon a string also. Witnes hereof Edward Hurst, w^t others.  

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This is a good example of a relative of a victim relating an incident of the Marian persecution to Foxe.

MarginaliaThe trouble and escape of Henry Browne out of hys enemies handes.Furthermore, as concerning Henry Browne one of the iiij. chosen men aboue mencioned, this is also to be added, that the sayd Henry Browne dwelling in the towne of Pinington in the same parishe, an. 1564. had a litle boy, who as he was playing in the towne, one Glaues wife gaue vnto the boy a payre of beades made of wood, to play hym wythall. The little boy beyng glad therof to haue such a trimme thing, went home and shewed his father of them. His father seyng the Beades, tooke them and burned them and whē he had so done, went forth and asked who had geuen vnto his litle boy that payre of Beades.

That did I, sayd GlauesMarginaliaGlaues wife maintayner of Popery, and a persecutor. wife.

Well sayd he, I haue burned them.

Hast thou so, sayd she, and thrust him frō her: They shalbe the dearest Beades that euer thou sawest, and incontinent went and complayned vnto the sayd Iustice, how Browne had burned her beades.

This matter the Iustice tooke sore to snuffe, and was very angry, MarginaliaIustice Lelond writeth to the Constables to apprehend Henry Browne.and did direct his letter vnto the Cōstables of the same Towne, by his owne hand subscribed: the title of which superscription on the backe side was this: To the Constables of Pynington geue this.

MarginaliaHenry Browne troubled for burning of Beades in Q. Elizabethes time.This done the Constables accordyng to this theyr charge did bryng him afore the Iustice at tyme appointed, and when the Iustice came to talke with hym, he was in such a chafe, that he called hym theefe, and sayd that he had robbed his neighbour in burnyng of her beades, and that there was ringes and other Iuels on them, and that he might as well haue picked her purse: wherefore I will lay thee (sayd he) in Lancaster for this geare.

Whilest they were thus talkyng, there came all his seruauntes about them from their worke,MarginaliaLike master, like men. saying: is this M. Doct. Browne that will burne beades? I pray you Syr, let vs haue him here and preach. I will geue a quarters wages, sayth one: and I will geue money saith an other, and he shalbe master Doctor: with much derision and scoffing at this poore man.

He hearing this, spake agayne boldly, and sayd: dyd you send for me to make a laughing stocke of me? You bee in office, and ought rather to come to church, and see such papistry abolished your selfe, then thus to trouble me for doyng my dutye: but I tell you

plainely, you do not come to church as you ought to do, and wherfore, with more thyngs that I haue to charge you withall, I say you do not well. When all this misdemanour of the Iustice layd to his charge, would not preuaile, & also witnes came in of the Papistes, which did know the Beades, & testified that they were plaine and cost but a halfepeny, he then went into hys Parlor in a chafe, MarginaliaA lamentable thing, when such Iustices beare rule ouer Christian congregations.& one master Erberston a papist with him: Which Erberston turned backe & said: is it you Henry Browne, that keepeth thys sturre? you are one of them that pulled downe the Crosses in the church, and pulled downe the Roode seller, and all the Saintes: you were best now to go paint a blacke Deuill, and set him vp and worship hym, for that will serue well for your religion. MarginaliaHenry Browne vnder suerties dismissed for a time.And thus vnder suertiship he did depart till Iuly following, and then he sayd he should go to Lancaster to prison, and so came he away.

The tyme drew on that he should appeare, but God stayed the matter, MarginaliaThe punishment of Gods stroke vpon an obstinate persecutour.and in Iuly, as the foresayd Thomas Lelond satte in hys chayre talking with his frendes, he fell downe sodeinly dead, not much mouing any ioint: And thus was hys end: from such God vs defend.

¶ William Wood of Kent.  

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This account of the examinations of William Wood was apparently sent to Foxe by Wood himself (see 1583, p. 2146).

MarginaliaExaminatiō of W. Wood.THe examination of William Wood Baker, dwellyng in the Parish of Strowd, in the County of Kent, before Doct. Kenall Chauncellour of the Dioces of Rochester, Doct. Chadsey, the Maior of Rochester, and M. Robinson the Scribe, the xix. day of October, and in the second yeare of Queene Mary, in S. Nicolas Church in Rochester.

M. Robinson. MarginaliaWill. Wood charged for not comming to Church.William Wood, you are presented because you will not come to the Church, nor receiue the blessed Sacrament of the altar. How say you? haue you receiued, or haue you not?

Wood. I haue not receiued it, nor I dare not receiue it, as you do now minister it.

Kenall. Thou hereticke, what is the cause that thou hast not receiued the blessed Sacrament of the altar? and at this word all they put of their caps, and made low beysaunce.

Wood. Marginalia3. causes why W. Wood durst not receaue the Sacrament of the altar.There be three causes that make my consciēce afeard that I dare not receaue it. The 1: Christ did deliuer it to his xij. Apostles, & said: Take, eate: And drinke yea all of this. &c. and you eate and drinke vp all alone. The 2. cause is: you hold it vp to be worshipped, contrary to Gods commaundementes: Thou shalt not bow down nor worshyp. The 3. cause is: you minister it in a straunge toung, contrary to S. Paules doctrine:Marginaliaj. Cor. xiiij. I had rather haue fiue wordes with vnderstandyng, then ten thousand with tounges: by reason wherof the people be ignoraunt of the death of Christ.

Kenall. Thou hereticke, wilt thou haue any playner wordes then these: Hoc est corpus meum? Take, eate, this is my body? wilt thou deny the Scripture?

Wood. I will not deny the holy Scriptures: God forbyd, but with my hart I do faithfully beleue them. S. Paul sayth: God calleth those thynges that are not, as though they were. And Christ sayth: I am a Vyne: I am a doore. S. Paul sayth: The rocke is Christ. All which are figuratiue speaches, wherin one thing is spoken, and an other thyng is vnderstanded.

Robinson. You may a very long tale of this matter. Learne Wood, learne.

Kenall. Nay, these heretickes will not learne. Looke how this hereticke glorieth in him selfe. Thou foole, art thou wiser then the Queene, and the Counsell, and all the learned men of this Realme?

Wood. And it please you, Maister Chauncellour, I thinke you would be loth to haue such glory, to haue your life and goodes taken away, and to be thus rayled vpon, as you raile vpon me. But the seruaunt is not greater then his master. And where you do mocke me, and say I am wiser then the Queene, and her Counsel,