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1429 [1440]

Q. Mary. Boner in his visitation. Scriptures put out on Church walles.

MarginaliaAn. 1554.poore house (where hys dinner was prepared) he woulde satisfie hym in those thynges, which hys lordshyp thought amysse. Yet thys so reasonable an aunswere nothynge coulde satisfie nor asswage hys passion vnreasonable. For the Catholicke Prelate vtterly defied hym and hys chere, commaunding him out of hys sight, saying: (as hys byworde was) before God thou art a knaue, auaunte hereticke, MarginaliaB. Boner striketh hym that standeth nextand therwithall, whether thrusting or strikyng at him, so it was that with hys hand he gaue sir Thomas Iosselyn Knight (who was then amongst the rest, and stoode next the bishop) a good flewet vpon the vpper part of the necke, euen vnder hys eare (as some say which stoode by) but as he himself said MarginaliaSyr Thomas Iosselyn strockē of Boner.he hit hym full vpon the eare: whereat he was somwhat astonied at the sodainnes of the quarell for the tyme. At last, he spake and sayd, what meaneth your lordship? haue you bene trayned in Will Somers schole, to strike hym who stādeth next you? The Bishop still in rage eyther heard not, or would not heare.

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Then M. Fecknam Deane of Paules seyng the bishop still in this vtter rage, sayd: MarginaliaFecknam excuseth B. Boner by the Marshalsey.O M. Iosselin, you must beare with my lord: for truly hys long imprisonment in the Marshalsey, and the misusing of hym there hath altered hym, that in these passions he is not ruler of hymselfe, nor it booteth any man to geue hym counsell vntill hys heat be past, and then assure your self M. Iosselyn, my Lord will bee sory for those abuses that now he cannot see in him selfe. Whereunto he merily replyed & sayd: MarginaliaSyr Thomas Iosselyns Apothegma touching B. Boner.so it seemeth Maister Fecknam, for nowe that he is come forth of the Marshalsey, he is ready to goe to Bedlem. At which mery conceite some laughed and moe smiled because the nayle was so truely hitte vpon the head. The Bishop nothing abashed at his owne folly, gaue a deafe eare, as no meruayle it was that he shamed little to strike a straunger, which spared not the burnyng of so many good men.

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After this worthy combate thus finished and atchiued, this martiall Prelate presently taketh hym to his horse agayne (notwithstanding he was minded to tary at Hadham 3. or 4. dayes, and so had made prouision in hys own house) and leauing hys dinner, rode that night with a small company of his houshold to Ware (where he was not looked for 3. dayes after) to the great wonder of all the countrey why he so preuented hys day afore stalled.

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At this hasty posting away of this Bishop, his whole traine of attendantes there left hym. Also hys Doctors and Chaplaines (a few excepted) taried behynd, and dyned at D. Brickets, as merily as he rode towardes Ware all chafingly: which diner was prepared for the bishop himselfe. Now whether the Byshop were offended at those solemnities which hee wanted and was accustomed to be saluted wyth all in other places where he iorneyed, ioynyng to þt his great God was not exalted aboue ground ouer the aulter, nor hys blocke almighty set seemely in the roodelofte to entertayne straungers, and therupon toke occasion to quarell with D. Bricket (whose religion percase he somewhat suspected) I haue not perfectly to say, but so it was supposed of diuers the cause therof to ryse, MarginaliaB. Boner driuen from a good dinner.which draue the bishop so hastly frō such a dinner. Testified by such as there and then were present, Rich. K. &c.

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¶ A storye of a Roode set vp in Lanckeshyre.  
Commentary   *   Close
Block 31: The Lancashire Rood

The story of the ill-fated erection of a rood in Cockerham, Lancashire, was also added to the 1570 edition (1570, p. 1646; 1576, p. 1440 [recte 1404]; 1583, pp. 1474-75). This story came to Foxe from an individual anonymous informant, whose account survives in the martyrologist's papers (ECL 260, fols. 96r-97v). Foxe reproduced this account fairly faithfully, although he abridged it slightly.

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Commentary on the Glosses   *   Close
The Lancashire Rood

The glosses encourage the reader's sympathies in a protestant direction. The phrase 'theyr Roode' emphasises the human institution of the rood as object and devotional focus, recalling the earlier reference to the rood as Bonner's God. At one level critical of popish religion as appealing to the immature instincts of the people a literal (mis)reading is permitted: the rood as a rood (not only a badly made one) drove children away. The fact that the Gloss, with its implication that the roodmaker may have deliberately spoiled his work on reformed principles, was dropped after 1570 perhaps provides an example of the kind of unsubstantiated claim Foxe came to regret and exclude.

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MarginaliaA story of a Roode set vp in Lanckeshyre.In this Visitation of Bishop Boner aboue mentioned, ye see how the bishop toke on for not settyng vp the Roode, and ringyng the beles at Hadham. Ye heard also of the precept, which commauded in euery parish a Rood to be erected both well fauoured, and of an hable stature. By the occasion wherof, it commeth in mynd, (and not out of place) to storye likewise what happened in a certayne towne in Lankashyre nere to Lancaster called Cockram, where the Parishners & Churchwardens hauyng the same tyme a lyke charge for the erectyng of a Rood in their parish church, had made their bargayne and were at a price with one that could cunningly karue and paynt such idols, for the framyng of their Roode: who accordyng to hys promise made them one, and set it vp in their church. This done, he demaunded his mony. MarginaliaThe men of Cockram not pleased wyth their Roode.But they mislykyng his workemanship, refused to pay him, Wherupon he arrested them, and the matter was brought before the Maior of Dancaster, who was a very meete man for such a purpose, and an olde fauourer of the Gospell, which is rare in that countrey. Then the karuer began to declare how they had couenanted with them for the makyng of a Roode with the appurtenaunces ready karued and sette vp in their Churche, which he accordyng to hys promise had done and now demaundyng hys money they refused to pay him. Is this true, quoth the Maior to the Wardens? Yea Syr, sayd they. And why do ye not pay the poore man his due, quoth hee? And it please you Mai-

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ster Mayor (quoth they) because the Roode we had before was a welfauoured man, and he promised to make vs such an other: but this that he hath set vs vp now, is þe worst fauoured thing that euer you set your eyes on, MarginaliaThe Roode of Cockram driuing the children out of the churchgaping & grinnyng in such sort that none of our Children dare once looke him in the face or come nere him. The maior thinking that it was good enough for that purpose if it had ben worse, my maisters (quoth he) how soeuer the roode like you, the poore mans labour hath bene neuer the lesse, and it is pitie that he should haue any hinderaunce or losse therby. Therfore I will tell you what ye shall do: Pay him the money ye promised hym, and go your wayes home and looke on it, and if it will not serue for a God, make no more a doe, but clap a payre of hornes on his head, and so will hee make an excellent deuill. This the Parishners toke well aworth, the poore man had his money, and diuers laughed well thereat: but so did not the babilonish Priestes.

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MarginaliaThe Maior of Dancaster a good man.This Maior aboue mencioned continued a Protestant almost fifty yeare, and was the onely releauer of M. Marsh the Martyr (whose story followeth hereafter) with meate, drynke, and lodgyng while hee lay in Lancaster Castle the space of iij. quarters of a yeare, before hee was had to Chester to be burned. &c.

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Commentary on the Glosses   *   Close
From Bonner's Mandate to Pole's Oration

The differences between the glosses in 1563 and later editions concerning Bonner's mandate are instructive: 1563 has the gloss 'Pharisaicall zeale', while later editions focus on the scandal of the erasure of scripture, and suggest a perverse belief that scripture encourages vice on Bonner's part. The shift is between an implication of hypocrisy to one of a crazed, vicious sensibility: the latter fits in much better with the portrayal of Bonner in the glosses and text previously, and shows Foxe adjusting his imputations to suit the target. An error occurs between glosses in 1583 and 1570; 1570 is correct, later editions wrong.

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About this tyme or the moneth next before, which was October, there came a precept or mandate from Boner Byshop of London, to all Persons and Curates within hys Diocesse, for the abolishyng of such scriptures & wrytinges as had bene paynted vp on Churche walles before in kyng Edwardes dayes. The copy of whiche precept or mandate here we thought good to expresse, that the worlde might see the wicked procedynges of their impious zeale, or rather their malicious rage agaynst the Lord and his word, and agaynst the edifying of Christian people: wherby it might appeare by this blotting out of these Scriptures, not onelye how blasphemously they spake agaynst the holy Scriptures of God, but also howe studiously they sought by all maner meanes, to keepe the people still in ignoraunce.

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¶ A Mandate of Boner bishop of London to abolish the Scriptures and writinges painted vpon the Church Walles.  
Commentary   *   Close
Block 32: From Bonner's mandate to Pole's Oration

Foxe reprints Bonner's mandate to remove scripture verses from the church walls in his diocese from Bonner's register (cf. Guildhall MS 9531/12, fol. 357v with 1563, pp. 1006-07; 1570, p. 1646; 1576, p. 1440 [recte 1404] -1405 and 1583, p. 1475). In the first edition both the Latin original as well as an English translation were provided; in subsequent editions the Latin original was deleted. (The elimination of Latin documents from the 1570 edition was a consistently pursued policy).

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MarginaliaThe scriptures paynted on church walles rased out. EDmund by Gods permission bishop of London, to all and euery Persons, Vicars, Clarkes, and lettered, within the parish of Hadham, or within the precinct of our diocesse of London wheresoeuer being, sendeth greeting, grace, and benediction. Because some children of iniquitie, geuen vp to carnall desires and nouelties, haue by many wayes enterprised to banish the auncient maner and order of the Churche, and to bring in and establish sectes and heresies, taking from thence the picture of Christ, and many thinges besides instituted and obserued of auncient tyme laudably in the same, placyng in the roume therof such thinges, as in such a place it behoued them not to do: and also haue procured, as a stay to their heresies (as they thought) certaine scriptures wrongly applied, to be painted vpon the church walles, all which persons tende chiefly to this ende, MarginaliaNote well these causes reader, why the scriptures should be rased out. that they might vpholde the liberty of the flesh and mariage of priestes, and destroye as much as lay in them, the reuerend sacrament of the aulter, and myght extinguish and eneruate holydayes, fasting days, and other laudable discipline of the Catholike church, MarginaliaScriptures open a window to vices with Boner. openyng a wyndow to al vices, and vtterly closing vp the way vnto vertue: Wherefore we being mooued with a christian zeale, iudging that the premises are not to be longer suffred, do for discharge of our duetie, commit vnto you ioyntly and seuerally, and by the tenour hereof do straightly charge and commaund you, that at the receite hereof, with all speede conuenient, you do warne or cause to be warned, first, second and third tyme, and peremptorily, all and syngular Church wardens and parishioners whosoeuer wythin our foresayde Dioces of London, wheresoeuer any such Scriptures or paintings haue bene attempted, that they abolishe and extinguishe such maner of scriptures, so that by no meanes they be eyther read or seene, and therein to proceede moreouer as they shal see good and laudable in this behalf. And if after the said monition, the said Churchwardens and Parishioners shall be founde remisse and negligent, or culpable, then you ioyntly and seuerally shall see the foresayd Scriptures to be rased, abolished, and extinguished forthwyth: cytng all and singular those Churchwardens and parishioners (whom we also for the same doe cite here by the tenour hereof) that all and singular the sayde Churchwardens and parishioners being slack & negligent, or culpable therin, shal appeare before vs or our vicar general, & principal officiall, or our Commissary speciall in our Cathedrall Chuch of S. Paul at London, in the Consistory there, at the hour apointed for the same, the 6. day next after their citatiō, if it be a court day, or els at the next court day after ensuyng,

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where