Marginalia1555. Februa.vniust quarellynges, truely. After he was excommunicate and MarginaliaM. Saunders deliuered to the secular power.deliuered to the secular power, hee was brought by the Shriffe of London, to þ^e prison called þ^e Counter in his owne Parish in Breadstreete: whereat he reioysed greatly, both because he founde there a felow prisoner, Maister Cardmaker, with whom he had Christian and comfortable conference, and also because out of prison, as before out of a Pulpit, he might preach to his Parishners: as by his letter here after shall be declared.

MarginaliaM. Saunders degraded by B. Boner.THe fourth day of February, the Byshop of London dyd come to the prison where he was, to disgrade him: which when he had done, Laurence Saunders sayd to him: I thanke God I am none of your Church.

MarginaliaM. Saunders caried to Couentrie.The day folowyng in the mornyng, the Shriffe of London deliuered him to certaine of the Queenes Garde, which were appoynted to cary him to the Citie of Couentry, there to bee burned. The first night they came to S. Albons, where Maister Grimoald (a man who had more store of good giftes, then of great constancie) did speake with him.

After Maister Saunders had geuen him a lesson meete for his lyghtenes, he tooke a cuppe into hys hand, and asked hym if he would pledge hym of that cuppe, of whiche he would begyn to hym.  

Commentary     Close

Saunders is referring to Christ's words in the garden of Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42).

After they were come to Couentry, the same nyght a poore Shomaker, whiche was wont to serue him of shoes, came to hym after his manner and sayd: MarginaliaA good Shoomaker of Couentrye.Oh my good Maister, GOD strengthen and comfort you. Gramercies good Shoemaker, quoth Maister Saunders, and I pray thee to pray for me: for I am the vnmeetest man for this high office, that euer was appoynted to it: but my gracious God and deare Father is able to make me strong enough. MarginaliaM. Saunders put in the common gaile in Couentry.That same night he was put into the cōmon Gayle among other prisoners, where he slept litle, but spent the night in praier, and instructyng of others.

The next day, whiche was Marginalia
February 8.
Maister Saunders brought to the place of execution.the. viij. of February hee was lead to the place of execution in the Parcke without the Citie, goyng in an olde gowne, and a shierte, barefooted, and ofttymes fell flat on the grounde and prayed.  

Commentary     Close

There is a considerable similarity to Hugh Latimer's costume at his execution. This suggests that Saunders's garb was part of a deliberate strategy of self-presentation, probably designed to evoke Christ's passion.

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Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

Lawrence Saunders, burned in a park outside the city of Coventry, is depicted being chained to the stake which he had embraced and kissed as the cross of Christ. There are armed guards all round (their pikes punctuate the background), ready to restrain supportive onlookers like the man on the left. But the stony-faced man below Saunders on the right, given the ugly features of friars and persecutors in other illustrations, shows that not all present were of this cast. The victim's agony was increased (as John Hooper's was to be) by the green wood of the still unlit fire. Foxe could not resist the comparison with St Lawrence, who featured among the 'old martyrs of Christ's church', whose sufferings were portrayed in the large print of the ten first persecutions of the primitive church, first included in 1570. As in other cases the woodcut gives the martyr's last words even though showing him before the fire was kindled. In 1563, the banderole is blank, perhaps (as in the similar case of the seven Smithfield martyrs 1563, p. 1451) indicating doubts or lack of information on the blockmakers' part. This deficiency was made good in the copy now in Ohio State University Library, in which an early hand has inserted 'O lord resieve my soule'. The words added to the scroll in 1570, were 'Welcome life', in italic, thereafter recut in 1576, and 1583, respectively in roman and italic. The missing edge of the scroll is a tell-tale clue to these alterations.

tormētour cryed, away with him, and away from him went Maister Saunders with a mery courage towardes the fire. He fell to the grounde, and prayed: he rose vp agayne, and tooke the stake to whiche he should bee chayned, in his armes, and kissed it saying: Welcome the Crosse of Christ, welcome euerlastyng lyfe: and beyng fastened to the stake, and fire put to him, full sweetely he slept in the Lord.

And thus haue ye the full history of. Laurence Saūders, whom I may well compare to S. Laurence, or any other of the old Martyrs of Christes church: both for the feruēt zeale of the truth and Gospell of Christ, & the most constant pacience in his sufferyng: as also for the cruell tormētes that

he in his pacient body did sustaine in the flame of fire. For so his cruell enemyes handled him, that they burned him with greene woode, & other smootheryng rather then burnyng fewell, which put him to much more payne, but that MarginaliaA comparison betwen Laurence Saunders and S Laurence.the grace & most plentifull consolation of Christ, which neuer forsaketh his seruauntes, & gaue strength to S. Laurence, gaue also patience to this Laurence, aboue all that his tormentes could worke against: which well appeared by his quyet stādyng, and sweete sleepyng in the fire, as is aboue declared.

And to the intent to giue to the Reader to vnderstand the better, what the grace of Christ worketh in his seruauntes: and agayne, how feeble and weake man is of hym