Marginalia1555. February.most harty thankes to you and to the rest of your brethren, MarginaliaThe wordes of M. Hooper to the Mayor and the Shiriffes of Glocester.that you haue vouchsafed to take me a prisoner and a condemned man by the hande: whereby to my reioysing it is some deale apparaunt that your olde loue and frendship towardes me is not altogether extinguished: and I trust also that all the thinges I haue taught you in times paste, are not vtterly forgotten, when I was here by the godly king that dead is, appoynted to be your Bishop and Pastor. For the whiche most true and sincere doctrine, because I wyll not now account it falsehood and heresie, as many other men doo, I am sent hyther (as I am sure you know) by the Queenes commaundement to dye, and am come where I taught it, to confirme it with my bloud. And nowe mayster Sheriffes, I vnderstand by these good men and my very frendes (meanyng the Gard) at whose handes I haue found so much fauour and gentlenes by the way hytherward, as a prisoner coulde reasonably require (for the which also I most hartily thanke them) that I am committed to your custodie, as vnto them that must see me brought to morowe to the place of execution. MarginaliaM. Hoopers petition to the Shiriffes.My request therfore to you shalbe only that there may be a quicke fire, shortly to make an end, and in the meane tyme I wyl be as obedient vnto you, as your selues would wishe. If you thinke I do amisse in any thing, hold vp your finger, and I haue done. For I come not hyther as one enforced or compelled to dye (for it is well knowen, I might haue had my life with worldly gaine:) but as one willing to offer and geue my life for the truth, rather then to consent to the wicked papistical religion of the Bishop of Rome, receiued and set forth by the magistrates in England to Gods high displeasure and dishonor: and I trust by Gods grace, to morow to die a faithful seruant of God, and a true obediēt subiect to the Queene.

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These and such like wordes in effect vsed master Hooper to the Mayor, Sheriffes, and Aldermen, whereat many of them mourned and lamented. Notwithstandyng the two Sheriffes went aside to consult, and were determined to haue lodged him in the cōmon Gaole of the town, called Northgate, if MarginaliaThe Gard speaking for M. Hooper.the Gard had not made earnest intercession for him: who declared at large how quietly, mildly and paciently he had behaued him selfe in the way, adding therto, that any childe might keepe him well enough, & that they them selues would rather take paynes to watch with him, then that he should be sent to the common prison. So it was determined at the length, he should still remaine in Robert Ingrams house,  

and the Sheriffes and the sergeauntes and other officers did appoint to watch with him that night them selues. His desire was that he might goe to bed that night betimes, saying, that he had many thinges to remember: and so did at fiue of the clocke, and slept one sleepe soundly, MarginaliaM. Hooper spendeth the night in prayer.and bestowed the rest of the night in prayer. After he gat vp in the morning, he desired that no man should be suffered to come into the chamber, that he might be solitarie til the houre of execution.

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About. eight of the clocke came MarginaliaSyr Iohn Bridges Lord Shandoys, Syr Edm. Bridges, Syr Ant. Kingston, Commissioners.sir Iohn Briges Lord Shandoys, with a great bande of men, sir Anthony Kingston, sir Edmund Briges and other Commissioners appoynted to see execution done. At nine of the clocke maister Hooper was wylled to prepare him self to be in a readines, for the time was at hande. Immediately he was brought downe from his chamber by the Sheriffes, who were accompanied with bylles, gleaues, and weapons. When he sawe the multitude of weapons, he spake to the Sheriffes on this wise: Master Sheriffes (said he) I am no traytor, neyther needed you to haue made such a busines to bring me to the place where I must suffer: for if ye had wylled me, I woulde haue gone alone to the stake, and haue troubled none of you al. And afterward looking vpon the multitude of people which were assembled, being by estimation to the number of seuen thousande (for it was market day, and many also came to see his behaueour towardes death) he spake vnto those that were about him, saying: Alas, why be these people assembled and come together? Peraduenture they think to heare something of me now, as they haue in tymes past: but alas, speach is prohibited me. Notwithstanding the cause of my death is well knowen vnto them. MarginaliaM. Hooper for preaching true doctrine put to death.When I was appoynted here to be their Pastor, I preached vnto them true and sincere doctrine, and that out of the worde of God. Because I wyl not nowe accompt the same to be heresie and vntruth, this kinde of death is prepared for me.

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So he went forward, led betwene the two Sheriffes (as it were a Lambe to the place of slaughter) in a gowne of his hostes, his hatte vpon his head, & a staffe in his hand to stay him selfe withal. For þ^e grief of þ^e Sciatica, which he had taken in prison, caused hym something to halt. MarginaliaM. Hooper forbidden to speake to the people.All the way beyng straitly charged not to speake, he coulde not be perceiued once to open his mouth, but beholding the people

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all the way, which mourned bitterly for him, he would some times lift vp his eyes towardes heauen, MarginaliaHis chearfull going to death.and looke verye chearefully vpon such as he knewe: and he was neuer knowen during the time of his being amongest them, to looke with so chearefull and ruddishe a countenance as he did at that present. MarginaliaM. Hooper brought to the place of Martyrdome.When he came to the place appointed where he should die, smilingly he beheld the stake and preparation made for him, which was neare vnto the great Elme tree ouer against the Colledge of priestes, where he was woont to preach. The place round about the houses and the bowes of the tree were replenished with people: and in the chamber ouer the Colledg gate stood the priestes of the Colledge.  

Then kneeled he down (for as muche as he coulde not be suffered to speake vnto the people) to prayer, and beckened vnto hym sixe or seuen tymes whom he knew wel, to heare the said prayer, to make report therof in time to come (pouring teares vpō his shoulders and in his bosome) who gaue attentiue eares vnto the same: the whiche prayer he made vpon the whole Creede, wherein he continued for the space of halfe an houre. Now after he was somewhat entred into his prayer, a Boxe was brought and laid before him vpon a stoole with his pardon (or at the least wise it was fained to be his pardon) from the Queene, if he would turne. And the sight therof he cryed: MarginaliaM. Hooper refuseth the Queenes pardon.If you loue my soule, away with it, if you loue my soule, away with it. The boxe being taken away, the Lord Shandoys said: Seeing there is no remedie, dispatch quickly. Master Hooper said: Good my Lord, I trust your Lordship will geue me leaue to make an ende of my prayers.

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Then said the Lord Shandoys to sir Edmund Bridges his sonne (which gaue eare before to maister Hoopers prayer at his request:) Edmond, take heede that he doo nothing els but pray: if he doo, tell me, & I shall quickly dispatche hym. Whiles this talke was, there stepped one or two in vncalled, whiche heard him speake these wordes folowyng.

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MarginaliaM. Hoopers prayer.LOrd (said he) I am hel, but thou art heauen: I am swill and a sinke of sinne, but thou art a gratious God and a mercyful redeemer. Haue mercy therfore vpon me most miserable and wretched offender, after thy great mercye and according to thine inestimable goodnes. Thou that art ascended into heauen, receiue me hell to be partaker of thy ioyes, where thou sittest in equall glory with thy father. For well knowest thou Lord wherefore I am come hyther to suffer, and why the wicked doo persecute this thy poore seruant: not for my sinnes and transgressions committed against thee, but because I wyll not allow their wicked doinges, to the contaminating of thy bloud, and to the denyal of the knowledge of thy truth, wherwith it did please thee by thy holy spirite to instruct me: the which with as much diligence as a poore wretche might (being thereto called) I haue set forrth to thy glory. And wel seest thou my lord & God what terrible paines and cruel tormentes be prepared for thy creature: such, Lorde, as without thy strength none is able to beare, or patiently to passe. But all thinges that are impossible with man, are possible with thee. Therefore strengthen me of thy goodnesse, that in the fire I breake not the rules of pacience, or els assuage the terror of the paines, as shal seeme most to thy glory.

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As soone as the Mayor had espied these men whiche made report of the former wordes, they were commaunded away, and could not be suffred to heare any more. Prayer being done, he prepared him selfe to the stake, MarginaliaM. Hooper vndresseth himselfe to the fire.and put of his hostes gowne, and deliuered it to the Sheriffes, requiryng them to see it restored vnto the owner: and put of the rest of his geare, vnto his doublet and his hose, wherin he would haue burned. But the Sheriffes would not permit that (such was their greedines:) vnto whose pleasures (good man) he very obediently submitted him selfe: and his doublet, hose, & peticote were taken of. Then being in his shirt, he tooke a poynt from his hose him selfe, & trussed his shyrt betweene his legges, where he had a pound of gonne pouder in a bladder, and vnder eche arme the like quantitie deliuered hym by the Garde. So desiring the people to say the Lordes prayer with him, and to pray for him (who performed it with teares during the tyme of his paines) he went vp to the stake. Nowe when he was at the stake, three yrons made to binde him to the stake, were brought: one for his necke, an other for his middle, and the third for his legs. But he refusing them said: ye haue no neede thus to trouble your selues. For I doubt not but God will geue strēgth sufficient to abide the extremitie of the fire, without bands: notwithstanding, suspectyng the frailtie and weakenes of the flesh, but hauing assured cōfidence in Gods strength, I am content ye do as ye shal thinke good.

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MarginaliaM. Hooper bounde to the stake.So the hoope of yron prepared for his middle, was brought, which beyng made somewhat too short (for his