almes boxe. MarginaliaCōmendacion of D. Taylours wyfe and his children.His wife also was an honest, discrete and sober matorne and his children well nourtred, brought vp in the feare of God and good learnyng.
Marginalia1555. February.To conclude, he was a right and liuely image or paterne of all those vertuous qualities described by S. Paule in a true Byshop, a good salt of the earth sauourly byting the corrupt maners of euill men, a light in Gods house set vpon a Candlesticke for all good men to imitate and folow.
[Back to Top]Thus continued this good Shephearde among his flocke, gouernyng and leadyng them through this wildernes of the wicked world, all the dayes of the most innocent and holy kyng of blessed memory, Edward the vj. But after it pleased God to take kyng Edward from this vale of misery vnto his most blessed rest, the Papistes, MarginaliaThe Papistes and their natural workes.who euer sembled and dissembled, both with kyng Henry the eight and kyng Edward his sonne, now seyng the tyme conuenient for their purpose, vttered their false hypocrisie, openly refusing all good reformation made by the sayd two most godly kynges,
The phrase '(worthye therfore [of] eternall and blessed memory)' occurs here in 1563 but was not reprinted in the later editions. The deletion of this phrasewas probably due to Foxe's increasingly critical attitude to Henry VIII. (On Foxe'scriticism of Henry VIII in the 1570 edition, see Freeman and Wall, pp. 1186-89).
[Back to Top]In the begynnyng of this rage of Antichrist, a certaine Petigentleman after the sorte of a Lawyer, called MarginaliaFoster a lawyer, and Iohn Clerke of Hadley, to notorious Papistes.Foster, beyng Steward and keeper of Courtes, a man of no great skill, but a bitter persecutour in those dayes, with one Iohn Clerke of Hadley, which Clerke had euer bene a secrete fauourer of all Romish Idolatry, cōspired wt the sayd Clerke to bring in the Pope & his maumentrie
Idolatry (OED).
Therefore the foresayd Foster and Clerke hyred one MarginaliaIohn Auerth a right popish priest.Iohn Auerth, Person of Aldam, a very money Mammonist,
A worshipper of money (see Luke 16:11 and 13-14).
Adulterer (OED).
To this purpose they builded vp with all hast possible the aultar, entendyng to bring in their Masse agayne, about the Palme Monday. But this their deuise tooke none effect: MarginaliaMarke how vnwillingly the people were to receaue the papacy agayne.for in the night the aultar was beaten downe. Wherfore they built it vp agayne the second tyme, and layd diligent watch, lest any should agayne breake it downe.
[Back to Top]On the day folowyng came Foster and Iohn Clerke, brynging with them their Popish Sacrificer, who brought with hym al his implementes and garmentes, to play his Popish Pageaunt, whom they and their men garded with swordes and bucklers lest any man should disturbe hym in his Missall Sacrifice.
When Doctour Taylour, who (MarginaliaD. Taylours custome to study.accordyng to his custome) sat at his booke studying þe word of God, heard the bels ryng, he arose and went into the Churche, supposing some thyng had bene there to be done, accordyng to his Pastorall office: and commyng to the Churche, he founde the Church doores shut and fast barred, sauyng the Chauncell doore, which was onely latched: Where he entryng in, and commyng into the Chauncell, saw MarginaliaMasse brought into Hadley with swordes and bucklers.a Popish Sacrificer in his robes, with a broad new shauen crowne, ready to begyn his Popish sacrifice,beset roūd about with drawen swords and buckelers, lest any man should approch to disturbe him.
[Back to Top]Then sayd Doctour Taylour: MarginaliaD. Taylour rebuked the deuill.Thou Deuill, who made thee so bold to enter into this church of Christ, to prophane and defile it with this abhominable Idolatry? With that start vppe Foster, and with an irefull and furious countenaunce, sayd to Doctour Taylour: thou traytour, what doest thou here, to let and disturbe the MarginaliaThe Papistes cal all their trūpery the Queenes proceedinges. For you must remember that Antichrist rayneth by an others arme, and not by his owne power. Reade Daniell, of the king of faces the 8. chapter.Queenes proceedynges? Doctour Taylour aunswered: I am no traytour, but I am the shepheard that God & my Lord Christ hath appointed to feede this his flocke: wherfore I haue good authoritie to be here: & I commaūde thee, thou Popish Wolfe, in the name of God to auoyde hēce, and not to presume here with such Popish Idolatry, to poyson Christes flocke.
[Back to Top]Thē sayd Foster: wilt thou traytourly hereticke make a commotion, & resist violently the Queenes proceedynges.
MarginaliaD. Taylour here playeth a right Elias. 3. Reg. 18.>Doctour Taylour aūswered: I make no cōmotion, but it is you Papistes that maketh commotions and tumultes. I resist onely with Gods word, agaynst your Popish Idolatries, which are agaynst Gods word, the Queenes honor, & tend to the vtter subuersiō of this realme of Englād. And further thou doest agaynst the Canon law, which com-
[Back to Top]maundeth that no Masse be sayd, but at a consecrate aultar.
When the person of Aldam heard that, hee began to shrinke backe, & would haue left his saying of Masse. Thē start vp Iohn Clerke, and sayd: M. Auerth, he not afrayd, ye haue a *Marginalia* Superaltare is a stone consecrated by the Byshops, commonly of a foote long which the Papistes cary in stead of an aulter, when they masse for money in gentlemens houses. Superaltare.
A consecrated stone in a wooden frame which was used as a portable altar.
Then Foster with his armed mē, tooke Doctour Taylour, and led him with strong hand out of the Church, and the Popishe Prelate proceeded in his Romishe Idolatry. Doct. Taylours wife, who folowed her husband into the Churche, when she saw her husband thus violently thrust out of his Church: she kneeled downe, & held vp her handes, and with loude voyce sayd: I beseeche God the righteous Iudge to auenge this iniury, that this Popish Idolatour this day doth to the bloud of Christ. Then they thrust her out of the Church also, and shut to the doores: for they feared that the people would haue rent their Sacrificer in peeces. Notwithstandyng, one or two threw in great stones at the windowes, and missed very litle the Popish Masser.
[Back to Top]Thus you see how without consent of the people, the Popishe Masse was agayne set vppe, MarginaliaThe Papistes argumentes wherewith they maintayne their doctrine.with battayle aray, with swordes and buckelers, with violence and tyranny: which practise the Papistes haue euer yet vsed. As for reason, law, or Scripture, they haue none on their part. Therfore they are the same that sayth: MarginaliaSap. 2.The law of vnrighteousnes is our strēgth: Come let vs oppresse the righteous without any feare. &c.
[Back to Top]Within a day or two after, with all hast possible, this Foster and Clerke made a complaint of Doctour Taylour, by a letter written to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester, and Lord Chauncellour.
When the Byshop heard this, he sent a letter missiue to Doct. Taylour, MarginaliaD. Taylour cited by a letter missiue.commaundyng him within certaine dayes, to come and to appeare before him vpon hys allegiaunce, to aunswere such complayntes as were made against hym.
When Doctour Taylours frendes heard of this, they were exceedyng sory and agreeued in mynde: whiche then foreseyng to what end the same matter would come, seyng also all truth and iustice were troden vnder foote, and falsehode wyth cruell Tyranny were set aloft and ruled all the whole route: MarginaliaD. Taylours frendes would haue hym flye.his frendes I say came to hym, and earnestly counselled hym to departe and flye, alledgyng and declaryng vnto hym, that hee could neither be indifferently heard to spake his conscience and mind, nor yet looke for iustice or fauour at the sayd Chauncellours handes, who as it was well knowen, was most fierce and cruell: but must needes (if he went vp to hym) wayte for imprisonement and cruell death at his handes.
[Back to Top]Then sayd D. Taylour to his frendes: Deare frendes, I most hartely thanke you, for that ye haue so tender a care ouer me. MarginaliaThe valiant courage of D. Taylour in Christes cause.And although I know, that there is neither iustice nor truth to be looked for at my aduersaries handes, but rather imprisonment and cruell death: yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous, and the truth so strong vpō my side, that I will by Gods grace go and appeare before them and to their beardes resist their false doynges.
[Back to Top]Then sayd his frendes: M. Doctour, we thinke it not best so to do. You haue sufficiently done your duety, and testified the truth, both by your godly Sermons, and also in resistyng the Person of Aldam, wyth other that came hyther to bryng in agayne the popish Masse. And for as much as our Sauiour Christ willeth and biddeth vs, MarginaliaMath. 10.that when they persecute vs in one Citie, we should flye into an other: we thinke in flying at this tyme ye should do best, keepyng your selfe agaynst an other tyme whē the Church shall haue great neede of such diligent teachers, and godly Pastors.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaD. Taylour refuseth to flye.Oh (quoth Doct. Taylour) what wil ye haue me to do? I am now olde, and haue already liued to long to see these terrible and most wicked dayes. Flye you, and do as your conscience leadeth you. I am fully determined (with Gods grace) to go to the Byshop, & to his beard to tell him that he doth nought. God shall well hereafter rayse vp teachers of his people, whiche shall with much more diligence and fruite teach them, then I haue done. For God will not forsake his church, though now for a tyme he trieth and correcteth vs, and not without a iust cause.
[Back to Top]As for me, I beleue before GOD, I shall neuer bee able to do GOD so good seruice, as I may do now: nor I shall neuer haue so glorious a callyng as I now haue, nor so great mercy of GOD profered me, as is now at this present. For what Christen man would not gladly dye agaynst the Pope and his adherentes? I know that the Papacie is the kyngdome of Antichrist, MarginaliaThe Papacy a kingdome of lyes.altogether full of lyes, altogether full of falsehode: so that all their doctrine, euen from Christes Crosse be my speede and S. Nicholas,
This was the phrase commonly found at the beginning of primers (St Nicholas was invoked because he was the patron saint of children).
Wherefore I beseeche you, and all other my friendes, to pray for me, and I doubt not, but God will geue me strēgth