MarginaliaAn. 1555. February.God be praysed: since my condempnation, MarginaliaD. Taylour neuer afrayd of death.I was neuer afrayd to dye: Gods will bee done. If I shrincke from Gods truth, I am sure of an other maner of death thē had Iudge Hales. But God be praysed, euen from the bottome of my hart, I am vnmoueably setled vppon the Rocke, nothyng doubtyng, but that my deare God will performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me, and other. To him be all honour both now and euer through Christ our onely and whole Sauiour. Amen.

And thus much wrote Doctour Taylour concernyng this matter, to his frend.

You heard in the former aunsweres a little before, certaine allegations touched of Doctour Taylour out of S. Cyprian, Augustine, Chrysostome, and Ambrose, touching the lawfulnes of Priestes Mariage. Now ye shall heare the places of the sayd Doctours cited and produced out of their owne bookes, as here ensueth.

¶ The places of the Doctours alledged before in Doctour Taylours Letter.  

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The quotations from patristic authorities, cited by Taylor in his letter defending clerical marriage, are by Foxe, not Taylor.

MarginaliaCyprian. Lib. 1. Epist. 11.THis question was asked of S. Cyprian, what should be done with those religious persons, that could not keepe theyr chastitie as they had vowed. He aūswereth thus: MarginaliaA Deacon or Virgin or any other that hath dedicate him selfe to virginitie if he can not liue chaste, by S. Cyprians iudgement ought to mary.Thou doest aske what we doe iudge of Virgins, whiche after they had decreed to liue chastely, are afterward found in one bed with a man. Of the which thou sayest that one of them was a Deacon. We do with great sorow see the great ruine of many persons whiche cometh by the reason of such vnlawfull and perillous companying together. Wherfore, if they haue dedicate themselues vnto Christ in fayth, to lyue purely and chastly, then let thē so remaine without any fable, and strōgly, and stedfastly abyde the reward of virginitie. But and if they will not abyde, or els can not abyde: then is it better to mary, then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence: And let them geue to the brethren and sisterne none occasiō of sclaunder. &c.

MarginaliaAugust. De bono coniungali ad Iulianum.CErtaine men do affirme, those men to be aduouterers, that do mary, after that they haue vowed chastitie. But I do affirme that those men do greuously sinne, the which doe separate them. &c.

CHastitie of the body ought to bee desired of vs: the which thyng I do geue for a counsell and do not commaunde it imperiously.MarginaliaThe Pope & his bishops commaundeth, and counselleth not to mary, yea & to burne men for marying. For Virginitie is a thyng that alonely ought to be counselled, but not to be cōmaunded: it is rather a thing of voluntary will and not a precept.

¶ A briefe recapitulation out of Doctour Taylours causes afore touched for the Reader, more euidently to see how the Papistes doe against their own knowledge, in forbyddyng Priestes mariage.  

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This summary of Taylor's arguments is by Foxe, not Taylor.

THe Popes Clergy forbyddyng Ecclesiasticall persons to mary, do agaynst their conscience and knowledge, as may very well be proued by these causes here vnder folowyng.

1. First, they know that Matrimony in the old Testamēt, de iure institutionis, is indifferently permitted to all men without any exception.

2. Secondly they know, that in the old Testament, de facto, both Priestes, Leuites, Prophetes, Patriarches, and all other had their wiues.

3. Thirdly, they know that Matrimony was permitted & instituted of God for two principall endes: to witte, for procreation, and auoydyng of sinne.

4. Fourthly, they know, that in the old testament God, not onely instituted and permitted matrimony to be free, but also induceth and apointeth men to mary and take wyues, in these wordes: It is not good for a man to be alone. &c.

5. Fiftly, they know, that in the newTestament S. Paul permitteth the state of Matrimony free to all men, hauyng not the gift of continencie, and forbiddeth none.

6. Sixtly, they know that in the new Testament the saide S. Paule not onely permitteth, but also expressely willeth & chargeth men hauing not the gift, to mary, saying: for auoiding fornication let euery man haue his wife. &c.

7. Seuenthly, they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paul, not onely permitteth and commaundeth, but also commendeth and prayseth the state of Matrimony, Hebr. 13. Callyng it honorable: and the bedcompany to bee vndefiled. &c.

8. Eightly, they knowe, that in the newe testamnt Christ him selfe, not onely was not conceaued nor borne of the virgine before shee was espoused in matrimony, but also that both he and his blessed mother dyd beutify and honour the state of matrymony with their presence: yea in the same began hys first miracle.

9. Ninthly, they know, both by the olde testament & new, that mariage is no impedement to walke in the obedience of Gods commaundement, for both Abraham caryed into the land of Chanaan hys old, yea and barraine wife, the vertuous woman Sara with him: & also to Isaac, Iacob, Moses, Dauid, and other, their mariage was no impediment to them to talke with God: neyther to other Leuites, bishops, and Priestes in the tyme both of þ^e old testament and of the new. Agayn, neither was it a let to Peter, Philip, and other both to haue their wyues wyth them, and also to supply the office of Apostleship.

10. Tenthly, they know both by þ^e old testament and new, that sinfull fornication and adultery depriueth man of Gods fauour & graces of the holy ghost, whiche graces especially bee requisite in men of the Church.

11. Eleuenthly, they knowe in their own secret conscience, and by experience, that neither they whiche enioine this vow of chastity, nor they which take it, do obserue þ^e vow of chastity. Wherupon rise inconueniences more thē can be expressed: but the Lord aboue knoweth al, besides the secret murders peraduenture of many a poore infant. &c.

12. Twelfthly, they know, by S. Cyprian. Epist. 11. and S. Augustine. Lib. De bono coniugali ad Iulianum, that a vow is no impediment sufficient to let matrymony, or to diuorce the same.

13. Thyrtenthely, they knowe, that Chrysostome affirmeth it to be an heresie to say, þ^t a byshop may not haue a wife.

14. Fourtenthly, they know that S. Ambrose. 32. q. 1. Integritas, will haue no commaundement, but counsell only to be geuen, touching the obseruyng of virginity.

15. Fiftenthly, they know that before the tyme of Pope Hildebrand, that is, duryng the tyme of 1000. yeares after Christ, mariage was neuer restrayned by any forceable necessity of vow, from men of the Churche.

16. Sixtenthly, they know, that S. Paul calleth it the doctrine of deuils, to forbide meates and maryage which God hath left free with thankes geuyng for necessity of man & woman.

16. After that Doct. Taylour thus with great spirite and courage had aunswered for him selfe, and stoutly rebuked his aduersaries for breakyng their oth made before to kyng Henry and to kyng Edward his sonne, and for betraying the realme into the power of the Romain Byshop, they perceauyng that in no case he could be styrred to their wyls and purpose, that is, to turne with them from Christ to Antichrist, committed hym therupon to pryson agayne, where he endured tyll the last of Ianuary.

¶ D. Taylour the fourth tyme with M. Bradford, & M. Saunders brought before Winchester and other Byshops.  

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Foxe obtained some of the details of the condemnation and sentencing of Taylor from a copy of these documents, taken from a now lost act book. The copy is BL, Harley 421, fos. 41v-42r. There is also an account of Taylor's final examination, which took place just before his condemnation, which survives in Foxe's papers (BL, Harley 590, fos. 64r-68r). Foxe never printed or even alluded to this account. This is somewhat mysterious as the account was penned by a sympathetic observer and Foxe was normally anxious to print such materials. It may be that Foxe felt that this examination which was rancorous, chaotic and disgressive, with accusations of horsestealing and discussions of the world's population in biblical times, did Taylor insufficient credit.

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VPon which day & yeare aforesayd, D. Taylour, and M. Bradford, and M. Saunders were agayne called to appeare before MarginaliaGardiner. Hopton. Boner. Capon. Tonstall.the Byshop of Winchester, the Byshop of Norwich, of London, of Salisbury, and of Duresme, and there were charged agayn with heresie and schisme: and therfore a determinate aūswer was required: whether they would submit thē selues to the Romain byshop & abiure their errours, or els thy would accordyng to their lawes proceede to theyr condemnation.

When D. Taylour and his fellowes M. Bradford and M. Saunders heard this, MarginaliaThe constancye of these men.they aunswered stoutly & boldly, that they wold not depart from þ^e truth which they had preached in kyng Edwardes daies, neyther would they submit them selues to the Romish Antichrist but they thanked God for so great mercy, that he woulde call them to be worthy to suffer for his worde and truth.

When the Byshops saw them so boldly, constantly, and vnmoueably fixed in the truth, MarginaliaSentence of death geuen vpon innocentes.they read þ^e sentence of death vpon them: which when they had heard, they most ioyfully gaue God thankes, and stoutly sayde vnto the Byshops:  

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The dialogue which ensues is not in the official account of the sentencing of Taylor. It was probably supplied by an eyewitness.

MarginaliaD. Taylour condemned.So was Doctour Taylour nowe condemned, committed to the Clyncke, & the Kepers charged straitely to keepe him: for ye haue nowe an other maner of charge (quoth the Lord Chauncellour) then ye had before: therefore looke ye take heede to it.