MarginaliaAn. 1555. February.wel: I trust thou wylt be a good Catholike. My Lorde, said he, s. Paul saith: He that doth not labour, is not worthy to eate. Boner said: Ah, s. Paul is a great mā with thee. And so after suche other talke, the Bishop inferring moreouer, wished his beard of, saying, that so he would loke like a catholike. My Lord, said Tomkins, before my beard grew, I was, I trust, a good Christian, and so I trust to be, my beard being on. But Boner in fine sent for þ^e Barbar, & caused his beard to be shauē of. MarginaliaB. Boner wysheth Tomkins beard to be shauen, because he had pluckt of a peece of his beard before.The very cause was for that Boner had pluckt of a peece of his beard before.  

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Bonner's insistence on shaving Tomkins' beard was obviously an attempt to humiliate and 'break' Tomkins. But it was also an obvious distinction between Tomkins the layman and Bonner the cleric. It is possible that Bonner's action may have been provoked by an anticlerical remark by Tomkins.

The rage of this bishop was not so great against him, but the constancie of the partie was much greater with pacience to beare it: who although he had not the learnyng as other haue, yet was he so endued with Gods mighty spirit, and so constantly planted in the perfect knowledge of Gods truth, MarginaliaThe notable constancie in a true Christian Souldior.that by no meanes he could be remoued from the confession of truth, to impietie and error. Wherupon Boner the Bishop being greatly vexed against the poore man, whē he

saw that by no perswasions he could preuaile with hym, deuised an other practise not so straunge as cruel, further to trie his constancie, to the intent, that seeing he could not otherwise conuince hym by doctrine of Scriptures, yet he might ouerthrowe hym by some forefeeling and terrour of death. So hauyng with hym maister Harpsfielde, maister Pendleton, Doctor Chedsey, master Wyllerton, and other standing by, he called for Thomas Tomkins, who commyng before the Bishop, and standing as he was woont in defence of his faith, the Bishop fell from beating to burning. Who hauyng there a taper or waxe candle of three or foure wykes standing vpon the table, thought there to represent vnto vs, as it were, the old Image of king MarginaliaB. Boner playeth K. Porsenna in burnng the hand of Scæuola.Porsenna.  

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This is Lars Porsenna, an Etruscan king, who was said to have besieged Rome in an attempt to restore the deposed king Tarquinus Superbus.

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This is Caius Mucius Scaevola, a legendary Roman hero, who attemped to kill Lars Porsenna. Captured and threatened with torture, he thrust his hand into the flame until it was consumed, in order to demonstrate his disdain for the threat.

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This illustration, which is one of those in the first edition that were too wide for the page format, spilling in the margin, is of interest in showing how Foxe's rewriting could undermine the accuracy of his illustrators in translating his words into visual form. The woodcut that accompanies this example of 'bloody' Bonner's remorseless cruelty both adds implied readings to Foxe's text and also ignores one detail, probably owing to additions Foxe was able to make to his text after the cutting of the woodblock. The setting is the hall of the bishop's palace at Fulham, whose character is conveyed by the fine chairs, swag of curtain and covered table. Bonner is labelled, though his fat features became recognisable in the course of the book. In 1570 and later editions, the passage preceding this act of trial by fire (ostensibly to win over the accused through fear of fire) included exchanges between Bonner and Tomkins that resulted in the bishop having Tomkins' beard shaved. The fact that he is depicted here with a beard is presumably due to the fact that Foxe discovered this anecdote too late to be incorporated in the text, and added it to an appendix in the 1563 edition. The actual burning carefully represents the text, showing the bishop holding the candle in his left hand while he pinions Tomkins fingers in the flame with his right. The attitude of the four clergy seems to suggest that it was not only Harpsfield (standing next Bonner) who had reservations about this action, when Tomkins' burnt hand spurted into his face. That was another detail which could not have been represented in 1563 since it was only included in the 1570 edition. At the other end of the table an arresting hand is raised, two heads confer together and the servant turns away. The change of heading to this illustration from 'The sharpe burnyng of Thomas Tomkyns hand, by cruel Boner hym selfe who not long after burnt also hys body' (1563) to 'The burning of Thomas Tomkins hand by Bishop Boner ' (1570) surely reflects some editorial decision rather than any change of heart on Foxe's part. Bonner died between the two editions, on 5 September 1569.

Tomkins thinking no otherwise but there presently to dye, began to commend him selfe vnto the Lorde, saying: O Lord into thy handes I commend my spirite. &c. In the tyme that his had was in burnyng, the said Tomkins afterward reported to one Iames Hinse, that his spirite was so rapt vp, that he felt no payne.  

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Once again, Foxe is eager to emphasize the stoicism of the Marian martyrs when subjected to agonizing pain. On the polemical importance of the stoicism of the martyrs, see Collinson (1983) and Freeman (1997).

And where the Bishop thought by that meanes to driue hym from his opinions, it proued much otherwise: MarginaliaTomkins compared to Scæuola.for this Christian Scæuola so valiantly did despise, abide, and endure that burnyng, that we haue lesse cause hereafter to marueile at the manfulnes of that Romane Scæuola. MarginaliaBoner more cruell then Porsenna the Hetruscan.I would to God the other had as wel folowed the example of that Hetruscan Tyrant. For he, after the left hande of Scæuola was halfe burned, eyther satisfied with his punishmente, or ouercome by his manhoode, or driuen away by feare, sent hym home safe vnto his people: where as Boner hytherto not contented with the burnyng of his hande, rested not vntyl he had consumed his whole body into ashes, at London in Smithfield.

But before we come to his suffering, we wyll first entreate of some part of his examinatiō and articles, with his answeres and confession therunto annexed, as it is credibly in Register recorded.

¶ The firste examination of Thomas Tomkins.  

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This document is reprinted from Bonner's official records, probably from a court book now lost.

MarginaliaThe first examination of Thomas Tomkins before Boner B. of London.THis faithfull and valiant souldier of God Tho. Tomkins, after he had remained the space (as is said) of halfe a yere in prison, about the. 8. day of February was brought with certaine other before Boner sitting in his Consistorie, to be examined. To whom first was brought foorth a certayne byl or schedule subscribed, (as it appeared) with his owne hand, the fift day of the same moneth last before, conteinyng these wordes folowing.

MarginaliaThe confession of Tomkins subscribed with his owne hand.Thomas Tomkins of Shordich, and of the Dioces of London, hath beleued and doth beleue, that in the sacramēt of the aultar, vnder the formes of bread and wyne, there is not the very body and bloud of our Saueour Iesus Christ in substaunce, but only a token and a remembraunce thereof, the very body and bloud of Christ onely beyng in heauen & no where els.

By me Thomas Tomkins.