1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1494 
Marginalia1555. March.And further, wee make here our protestation before God (whom we call to record in this matter) MarginaliaThere protestation.that this whiche we haue said, is neither of stubbornnes nor wylful mynde) as some iudge of vs: but euen of very conscience, truely (we trust) grounded in Gods holy word. For before we tooke this matter in hand, we besought God from the bottome of our hartes, that we might doo nothing contrary to his holy and blessed word. And in that he hath thus shewed his power in our weaknes, we cā not worthily prayse him: vnto whom wee geue harty thanks, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaM. Causton and M. Higbed constant to death in their confession.When he had thus deliuered and read their confession, the Bishop still persisting sometime in fayre promises, somtyme threatning to pronounce iudgement, asked them whether they would stand to this their confession and other answeares? To whom Causton said. Yea, we wyl stande to our answeares written with our handes, and to our beliefe therin conteyned. After which answeare the Bishop began to pronounce sentence against hym.
[Back to Top]Then he said, that it was much rashnes, and without al loue and mercy, to geue iudgement, without aunswearing to theire confession by the truth of Gods word, whereunto they submitted them selues most willingly. MarginaliaM. Causton appealeth to the Cardinall.And therfore I, quoth Causton (because I can not haue iustice at your hande, but that ye wyll thus rashly condemne me) doo appeale from you to my Lord Cardinall.
[Back to Top]Then D. Smith said, that he would answeare theyr confession. MarginaliaD. Smyth ready to answere their confession, but could not be suffered.But the bishop (not suffering him to speake) wylled Harpsfielde to say his mynd, for the stay of the people:
CloseIt is interesting that Bishop Bonner preferred to have John Harpsfield rather than Richard Smith answer Causton and Higbed; it suggests that Bonner considered Harpsfield the more effective debater.
Which done, the Bishop pronounced sentence, first against the said Thomas Causton, and then callyng Thomas Higbed,MarginaliaSentence pronounced agaynst M. Causton and M. Higbed. caused hys articles and answeares likewise to be read. In the readyng whereof Higbed said: Ye speake blaspemie agaynst Christes Passion, and ye goe about to trap vs with your subtilties and snares. And though my father and mother, and other my kinsfolke did beleue as you say, yet they were deceyued in so beleuyng.
[Back to Top]And further, where you say that my lord, named Cranmer (late Archbishop of Canterbury) and others specified in the sayd articles, be heretikes: I do wishe that I were such an heretike as they were and be. Then the Bishop asked him againe, whether he would turne from his error, and come to the vnitie of their church? To whom he said, No, I would ye should recant, for I am in the truth, and you in errour.
[Back to Top]Wel, quoth the Bishop, if ye wyl returne, I wil gladly receyue you.
No, sayd Higbed, I wyll not returne as you wyll haue me, to beleue in the sacrament of the altar your God.
Wherupon the Bishop proceeded, and gaue iudgement vpon hym, as he had done before vpon Tho. Causton. MarginaliaM. Causton and M. Higbed condemned and sent to Newgate.Whē al this was thus ended, they were both deliuered to þe Sheriffes, and so by them sent to Newgate, where they remained by the space of. xiiij. dayes, praysed be God, not so much in afflictions, as in consolations.
[Back to Top]For the encrease wherof, they earnestly desired al their good brethren and sistern in Christ to pray, that God for his sonnes sake woulde goe forth with that great mercye, which alredy he had begon in them, so that they might perseuer vnto the ende, to the prayse of the eternal God, & comfort of al their brethren.
[Back to Top]These. xiiij. dayes (after their condemnation) once expired, MarginaliaM. Causton and Maister Higbed brought from Newgate into Essex.they were the. xxiij. day of this moneth of March, fetched from Newgate at foure of the clocke in the mornyng, and so led through the citie vnto Algate, where they were deliuered vnto the Shieriffe of Essex, and there being fast bound in a cart, were shortly afterMarginaliaMarch. 26. brought to their seueral appoynted places of burning: that is to say, Thomas Higbed to Hornden on the hyll, and Thomas Causton to Rayly (both in the Coūtrie of Essex) MarginaliaThe constant Martyrdome of M. Thomas Causton, and M. Higbed Martyrs.where they dyd most constantly, the. xxvi. day of the same moneth, seale this their fayth with shedding of their bloud by most cruel fire, to the glory of God, and great reioysing of the godly.
[Back to Top]At the burnyng of whiche Maister Higbed, Iustice Browne was also present, as is aboue specified, and diuers Gentlemen in the shiere were commaunded to be present, for feare belike, least they should be taken from them. And thus much touching the apprehension, examination, confession, cōdemnation, and burnyng of these two godly and constant martyrs of God.
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CloseAll the information which Foxe had on these martyrs in the Rerum was acopy of Stephen Knight's prayers and the dates and places of the execution of the three martyrs, together with a brief but vivid account of Laurence being carried to the stake in a chair (Rerum, pp. 427 and 428). In the 1563 edition, Foxe added the articles put to the three and their answers, as well as accounts of the appearance before the Consistory Court of St Paul's. He also added the unforgettable story of children encouraging Laurence to remain constant, as he was burning alive, to his first edition. There were no significant changes made to the account of thesethree martyrs in subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments.
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CloseNarrative dominates the glosses in this section, along with an account of the issues discussed between the martyrs and their persecutors. As is usual, the day of death is given at the start (for two of the martyrs who died on the same day). The gloss 'Beliefe of the pretensed Catholicke church' qualifies the term 'catholic': the term was thus not always to be conceded to the other side without comment. The glosses remind the reader that Laurence was a priest and register the fact of his conversion from monastic life to protestantism ('Talke betweene Boner and Iohn Laurence Priest'; 'Iohn Laurence sometymes a Fryer'; 'The Martyrdome of Iohn Laurence Priest at Colchester. Anno. 1555'), illustrating that even those at the heart of the pope's church could see the truth if they wished.
[Back to Top]Touchyng the which three Martyrs, now somthyng to say of their examinations, it was first demaunded of them, what their opinion was of the sacrament of the Aultar. Whereunto they seuerally answeared, and also subscribed, that in the sacramēt of the altar, vnder formes of bread and wine there is not the very substance of the body and bloud of our saueour Iesus Christ, but a spiritual partaking of the bodye and bloud of Christe: the very body and bloud of Christ beyng onely in heauen, and no where els. This answeare thus made, the Bishop caused certaine articles to be read vnto them tending to the same effect as did the articles before of Tomkyns and of M. Causton. The tenor wherof here foloweth.
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CloseThe accounts of the appearances of Pygot, Knight and Laurence before the Consistory Court of St Paul's as well as the articles put to them, together with their answers, are all taken from Bishop Bonner's records, probably from a court book which is now lost.
MarginaliaArticles obiected to W. Pigot and his felowes.VVHether do you thinke and stedfastly beleue that it is a catholick, faythful, christian, and true doctrine, to teache, preach and say, that in the sacrament of the altar, vnder the formes of bread and wine, there is without any substaunce of bread and wine there remayning, by the omnipotent power of almighty God and his holy word, really, truly, and in very deed the true and naturall body, and bloud of our sauyour Iesus Christ, the selfe same in substance (though not in outward forme & appearance) which was borne of the Virgine Mary, and suffred vpon the crosse, yea, or nay?
[Back to Top]MarginaliaBeliefe of there forelders.Whether doe you thinke, and stedfastly beleeue, that your Parents, Kinsfolke, Frends, and Acquaintance, here in thys Realm of England, before your Birth, a great while, and also after your Birth, professing and beleeuing the sayde Doctrine and Fayth, concerning the sayde Sacrament of the aultar, had a true Christiā fayth, and were faithfull and true christen people, or no?
[Back to Top]MarginaliaBeliefe of their Godfathers and Godmothers.Whether do you thinke and stedfastly beleue that youre Godfathers, and Godmother, professing and beleeuing the sayd Doctrine and Fayth, concerning the sayd Sacrament of the aultar, had a true christen faith, and were faithfull and true christen people or no?
[Back to Top]MarginaliaBeliefe of their young age.Whether do you thinke and stedfastly beleue that your owne selfe in tymes past, being of the age of 14. yeares, and aboue, did thinke and beleue concernyng the sayd sacrament of the aultar in all poyntes, as your said parentes, kinsfolke, frends, acquaintāce, godfathers, and godmother did then thinke and beleue therin, or no?
[Back to Top]Whether do you thinke, and stedfastly beleue, that our soueraignes the King, & the Queene of this Realme of Englande, and all the Nobilitie, Clergie, and Laitie of this Realme, professing and beleuyng the sayd doctrine & fayth, as other Christian Realmes doo, concernyng the saide sacrament of the altar, haue a true christian fayth, and beleue as the Catholike and true Church of Christ hath alwayes beleued, preached, and taught, or no?MarginaliaBelief of the King, Queene, and the Nobilitie.
[Back to Top]Whether doo you thinke, and stedfastly beleue that our saueour Christ and his holy spirite, hath bene, is, and shalbe with his Catholike Church, euen to the worldes ende, gouernyng and rulyng the same in all thinges, especially in the necessary poyntes of Christian Religion, not suffering the same to erre or to be deceyued therin?MarginaliaBeliefe of the pretensed Catholicke Church.
[Back to Top]Whether it is true that you, being suspected, or infamed, to be culpable, and faultye in speakyng agaynst the sacramente of the Aultare, and against the very true presence of Christes natural body, and the substaunce thereof in the sayde Sacrament, and thereupon called before me vppon complaint made to me againste you, haue not bene a good space in my house, hauyng freely meate and drinke, and also diuers times instructed and infourmed, as well by one beyng our Ordinarye, as also by my Chaplaynes and diuers other learned men,MarginaliaThe reall presence and transubstantiation. some whereof were Bishoppes, some Deanes, and some Archdeacons, and euery one of them learned in diuinitie, and myndyng well vnto you, and
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