Marginalia1555. Aprill.stode altogether in myne owne conceite. I aunswered, for my learnyng, I knowledge my selfe to know nothyng but Iesus Christ, euen him that was crucified, and that my fayth was grounded vpon Gods holy word onely, and such as I doubted not, pleased God, and as I would stand in vntill the last day, God assistyng me: and that I did not say or do any thyng, either of stubburnes, selfe wilfulnes, vayne glory, or any other worldly purpose, but with a good conscience, and in the feare of God: and desired him to speake to my Lord and his Counsell, that I might finde some gentlenes and mercy at their handes. He made me but short aunswere. Then I sayd, I committe my cause vnto God, who hath nōbred the heares of me head, and appointed the dayes of my lyfe, saying: I am sure God whiche is a righteous Iudge, would make inquisition for my bloud, accordyng as he hath promised. Then hee tooke his booke from me, and departed.

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I continued still in Ward vntill Low Sonday,  

and after dynner my keeper Richard Scot came to me into my chamber, and told me that two young men were come to cary me to Lancaster,MarginaliaG. Marsh caryed to Lancaster Castell. and so deliuered me vnto them, a great company both of my Lordes seruantes and others, accompanying and bryngyng me on the way, vnto Richard Addertons and somewhat further, coūsellyng and perswadyng like as is aforesayd.

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To whom I made playne aunswere, that in matters of fayth, I would geue place to no earthly creature. So they comforted me, and sayd they were sory for me, saying: if I knew myne opinion to be good, I dyd well, and so they departed, willing my bringers to entreate me honestly.

My bringers by the way shewed me they were willed & aduised to bynd me, & that they desired first to see me: and after they had looked on me, sitting at dynner, they aunswered they would take charge of me beyng loose, for they sayd I seemed to be an honest man.

The fyrst night we were all night at Broughton, and the second day we came to Lācaster betimes at after noone, and so they kept me all night with them of their gentlenes, and on the morow deliuered me to the Iaylor, who brought me into the highest prison, where I do remaine.

After that, the sayd George came to Lancaster Castle, and MarginaliaG. Marsh caused to holde vp his handes at Lancaster amongest oher malefactors.there beyng brought with other prisoners vnto the Sessions, was made to hold vp his handes with other malefactours. The Earle of Darby had this communication with him, as here followeth.

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MarginaliaTalke betwene G. Marsh and the Eearle of Darby.I Sayd vnto my Lord I had not dwelled in the countrey these three or foure yeares past, and came home but lately to visite my mother, children, and other my frendes, and to haue departed out of the countrey before Easter then next, & to haue gone out of þ^e Realme.  

Wherfore I trusted, seyng nothyng could be layd agaynst me, wherein I had offended agaynst the lawes of this Realme, his Lordshyp would not with captious questions examine me to bryng my body into daunger of death, to the great discomfort of my mother, but suffer me to auoyde peaceably, seyng I might haue fled out of the countrey, and yet of myne owne will came to hys Lordshyp.

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He sayd to his Counsell, he had heard tell of me aboue at London,  

and intended to make searche for me, and take me either in Lankeshyre or aboue at London, and asked me into what land I would haue gone.

I aunswered, I would haue gone eyther into Almayne,  

or els into Denmarke. He sayd to his Counsell: MarginaliaThe Earle of Darby chargeth the realme of Denmarke of heresy.in Denmarke they vsed such heresie as they had done in England: but as for Almaine   hee sayd the Emperour had destroyed them.

So after such like wordes I sayd vnto him, my trust was that his Lordshyp being of the honorable Counsell of the late kyng Edward, consenting and agreeyng to Actes concernyng fayth toward God and Religion vnder great payne, would not so soone after consent to put poore men to shamefull death, as he had threatened me, for embrasing the same with so good a conscience.

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He aunswered that MarginaliaThe Earle of Darby, L. Windsor, and L. Dacars in K. Edwardes tyme agreed not to the Actes of Religion.he, with the Lord Windsor, & Lord Dacars, with one moe, whose name I haue forgotten, dyd not consent to those Actes, and that the nay of them foure would be to be seene as long, as the Parlament house stode. Then my Lord did rehearse the euill lucke of the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke with others, because they fauored not the true Religion, and agayne the good hap and prosperitie of the Queenes highnes, because she fauored the true Religion, thereby gatheryng the one to be good and of God, and the other to bee wicked and of the deuill, and sayd that the Duke of Northumberland confessed so playnly.

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MarginaliaGeorge Marsh writeth his owne examinations.FOr asmuch as not onely when I was at Lathum, but also since I departed thence, I heare that there bee diuers and sondry reportes and opinions of the cause of mine imprisonment, as well at Lathum as at Lancaster, (as by credible persons I am informed) some saying, it was onelye because I would not do opē penaunce, and some because I could not agree with my Lorde and his councell concernyng the Sacrament of Christes body & bloud, & the maner of Christes presence there: some because I woulde not graunt it sufficiēt & accordyng to Christes institution the lay people to receiue the sayd Sacrament vnder the one kynde onely: I thought it good, dearly beloued in Christ, and my bounden duety, to certifie you by myne owne hand wryting, of myne examination and handlyng at Lathū, and to tell you the truth as neare as I coulde, to quiet your myndes in thys behalfe, & therfore I haue here writtē with myne own hād, the certeinty of those thinges as neare as I could, here aboue expressed, not omitting any thyng at all concernyng Religion, whereof they dyd examine mee: howbeit I perceiue in some thynges, I keepe not the same order in wrytyng that thing whiche was asked by them, and aunswered by mee afore or after, as it was in very deede in all pointes, sauyng this, tellyng the truth as neare as I can, desiryng you to accept in good worthe thys my good will, and to pray for me and al thē that be in bondes, that God would assist vs with his holy spirite, that we may with boldnes confesse his holy name, and that Christ may be magnified in our bodyes, that we may stand full and perfect in all the will of god: to whō be al honour and glory world without end. Amen.

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And thus you haue heard all the whole trouble which George Marsh susteyned both at Lathum, and also at Lancaster, testified and written with his owne hand wherto he addeth moreouer and sayth.

While I was (sayth he) in Ward at Lathum, diuers at sundry times came vnto me. Some sayd vnto me that al my felowes had recanted and were gone home, where as in deede that was not so, for I saw dyuers of them dyuers tymes after. Other sayd that it was reported amongest my Lordes houshold, that I hadde consented and agreed in all thinges with my Lord and his counsell.

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Furthermore, while I was at Lancaster, at this Session tyme many came to me to talke with me, some of good will towardes me, but without knowledge gaue mee such lyke counsell MarginaliaPeters counsell to Christ, to saue himselfe.as Peter gaue Christ as hee went vp to Ierusalem, when he tooke him aside and began to rebuke him: saying, maister fauour thy self: this thinge shal not be vnto the But I aunswered with Christes sharpe aunswere vnto Peter agayn: who turned about, and sayd vnto peter, come after me Sathan, and perceiuyng that they were an hinderaunce vnto me, and that they fauoured not the thynges which are of God, but the thynges that are of men, I made them playne aunswere that I neither could ne would followe their counsell, but that by Gods grace I woulde both lyue and dye with a pure conscience and accordyng as hetherto I had beleued & professed. MarginaliaG. Marsh followeth Christes aunswere to Peter.For we ought in no wise to flatter and beare with them, though they loue vs neuer so well, whiche goe about to plucke vs away from the obedience that wee owe vnto God and to his worde, but after Christes example sharply to rebuke thē for their counsell.

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Some others, yea euen straungers also, came to mee farre vnlyke to these, who after sober communication had, consented with me in all things, lamentyng much my troublous estate, geuyng me comfortable wordes, and some money to, and resorted to me often tymes, for the space of two, three, or four dayes. There came also many Priestes to me by. ij. iij. iiij. v. or. vj. at once, whose mouthes it was a thyng easy enough to stop, for MarginaliaPriestes not alwayes the greatest Clarkes.the Priestes (which is much to bee lamented) be not alwayes greatest clarkes and best learned in the lawe of God. At their departyng they eyther consented with me, or els had nothyng to saye agaynst mee, saying they could finde no fault with my wordes. My communication with them was about the Sacrament. There came also into the prison to me Maister Westby, Maister Ashton of Hyll, M. Ashtō of Chatertō, & many moe both gentlemen and others to my great comfort. Vnto whom I had good occasion to vtter a great part of my conscience: for God so strengthened me with his spirite of boldnes, accordyng to my humble request and prayer before (euerlastyng thankes bee geuen hym therfore) MarginaliaG. Marsh strengthened in prison with the boldnes of Gods spirite.that I was nothyng afrayde to speake to any that came to me, no not euen to Iudges, them selues, before whom I was thrise arraigned at the barre amongest the theeues with yrons on my feete, and put vp my hande as others dyd, but yet with boldnes I spake vnto them so long as they would suffer me.

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They also sent for me the fourth tyme into their cham-