1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1548 
them effectually, for his Christes sake. Then beyng beneath in the Court, MarginaliaThe prisoners take their leaue of Bradford with teares.all the prisoners cryed out to hym, and bade hym farewell, as the rest of the house had done before with weepyng teares.
Marginalia1555. Iuly.The tyme they carried hym to Newegate, was aboute eleuen or twelue a clocke in the night,MarginaliaBradford was caried to newgate at midnight when it was thought none woulde be styrring abroade: and yet contrary to their expectation in that behalfe, was there in Cheapeside and other places (betweene the Counter and Newgate) a great multitude of people that came to see him, which most gently bade hym farewell,MarginaliaThe people in Cheapside bad Bradford farewell. praying for hym with most lamentable and pitifull teares, and he againe as gently bade them farewell, praying most hartily for them and their welfare. Nowe, whether it were a commaundement frō the queene and her Counsell, or from Boner and his adherentes, or whether it were merely deuised of the Lorde Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffes of London, or no, I can not tel: but a great noyse there was ouer night about the citie by diuers, that Bradford should be burnt the next day in Smithfield, MarginaliaA noyse of Bradfordes early burning.by foure a clocke in the mornyng, before it shoulde be greatly knowen to any.
CloseThis is an interesting indication that the burnings of heretics were beginning to provoke a backlash of sympathy for the martyrs, at least in London. At first, the Marian authorities wanted the maximum publicity for the execution of heretics; Hooper, for example, was burned on market day in Gloucester. Now they were beginning to want less publicity, and more importantly, fewer people at the executions.By the beginning of 1556, the authorities imposed a series of measures restricting the numbers of spectators at executions and, in particular, banning apprentices, servants and young people from attending them (Brigden, p. 605).
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CloseIt is also true that there was a formidable crowd present at Bradford's execution; one of his supporters, Mary Honeywood, lost her shoes pressing through the crowd to get close to Bradford and had to leave Smithfield barefoot (Thomas Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England, ed. P. Austin Nuttall [3 vols., Oxford, 1849], II, pp. 158-59).
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CloseIn February 1555, Bradford wrote a devotional work for Mary Marler, on the passion of Christ, to help her through the pains of bearing a child (ECL 260, fos. 180r-181r and ECL 262, fos. 227r-228v. This material is printed in Bradford [PS], I, pp. 196-99 and II, pp. 181-82.
MarginaliaBradford goyng to Smithfield.Well, this tooke not effect as the people thought: for that mornyng it was nyne a clocke of the day, before Maister Bradford was brought into Smithfield: which in goyng thorow Newgate thytherward, spyed a frende of hys whom he loued, standing on the one side of the way to the keepers houseward, vnto whom he reached his hande ouer the people, and pluckt hym to hym, and MarginaliaBradford gaue his night cappe away.deliuered to hym from his head, his Veluet night cap, and also his handkerchiefe, with other thinges besides. Whiche after a litle secrete talke with hym, and eche of them parting from other, immediately came to hym a brother in law of his, called Roger Beswicke, which as soone as he had taken the sayd Bradford by the hand, one of the Sheriffes of London called Woodrofe, MarginaliaWoodrofe breaketh the head of Bradfords brother in lawe.came with his staffe and brake the sayd Rogers head, that the bloud ran about his shoulders. Whiche sight Bradford beholding with griefe, bade his brother fare well, wyllyng to commend hym to his mother, and the rest of his frendes, and to gette hym to some Surgeon betimes: and so they departing, had litle or no talke at all togethers. Then was he lead forth to Smithfield, with a great company of weaponed men to conduct hym thyther, as the like was not seene at no mans burning: for in euery corner of Smythfielde there were some, besides those which stoode about the stake.
CloseThe vast number of armed men present at Bradford's execution is another indication of how concerned the authorities were about the crowd.
CloseMost of Bradford's examinations were written in the Rerum and based onmanuscript copies sent to Foxe in exile. But there was another version of Bradford's examinations, which was printed in 1561 (All the examinacions of the martir J. Bradford [London, 1561], STC 3477). This work contained examinations which were not in Foxe's version and, in the 1570 edition, Foxe added some of them to his narrative. Bradford's examinations can be divided into two parts: his examinations leading up to his condemnation on 29 January and his examinations in prison afterwards. The former were written by a sympathetic observer.
[Back to Top]It was before a litle aboue declared, that Iohn Bradford within three dayes after the Sermon of Maister Bourne, was by the Counsaile committed to the Tower, where he remained from the moneth of August, an. 1553. to the 22. day of Ianuar. an. 1555. vpon which day he was called out to examination before Ste. Wint. and other of the Commissioners. The effect of which examination and communication which passed betweene hym and them, proceded in maner as foloweth.
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CloseCopies of this examination are in BL, Lansdowne 389, fos. 6v-10r and fos. 200r-203v as well as ECL 262, fos. 180v-186r. A note on Lans. 389, fo. 203v and ECL 260, fo. 186r states that this account was based on the report of a credible eyewitness. The version of this examination in STC 3477 is slightly different from the version given by Foxe.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaTalke betweene M. Bradford and Steuen Winchester.AFter the Lord Chauncellour and the residue of the Queenes Counsel in Commission with hym, had ended their talke with M. Farrar, late Bishop of saint Dauids, the vnder Marshall of the kynges Bench was cōmaunded to bring in Iohn Bradford: who being come into the presence of the Coūsell sitting at a table, kneeled downe on his knee, but immediately by the L. Chauncelour was bydden to stand vp, and so he dyd.
[Back to Top]When he was risen, the Lorde Chauncellour earnestly looked vpon hym, to haue (belike) ouerfaced hym: but he gaue no place, that is, he ceased not in like maner to looke on the L. Chauncelour styll continually, saue that once he cast vp his eyes to heauenward sighing for Gods grace, MarginaliaWinchester ouerfaced.and so ouerfaced him.
[Back to Top]Lord Chaunc. Then the Lord Chauncelour as it were amased, and something troubled, MarginaliaThe wordes of the B. of Winchester to Iohn Bradford.spake thus to hym in effect: that of long tyme he had bene imprisoned iustly for his seditious behauiour at Paules Crosse the xiij. of August. ann. 1553. for his false preachyng and arrogancie, takyng vpon hym to preache without authoritie. But now (quoth he) the tyme of mercye is come, and therefore the Queenes highnesse mynding to offer vnto you mercy, hath by vs sent for you, to declare and geue the same, if so be you wyll with vs returne: and if you wyll do as we haue done, you shall find as we haue found, I warrāt you. This was the summe of hys wordes, and in maner the same woordes which he spake.
[Back to Top]Brad. To these wordes Iohn Bradford spake (after reuerend obeysance made) in this maner. MarginaliaBradfords answere agayne to Winchester.My Lord & Lords all, I confesse that I haue bene long imprisoned, and (with humble reuerence be it spoken) vniustly, for that I did nothing seditiously, falsely, or arrogantly, in woord or fact, by preaching or otherwise, but rather sought truth, peace, and all godly quietnes, as an obedient and faithfull subiect, both in going about to saue the Bishop of Bathe now, then M. Bourne, the preacher at the Crosse, and in preaching for quietnes accordingly.
[Back to Top]L. Chaunc. At these woords, or rather before he had fully finished, þe said L. Chaūcelour something snuffed, & spake wt an admiration, þt there was a loude lye: for (quoth he) MarginaliaBradfordes facte in sauing of Bourne coūted for seditious.the fact was seditious, as you my Lord of Londō can beare witnes.
MarginaliaBoner witnesseth with Winchester agaynst Bradford.Boner. You say true my Lord: I saw hym with myne owne eyes, when he tooke vppon hym to rule and leade the people malapartly,
ClosePresumptiously [OED].
Brad. My Lords, notwithstanding my Lord Bishoppes seeing and saying, yet the truth I haue told, as one day my Lord God almighty shal reueale to al the world, when we shal all come and appeare before hym: In the meane season, because I can not be beleued of you, I must and am readye to suffer, as now your sayinges be, what so euer God shall licence you to do vnto me.
[Back to Top]L. Chaunc. I knowe thou hast a glorious
CloseVainglorius, boastful [OED].
Brad. My Lorde, as I sayd, I say againe, that I stand as before you, so before God, and one day we shall all stande before hym: the truth then wyll be the truth, though nowe you wyll not so take it. Yea my Lord, I dare say, that my Lord of Bath M. Bourne wyl wytnesse with me, that I sought his safegarde with the peryll of myne owne life, I thanke God therfore.
[Back to Top]Boner. That is not true: MarginaliaThou shalt not beare false vvitnes against thy neighbour. Commaund. 9.for I my selfe dyd see thee take vpon thee too much.
Brad. No, I tooke nothyng vppon me vndesired, and that of Maister Bourne hym selfe, as if he were here present, I dare say he would affirme. For he desired me both to helpe hym to pacifie the people, and also not to leaue hym tyll he was in safetie.MarginaliaBradford desired of M. Bourne to helpe him, and yet is now shent for his labour. And as for my behaueour in the Tower, and talke before your honours, if I dyd or sayde any thing that did not beseeme me, if your Lordships would tell me wherein it was, I should and woulde shortly make you answeare.
[Back to Top]Chaun. Wel, to leaue this matter: how sayest thou now? Wylt thou returne againe, and do as we haue done, and thou shalt receyue the Queenes mercy and pardon?
Brad. My Lord, I desire mercy wyth Gods mercy, but MarginaliaMans mercy with Gods wrath refused.mercy with Gods wrath, God keepe me from: Although (I thanke God therefore) my conscience doth not accuse me, that I dyd speake any thyng wherefore I should neede to receyue the Queenes mercye or pardon. For all that euer I dyd or spake, was both agreeyng to Gods Lawes,
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