Marginalia1555. Septemb.what boyling heates of the fier of hell in his spirite inwardly hee felt and susteyned, no speech outwardly is able to expresse.  

MarginaliaA heauy crosse of inward tormentes layd vpon Iohn Glouer.Beyng young I remember I was once or twise with him,   whō partly by his talke I perceiued, and partly by myne own eyes saw to bee so worne and consumed by the space of fiue yeares, that neither almost any brookyng of meate, quietnes of sleepe, pleasure of lyfe, yea and almost no kynde of senses was left in hym. And doubtlesse I haue greatly wondred oftentymes at the marueilous woorkes and operation of Christ shewed vppon hym, who vnlesse he had relieued betymes his poore wretched seruant so farre worne, with some opportune consolation, now and then betwixt, it could not possible bee, that he should haue susteined so vntolerable paynes and tormentes. And yet the occasion therof was not of so great moment and weight. MarginaliaThe better conscience the soner disquieted.But this we see common among holy and blessed men, how the more deuout and godly they are, hauyng the feare of GOD before their eyes, the more suspition and mistrust they haue of themselues: whereby it commeth to passe, that often they are so terrified and perplexed wyth small matters, as though they were huge mountaines: where as contrary other there bee, whom most haynous and very sore crimes in deede doe nothyng touch or styrre at all.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe first occasion of Iohn Glouers inward affliction.The occasion of this was, that he beyng first called by the light of the holy spirite to the knowledge of the Gospell, and hauyng receaued a wonderous sweete feelyng of Christes heauenly kyngdome, his mynde after that fallyng a litle to some cogitation of his former affayres belongyng to his vocation, began by and by to misdoubt hymselfe, vpō the occasion of these wordes written in the. vij. to the Hebrues: MarginaliaHeb. 7.For it can not be that they which were once illumined, and haue tasted the heauenly gift. &c. Vpon the consideration of which wordes he fully perswaded himselfe, that he had sinned verely agaynst the holy Ghost: euen so much, that if he had bene in the deepest pitte of hell, he could almost haue dyspayred no more of his saluation. Here readely euery good man may iudge of himselfe, what terrours, boylinges, and conuulsiōs tormoyled in the meane tyme in hys wofull brest: although it bee hard for any mā to iudge the greuousnes ther of, vnlesse he which hath experience of the like.

[Back to Top]

In comparyng nowe the tormentes of all Martyrs with his paynes, I pray you what paynes, punishement, and flames woulde not hee willyngly haue suffered, to haue had some refocillation  

and tyme of refreshyng? MarginaliaNo grief like to the griefe of conscience.Who in such intollerable griefes of mynde, although hee neither had nor could haue any ioye of his meate, yet was hee compelled to eate agaynst hys appetite, to the end to differre the tyme of hys damnation, so long as he might, thinkyng with himselfe no lesse, but that hee must nedes be throwen into hell the breath beyng once out of the body. Albeit Christ he thought did pitye his case, and was sory for him: yet he could not (as he imagined) helpe, because of the veritie of the word, which sayd: It can not be. &c.MarginaliaHeb. 7.

[Back to Top]

And this I rehearse of hym, not so much to open his woundes and sorrowes, as for that by his example all we with him may glorifie the sonne of GOD, MarginaliaChrist a mercifull helper in temptations and hard distresses.who suffereth none to be tempted aboue his strength, but so tempereth and seasoneth the asperitie of euilles, that what seemeth to vs intollerable, not onely he doth alleuiate the same, that we may beare it, but also turneth it to our further commoditie then we can thinke. Whiche well appeared in this good seruaunt of GOD, in no man more. Who albeit (as we haue sayd) suffered many yeares so sharpe temptations and strong buffetynges of Sathan: yet the Lord, who gratiously preserued him all the while, not onely at last dyd ryd him out of al discomforte,MarginaliaIohn Glouer by the grace of Christ restored agayne to perfect tranquilitye. but also framed hym thereby to such mortification of lyfe, as the lyke lightly hath not bene sene, in such sorte as he beyng lyke one placed in heauen already and dead in this worlde, both in woorde and meditation led a lyfe altogether celestiall, abhorryng in hys mynde all prophane doynges. Neither was his talke any thyng discrepaunt from the fruites of his lyfe, throwyng out neuer any idle, vyle, or vayne language. The most part of hys landes he distributed to the vse of his brethren, and committed the rest to the guidyng of hys seruauntes and officers, whereby the more quietly hee might geue hym selfe to his godly study, as to a continuall Sabboth rest. This was about the latter end of kyng Henryes reigne, and continued a great part of the tyme of kyng Edward vj.

[Back to Top]

After this in the persecutyng dayes of Queene Mary, as soone as the Byshop of Couentry heard the same of this Iohn aforesayde beyng so ardent and zelous in the Gospell of Christ, eftsoones he wrote his Letter to the Maior and Officers of Couentry to apprehend him as soone as might be. But it chaunced otherwise by Gods holy prouidence, disposing all thyngs after his own secret pleasure, who seyng his olde and trusty seruaunt so many yeares with so extreme and many tormentes broken and dryed vp,

[Back to Top]

would in no wise heape to many sorrowes vppon one poore sely wretch: neyther would commit him to the flames of fire who had bene already baked and scorched with the sharpe fires of inward affliction, and hadde susteyned so many burnyng darts and conflictes of Sathan so many yeares. God therfore of his diuine prouidence thinking it to much, that one man shoulde bee so much ouercharged with so manye plagues and tormentes, dyd graciously prouide, that Robert his brother, beyng both stronger of body, and also better furnished with helpes of learnyng to aunswere the aduersaries (beyng a master of Art in Cābridge) should susteine that cōflict:  

and euen so it came to passe, as ye shal heare.

[Back to Top]

For as soone as the Maior of Couentry had receaued þ^e Byshops letters for the apprehendyng of M. Iohn Glouer, MarginaliaThe Mayor of Couentry sendeth a priuye watchword to Iohn Glouer.he sent forthwith a priuy watchword  

to the sayd Iohn, to conuey away him selfe. Who with his brother William, was not so soone departed out of his house: but that yet in sight of the Shriffe and other, the searchers came and rushed in to take him, accordyng to the Byshops commaundement.

[Back to Top]

But when the sayd Iohn could in no place be found, one of þ^e officers goyng into an vpper chamber, found there Robert the other brother lying on his bed: and sicke of a long disease, who was by him incontinent  

brought before the Shriffe. MarginaliaM. Robert Glouer apprehended lying sicke in his chamber.Which Shriffe notwithstandyng fauouryng Robert and his cause, would in dede fayne haue dimissed him, and wrought what meanes he could, saying, that he was not the man for whom they were sent: Yet neuertheles beyng feared with the stout wordes of the officer contendyng with him to haue him stayed till the byshops commyng, hee was constrayned to cary him away agaynst his will, and so layed him fast while the Byshop came. And thus much by the way of preamble first concernyng the worthy remembraūce of M. Iohn Glouer.

[Back to Top]

Now to enter the matter which principally we haue in hand, that is, to cōsider the story and Martyrdome of M. Robert Glouer, forsomuch as the whole narration of the same by his owne record and testimony in a writyng was sent vnto his wife concernyng the maner of his orderyng & handlyng, it shall therefore seeme best for the more credite of the matter, to exhibit the sayd his owne letter, the woordes and contentes wherof here ensue, as followeth.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaA letter of M. Rob. Glouer to his wyfe. certifying her of all his troubles since his first apprehension.THe peace of conscience whiche passeth all vnderstandyng, the sweete consolation, comfort, strength, and boldnes of the holy Ghost be cōtinually increased in your hart, through a feruent, earnest, and stedfast fayth in our most deare and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ, Amen.

[Back to Top]

I thanke you hartly most louing wife, for your letters sent vnto me in my imprisonment. I red them with teares more then once or twise, with teares (I say) for ioy and gladnes, that God had wrought in you so mercifull a worke: first an vnfayned repentaunce, secondly an humble and harty recōciliation, thirdly a willing submission and obedience to the will of God in all thinges. Whiche when I red in your letters, and iudged them to procede from the bottome of your hart: I could not but be thankefull to God, reioysing with teares for you and these his great mercies poured vpon you.

[Back to Top]

These your letters, and the hearyng of your most godly procedinges and constant doynges from time to time, haue much releued and comforted me at all tymes, and shall be a goodly testimony with you at the great daye, agaynst many worldly and deinty dames, MarginaliaThe worldly wantones commonly of English women noted.whiche set more by their owne pleasure and pelfe in this worlde, then by Gods glory, little regarding (as it appeareth) the euerlastyng health of theyr owne soules or others. My prayer shalbe, whilst I am in this world, that God, which of his great mercy hath begun his good worke in you, wil finshe it to the glory of his name, and by the mighty power and inspiration of his holy spirite so strengthen, stablish, and confirme you in all his wayes to the ende, that we may together shewe forth his prayses in the worlde to come, to our vnspeakeable consolation euerlastyngly, Amen.

[Back to Top]

So long as God shall lend you continuance in this miserable worlde, aboue all thinges geue your selfe continually to prayer, liftyng vp, as S. Paul sayth,Marginalia
1. Tim. 2.
Ghostly lessons and precepts of Christian lyfe. cleane or pure hādes without anger, wrath, or doubting, forgeuyng (as hee sayth also) if you haue anye thynge agaynst anye man, as Christ forgeueth vs. And that wee may be the better willing to forgeue, it is good often to call to remembraunce the mul-

[Back to Top]