1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1647 
Marginalia1555. October.
Witnesses of the godly end of the sayd W. Glouer dyi-
ing in the true fayth and confession of Christ, Maister
Nowell now Deane of Lichfield, George Wilestone
and his wife, Tho. Constantine, Roger Wydouse, Iohn
Prynne, George Torpelley. &c.
CloseGeorge Torpelly was Foxe's source for the refusal to bury both William Glover and Edward Burton.
The like example of charitable affection in these Catholicke Churchmen is also to be sene and noted in MarginaliaM Edward Bourton not suffered to be buried in Christian buriall, the same day when Q. Elizabeth was crowned.the burying of one maister Edward Bourton Esquier, who in the same Diocesse of Chester departyng out of this world the very day before Queene Elizabeth was crowned, required of his frendes, as they would aunswere for it, that his body should be buryed in his Parish Church (which was S. Chaddes in Shrousbury) so that no Massemonger should be present thereat. Which thing being declared to the Curate of that Parish named sir Iohn Marshall, & the body beyng withall brought to the buriall,
CloseIn the errata printed in the 1576 edition, Foxe printed a correction stating that Burton's body was not actually sent to the church but that a messenger, one John Torperly (probably a relative of George Torpelly), was sent to ask if Burton would be allowed a Christian burial and that permission was denied. Probably the curate of St Chad protested to Foxe or Day about the account of this which appeared in the 1570 edition. This correction was never added to the story of Burton in Foxe's text.
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CloseElizabeth I.
MarginaliaOliuer Richardine in Hartford West Martyr.Moreouer, in the sayd Countie of Salop, I find that one Olyuer Richardyne
CloseThis terse account is all the information known about the obscure Oliver Richardine.
CloseThis brief story must have been given to Foxe as the 1570 edition was being printed and he inserted it into the text (far out of chronological order) as soon as he could.
CloseThe Rerum simply has a note stating that William Wolsey, weaver, and Robert Pygot, painter, were burned on 19 September 1555 (Rerum, p. 538). In the 1563 edition this note was repeated, mistakenly giving Wolsey's first name as 'Thomas' and correcting the date of their execution to 4 October 1555. (The actual date was 16 October 1555). Foxe provided his full account of Wolsey and Pygot in the 1570 edition. It appears to have been based on personal testimony for the background and examinations of Wolsey and Pygot; some of Foxe's informants were listed in his account. (Fortunately the official records for the trials of Wolsey and Pygot survive - Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fos. 81r-84r - and they confirm the accuracy of Foxe's account at several points. However, it is pretty evident that Foxe did not have access to these materials but to an independent source of information, as his account contains material not in the official records). Foxe also obtained a description of the execution of Wolsey and Pygot from the famous Cambridge puritan divine William Fulke. The account of Wolsey and Pygot was not altered in the 1576 and 1583 editions.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaWilliam Wolsey, Robert. Pigot, Martyrs.AFter the sufferyng of Maister Robert Glouer and Cornelius Bongey at Couentry, followeth next the condemnation of other two blessed Martyrs which were iudged and condemned at Eley by Iohn Fuller the Byshops Chauncellour of Eley, Doctour Shaxton his Suffragane, Robert Steward Deane of Eley, Iohn Christopherson Deane of Norwich. &c. an. 1555. October ix. the names of which Martyrs were William Wolsey and Robert Pygot, dwellyng both in the Towne of Wisbich, which William Wolsey beyng a Constable, dwellyng & inhabityng in the Town of Well, was there brought to death by the meanes and procurement of one MarginaliaRichard Euerard extreame against William Wolsey.Richard Euerard Gētleman a Iustice appointed for those dayes, who extremely hādled the same William Wolsey, and bound him to the good abearyng,
CloseI.e., good behaviour.
CloseWolsey had drawn attention to himself in Ely by denying the mass and by not attending church for six months before his arrest (Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fo. 81r).
In the Easter weeke followyng, there repayred to conferre with him, Doctour Fuller the Chauncellour, with Christopherson, and one Doctour Young:MarginaliaD. Fuller, Christopherson, D. Yong come to conferre with Wolsey. who layd earnestly to his charge that he was out of the Catholicke faith, willyng him to medle no further with the Scriptures, then it did become such lay men as he was, to do. The sayd William Wolsey standyng still a great while, sufferyng them to say their pleasures, at the last aunswered in this wise: MarginaliaWolsey putteth a question to the Doctours.Good Maister Doctour, what did our Sauiour Christ meane, when hee spake these wordes written in the xxiij. Chapter of S. Mathewes Gospell: Wo be vnto you Scribes & Phariseis, ye hypocrites, for ye shut vp the kyngdome of heauen before men: ye your selues go not in, neither suffer ye them that come to enter in.
[Back to Top]Yea sayth Doctour Fuller, you must vnderstand, that Christ spake to the Scribes and Phariseis.
Nay Maister Doctour (sayth Wolsey) Christ spake euen to you, and your fellowes here present, and to all other such like as you be.
Away Maister Doctour (sayth Christopherson) for you can do no good wt this man. Yet sayth Doctour Fuller, I will leaue thee a booke to read, I promise thee, of a learned mans doyng, that is to say of Doctor Watsons doyng, (who was then Byshop of Lincoln.)
CloseThe book was Thomas Watson, Twoo [sic] notable sermons made'before the quenes highness, concernynge the reall presence (London, 1554), STC 25115. This was considered by contemporaries to have been a very effective defence of transubstantiation.
Wolsey receauyng the same booke,MarginaliaD. Watsons booke of Sermons or Homelies. did diligently read it ouer, whiche in many places did manifestly appeare contrary to the knowen truth of Gods worde. At the length a
fourtnight or three weekes followyng, MarginaliaD. Fuller againe resorteth to W. Wolsey.the sayd Doctour Fuller resortyng agayne to the prison house to cōferre with the sayd Wolsey, did aske him how hee lyked the sayd booke (thinking that he had won him by the reading of the same): who aunswered him and sayd: Syr, I lyke the booke no otherwise then I thought before I should finde it. Whereupon the Chauncellour takyng his booke departed home.
[Back to Top]At night when Doctour Fuller came to his chamber to looke on it, he did finde in many places cōtrary to his minde, the booke raced with a pen by the sayd Wolsey. The which he seyng, and beyng vexed therewith, sayd: Oh this is an obstinate hereticke and hath quyte marred my booke.
CloseWolsey mentioned writing in Watson's book during his trial (Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fo. 81v).
Then the Syse holden at Wisbich drawyng nye, Doctour Fuller commeth agayne to the sayd Wolsey, and speaketh vnto him on this maner: MarginaliaThe Chauncellor geueth leaue to Wolsey to depart.Thou doest much trouble my conscience, wherfore I pray thee depart, and rule thy toung, so that I heare no more complaynt of thee, and come to the Church when thou wilt, and if thou be complayned vpon, so farre as I may, I promise thee I will not heare of it.
[Back to Top]Master Doctour (quoth Wolsey) I was brought hether by a law, and by a law I will be deliuered.
Then beyng brought to the Sessions before named, MarginaliaW. Wolsey layd in the Castle of Wisbich.Wolsey was layd in the Castell at Wisbich, thinking to him and all his frendes, that he should haue suffered there at that present tyme, but it proued nothyng so.
Then Robert Pygot the Painter beyng at libertie, MarginaliaRob. Pigot paynter presented for not comming to the Church.was there presented by some euill disposed persons (sworne men as they called them) for not commyng to the Church.
ClosePygot confessed to not having attended church for three months before his arrest (Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fo. 83r).
The sayd Pygot being called in the Sessions, would not absent him selfe, but there did playnly appeare before Syr Clement Hygham being Iudge, who sayd vnto him: MarginaliaTalke betwene Syr Clement Higham Iudge, and Rob. Pigot.Ah, are you the holy father the Paynter? How chaunce ye came not to the Churche? Syr (quoth the Paynter) I am not out of the Church, I trust in God.
[Back to Top]No Syr, sayd the Iudge, thys is no Churche, this is a Haull. Yea Syr sayd Pygot, I know very well it is a Haull: but hee that is in the true fayth of Iesus Christ, is neuer absent, but present in the Church of God.
Ah Syrha, sayd the Iudge, you are to high learned for me to talke withall: wherfore I will send you to them that be better learned then I, MarginaliaRob. Pigot brought to the Iayle where William Wolsey lay.straight wayes commaundyng him to the Iayle where Wolsey lay. So the Sessions being broken vp and ended, MarginaliaWolsey and Pigot returned to Eley to prison.the sayd Wolsey and Pygot were caryed agayne to Eley into prison, where they both dyd remaine till the day of their death.
[Back to Top]In the meane time certaine of their neighbours of Wisbych aforesayd beyng at Eley, came to see how they did.
There came thether also a Chaplayne of MarginaliaT. Goodricke Byshop of Eley.Bishop Gooderikes a Frenchman borne, one Peter Valentius, who sayd vnto the sayd Wolsey and Pygot: My brethren, according to mine office I am come to talke with you, for I haue bene Amner here this. xx. yeares and aboue.
MarginaliaThe Byshops Chaplayne a frenchman confirmeth the prisoners in the truth.Wherefore I must desire you my brethren to take it in good part that I am come to talke wyth you, I promise you, not to pull you from your fayth. But I both require and desire in the name of Iesus Christ that you stand to the truth of his Gospell and woorde, and I beseech the almighty GOD for his sonne Iesus Christes sake to preserue both you and mee in the same vnto the end. For I know not my selfe (my brethren) how soone I shall bee at the same poynt that you now are. Thus with many other like woordes he made an ende, causing all that were there present to water their cheekes,
CloseI.e., they wept.
Then within short tyme after, MarginaliaPigot and Wolsey called to iudgement in the Byshops ConsistoryPygot and Wolsey were called to iudgement about the ix. day of October, before Doctour Fuller then Chauncellour, with old Doct. Shaxton, Christopherson, and others in Commission, who layd earnestly to their charge for their beliefe in diuers Articles, but especially of the Sacrament of the aultar. Whereunto their aūswere was: that the Sacrament of the aultar was an Idoll, and that the naturall body and bloud of Christ was not present really in the sayd Sacrament, and to this opinion they sayd they would sticke, beleuyng perfectly the same to bee no heresie that they had affirmed, but the very truth wherupon they would stād.
CloseThis answer appears word-for-word in the trial register (Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fo. 82r).
CloseWolsey's exchange with Shaxton and Fuller's remark do not appear in the trial record.
CloseNicholas Shaxton had been a high-profile evangelical, and bishop of Salisbury, who had very publicly recanted his beliefs in 1546. Shaxton was villified by fellow evangelicals for his recantation; see Robert Crowley, The confutation of .xiii. articles, wherunto N. Shaxton, late byshop subscribed and caused to be set forth in print M.C.xlvi. when he recanted (STC 6083).
[Back to Top]MarginaliaWolseyes aunswere to Shaxton.Ah sayd Wolsey, are you become a new man? Wo be to thee thou wicked new man, for God shal iustly iudge thee.
Doctor Fuller then spake saying, this Wolsey is an obstinate felow, and one that I could neuer do good vppon.
CloseJohn Fuller, the chancellor of the diocese, had visited Wolsey numerous times in prison in the hope of making him recant (Ely Diocesan Register G 1/8, fo. 81r-v).