MarginaliaAnno. 1555. Nouember. December.about the ende of the same moneth of Octob. or els as I otherwise finde in the latter ende of Nouember, thei togither were taken & brought out of prisō to the place of Martyrdome. Who by the waie goyng toward the stake, saied certaine Psalmes mournfully. Roper was a yonger man of a freshe colour, courage, and complexion, the other twoo were somewhat more elderly, all goyng in white linnen, with their gounes vpō. Roper at his commyng to the stake puttyng of hs goune, MarginaliaGeorge Roper leapeth at the stake.fet a greate leape. So sone as the flame was about hym, the said Roper put not bothe his armes from his bodie like a Roode,MarginaliaGeorge Roper stoode in the fier like a roode. and so stoode stedfast, continuyng in that maner, not pluckyng his armes in, till the fire had consumed them, and burnt them of.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Webbe, Roper, and Parke, at Canterbury.And thus these foresaied Martyres of Christe, beyng brought (as I saied) to the stake, and there compassed about with a chaine, were burnte and consumed all three together in one fire at Caunterburie, abidyng moste paciently their tormentes, and countyng them selues happie, and blessed of the Lorde, that thei were made worthy to suffer for Christes Gospelles sake.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaDecember. 13.THe xiij. of December in the Lollardes Tower died William Wiseman, a Clothwoorker of London, where he was in prison and bandes, for the Gospel and woorde of God. How, and whereupon he deceased it is not fully certaine. Some thought that either thorowe famine, or ill handlyng of some murtheryng Papistes, he was made awaie. By reason whereof the Crouner named Iohn Gibbes gentleman, with an enquest of twelue men, were faine to sitte vpon hym, who although to the outwarde appearaunce were saied to finde nothyng in hym els, but onely Gods visitation;, yet what other priuie causes there mighte bee of his death, the lorde knoweth: I haue not to saie. MarginaliaWilliam Wiseman dead in Lollars tower, and cast into the fieldes.After the saied William was departed (as is saied) in the Tower, the holy catholicke churche men, cast hym out into the fieldes, commaundyng that no manne should burie hym, accordyng as their deuoute maner is to doe with all suche as die in like sort, whom they account as profane, and worthy of no buriall, but to bee cast to dogges & birdes, ἑλώρια κύνεσσι  

as the Poet saieth. And yet all this their mercilesse commaundement not withstandyng, some good Tobies   there wer, whiche buried hym in the euenyng, as commonly they did all the rest, throwen out in like sort, whom they were wont priuely by night to couer, and many times the archers in the fieldes standyng by, and singyng together Psalmes at their buriall.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaIames Gore Martyr, died in Colchester prison.JN the same monethe, about the seuenth daie of December, deceased also Iames Gore in the prison at Colchester, laied there in bādes for the right and truth of Gods worde.

MarginaliaDecember 20.MarginaliaThe history of M. Iohn Philpoy, Martyr.NExt followeth the constaunt Martyrdome of maister Iohn Philpot, of whom partly ye heard before in the beginning of queene Maries tyme, in prosecutyng the disputation of the Conuocation house, pag. 1571. MarginaliaIohn Philpot a Knightes sonne, student of law in New Colledge in Oxford.He was of a worshipfull house, a knightes sonne borne in Hāpshire, brought vp in the newe Colledge in Oxford, where he studied the Ciuill lawe, the space of sixe or seuen yeares, besides the studie of other liberall artes, especially of the tongues, wherein very forwardly he profited, namely in the knowledge of the Hebrue tongue. &c. In witte he was pregnant  

and happie, of a singular courage, in spirite feruent, in religion zelous and also well practised, & exercised in the same (whiche is no small matter in a true Diuine) of nature and cōdition plaine and aperte, farre from all flatterie, farther from all hypocrisie, and deceitfull dissimulatiō. What his learnyng was, his owne examinations penned of his owne hande can declare.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaIohn Philpot went ouer to Italy.From Oxford, desirous to see other countreis, as occasion serued thereunto, he wente ouer into Italie, and places there aboutes, where he commyng vppon a

tyme from Venice to Padua, MarginaliaIohn Philpot in daunger by an Italiā fryer.was in daunger through a certain Franciscan Frier accompaniyng hym in his iourney, who commyng to Padua, sought to accuse hym of heresie.  

MarginaliaThe returne of Iohn Philpot into England.At length retournyng to Englande his countrey againe, as the tyme ministred more boldenesse to hym, in the daies of Kyng Edward, he had diuers conflictes with Gardiner the Bishop, in the citie of Winchester, as appeareth by diuers of Winchesters letters, and his examinations. Whereof reade before page. 1301.

[Back to Top]

After that, hauyng an aduouson  

by the saied Bishop, he was made there Archedeacon of Winchester,MarginaliaIohn Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester. vnder Doctor Ponet,MarginaliaThis D. Ponet Byshop of Winchester fled afterward into Germany, and there deceased. An. 1557. who then succeded Gardiner in that Bishopricke. Thus duryng the tyme of king Edward, he continued to no smal profite, of those parties thereabout. Whē that blessed Kyng was taken awaie, and Marie his sister came in place, whose studie was wholy bent, to alter the state of Religion, in the woful Realme of Englande: firste she caused a Conuocation of the Prelates, and learned men to bee congregate, to the accomplishement of her desire.

[Back to Top]

In the whiche Conuocation Maister Philpot beyng present, accordyng to his roume  

and degree, with a fewe other, susteined the cause of the Gospell manfully against the aduersary part (as is aboue recited) for the whiche cause, notwithstandyng the libertie of the house promised before, he was called to accompte before Bishop Gardiner the Chauncellour, then being his ordinarie, by whom he was firste examined, although that examination came not yet to our handes. MarginaliaIohn Philpot sent from Gardiner, to Boner.From thence again he was remoued to Boner, and other Commissioners, with whom he had diuers & sondrie conflictes, as in his examination here followyng maie appeare.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe first examinatiō of M. Philpot, before the commissioners.DOctor Story, before I was called into an inner Parler where they satte, came out into the hall where I was, to vewe me amōg other that there were, and passyng by me, said Ha maister Philpot, and in retournyng immediatly againe, staied against me, beholdyng me, MarginaliaD. Stories wordes to M. Philpot.and saiyng that I was well fedde in deede.

[Back to Top]

Iohn Phil. If I be fat and in good likyng (Maister Doctor) it is no maruell, since I haue been stalled vp in prison this twelue monethes and a halfe, in a close corner. I am come to knowe your pleasure, wherefore you haue sent for me.

Storie. We heare that thou art a suspecte persone, & of hereticall opinions, & therfore we haue sent for thee.

Philpot. I haue been in prison thus long, only vpō the occasion of MarginaliaIohn Philpot imprisoned for the disputation in the Cōuocation house.disputation, made in the Conuocation house, & vpon suspect of setting forth the report therof.  

Storie. If thou wilte reuoke the same, and become an honest mā, thou shalt be set at libertie, and doe right well: or els thou shalte bee committed to the Bishop of London. How saiest thou, wilt thou reuoke it or no?

Philpot. I haue already aunswered in this behalfe to myne Ordinarie.  

Storie. If thou aunswerest thus, whē thou commest before vs anon, thou shalte heare more of our myndes: and with this he went into the Parler, and I within a little while after, was called in.

The Scribe. Sir, what is your name?

Philpot. My name is Iohn Philpot. And so he intituled  

my name.

Storie. This man was Archdeacon of Winchester of Doctor Ponettes presentment.

Philpot. I was Archdeacon in deede, but none of his presentmente, but by the vertue of a former aduouson giuen by my lorde Chauncellour that now is.

Storie. Ye maie bee sure that my Lorde Chauncellour, would not make any suche as he is, Archdeacon.

Roper. Come hether to me M. Philpot. We heare saie that you are out of the catholicke churche, & haue been a disturber of the same: out of the which who so is he cannot be the child of saluation. Wherefore if you will come in to þ^e same, you shalbe receiued & find fauor.

Philpo. I am come before your worshipful maistershippes at your appointment, vnderstandyng that you are Magistrates authorised by the Queenes maiestie, to whom I owe, and will doe my due obedience, to the vttermost. Wherfore I desire to knowe what cause I