Marginalia1555. Decemb. which came with M. Philpots man, and bad him go vnto Alexander þ^e keeper, and cōmaund him to take of his irons, & to handle him more gently, and to geue his man agayne that which he had taken from him. And when they came agayne to the sayd Alexander, & told their message frō the Sheriffe, Alexander tooke the ring, and sayd: Ah, I perceaue that master Sheriffe is a bearer with him, and all such heretickes as he is: MarginaliaNote the spitefulnes of this keper.therfore to morrow I will shewe it to his betters. Yet at. x of the clocke he went into M. Philpot where hee lay, MarginaliaM. Philpot with much a doe released of his yrons.and tooke of his irons, and gaue him such thinges as he had taken before from his seruant.

Marginalia
December 17.
M. Philpot warned by the Sheriffes to prepare him agaynst the next day to the fire.Vpon Tuesday at supper, beyng þ^e. xvij. day of December, there came a messenger from the Sheriffes, and bad M. Philpot make him ready, for the next day he should suffer, & be burned at a stake with fire. M. Philpot aūswered and sayd, I am ready: God graunt me strength, and a ioy-

full resurrection. And so hee went vnto his chamber, and poured out his spirite vnto the Lord God, geuyng him most harty thankes that he of his mercy had made him worthy to suffer for his truth.

MarginaliaDecember 18.In the mornyng the Sheriffes came accordyng to the order, about. viij. of the clocke, and called for him, and hee most ioyfully came downe vnto them. And there his man dyd meete him, and sayd: A deare master, farewell. Hys master sayd vnto hym, serue God, and he will helpe the. MarginaliaM. Philpot brought to the place of Martyrdome.And so he went with the Sheriffes vnto the place of execution: and when he was entryng into Smithfielde, the way was foule, and two officers tooke him vp to beare him to þ^e stake. Then he sayd merily: what? wil you make me a Pope? I am content to go to my iourneys ende on foote. But first commyng into Smithfield, he kneled downe there saying these wordes: MarginaliaM. Philpots wordes going to the stake.I will pay my vowes in the O Smithfield.

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Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

The picture of Philpot's martyrdom stresses the Christ-like analogies of his prayers at the place of execution. Smithfield is saluted by the kneeling victim who went on to kiss the stake as analogous to the cross. He said three psalms and distributed money to the responsible officers. The man of letters is shown in a calm scene of prayer that preceded his fiery end, a moment that is reflected in the stillness of the standing spectators, two of whom are men earnestly praying with joined hands. The short description of the death is followed by a godly prayer to be said at the time of martyrdom, and in 1563 the woodcut headed 'The description of Mayster Philpot, knelyng and praying at the stake' was placed next the text of this 'prayer to be sayde at the stake'. Philpot's words in the banderole (in italic in 1563, thereafter in Roman) were renewed in each of the subsequent three editions.

And when he was come to the place of sufferyng, he kissed the stake & sayd: shall I disdayne to suffer at this stake seyng my redemer dyd not refuse to suffer most vile death vpon the Crosse for me? And then with an obedient hart full meekely he sayd the Cvj. Cvij. & Cviij. Psalme:MarginaliaM. Philpots prayers. and when he had made an ende of all his prayers, hee sayd to the officers: What haue you done for me? & euery one of thē declared what they had done: MarginaliaIohn Philpot geueth the Officers money.& he gaue to euery of them money.

Then they bound hym vnto the stake, & set fire vnto that constant Martyr: Who the xviij. daye of December, in the middest of the fiery flames, yelded his soule into the handes of the almighty God, and full lyke a Lambe gaue vp his breath, his body beyng consumed into ashes.

Thus hast thou (gentle reader) the life and doynges of this learned and worthy souldiour of the Lord, Iohn Philpot, w^t all his examinations that came to our hands, first penned and written with hys owne hande, MarginaliaThe writinges and examinations of M. Iohn Philpot by the meruailous prouidence of almighty God preserued.beyng marueylously reserued from the sight and handes of his enemies: who by al maner meanes sought not onely to stoppe him frō al wrytyng, but also to spoile and depriue hym of that which he had written. For the whiche cause hee was many times stripped and searched in the prison of his keeper: but yet so happely these his wrytinges were conueyed and hyd in places about hym or els hys keepers eyes so blynded, that notwithstandyng al this malicious purpose of the Bishops,

they are yet remaynyng and haue come to light.

¶ A prayer to be sayd at the stake, of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake.  

Commentary     Close

A copy of this prayer survies in Foxe's papers as ECL 261, fos. 17v-18v. In this manuscript this prayer is attributed to John Bradford.

MarginaliaA godly prayer to be sayd at the tyme of Martyrdome.MErcifull God and father, to whom our Sauiour Christ approched in his feare and neede by reason of death, and found comfort: Gracious God and most bounteous Christ on whom steuen called in hys extreme nede, and receiued strength: Most benigne holy spirite, whiche in the middest of all Crosses and death, diddest comfort the Apostle S. Paule, with more consolations in Christ, then hee felt sorrowes and terrours, haue mercy vppon me miserable, vile, and wretched sinner, whiche nowe drawe nere the gates of death, deserued both in soule and body eternally, by reason of manifold, horrible, old, and new transgressions, whiche to thine eyes (O Lord) are open and knowen. Oh be mercifull vnto mee, for the bytter death and bloudsheding of thine owne onely sonne Iesus Christe. And though thy iustice do require (in respect of my synnes) that now thē shouldest not heare mee, measuryng mee with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiestye, contemning thy dayly calles: yet lette thy mercye whiche is aboue all thy woorkes, and wherwith the earth is filled, let thy mercy (I say) preuaile towardes me, through, and for the mediation