MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Ianuary.ty without cause, some vnder the colour of religiō, some only kept for fees, and some on priuate mens displeasure. Alas that Christ so hungreth, and no man will feede him: is so sore opprest with thurst, and no man will geue hym to drinke: destitute of all lodgyng, & not relieued: naked, and not cloathed: sicke, and not visited: imprisoned, and not seene. In time past men could bestowe large summes of money on copes, vestimentes, and ornamentes of the church. Why rather folow we not *Marginalia* Saint Ambrose tooke frō the church, and gaue þ^e poore: wee take from the poore their tithes and improperations, and giue them to churches & ministers where is nothing but singing, and idlenes. S. Ambroses example, which sold the same to the reliefe of the poore, or Chrysostomes commaundement, which willeth first to decke and garnish the liuyng temple of God? But alas, suche is the wickednes of these our last dayes, that nothing moueth vs: neither the pure doctrine, the godlines of life, nor good examples of the aunciēt fathers. If in any thing they erred, if they haue written any thyng that serueth for sectes and dissension, that wil their charitable children embrace, publishe and maintaine with Sworde, Fagot and Fire. But all in vaine: they striue against the streame. For though in despite of the truth, by force of the oeres of craftie perswasion, they may bryng them selues into the hauen of hell: yet can they not make all menne beleue, that the bankes moue whilest the shippe sayleth, nor euer shall be able to turne the direct course of the streame of Gods truth. Our Lorde Iesus Christ strengthen you in all pure doctrine and vpright liuyng, and geue your grace, vertuously to bring vp your children and family, and carefullie to prouide for the poore and oppressed, Amen. At Newgate the 20. of Ianuary. An. 1556.

Your assured, Bartlet Grene.

¶ An other certayne writyng of M. Bartlet Greene.  

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The friend in this letter is almost certainly Christopher Goodman. This letter was first printed in Jean Crespin, Troisième partie au recueil des martyrs (Geneva: 1556), pp. 538-40) and in all of Crespin's subsequent martyrologies. (See David Watson, 'Jean Crespin and the First Martyrology of the Reformation' in David Loades (ed.), John Foxe and the English Reformation [Aldershot: 1997], pp. 197-98 for a discussion of this). The letter is not printed in the 1563 edition or in the Letters of the Martyrs. Crespin's version of the letter is dated 26 January 1556, the day before Green's execution.

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MarginaliaAn other certaine writing of M. Bartlet Grene.BEtter is the day of death (saith Salomon) then the day of birth. Man that is borne of womā, liueth but a short time, & is replenished with many miseries: but happy are the dead that die in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell, to liue in misery: Man through Christ, doth die in ioy, and liue in felicity. He is borne to die, & dieth to liue. Straight as he cōmeth into the world, with cries he vttereth his miserable estate: straight as he departeth, with songes he praiseth god for euer. Scarce yet in his Cradle. iij. deadly enemies assault him: after death no aduersary may annoy him. Whilest he is here, he displeaseth God: when he is dead hee fulfilleth his will. In this life here hee dieth through sinne: in the life to come he liueth in righteousnes. Through many tribulatiōs in earth he is stil purged: with ioy vnspeakeable in heauē is he made pure for euer. Here he dieth euery houre: there he liueth continuallye. Here is sinne: there is righteousnes. Here is time: there is eternity. Here is hatred: there is loue. Here is paine: there is pleasure. Here is misery: there is felicity. Here is corruptiō: there is immortality. Here we see vanity: there shal we behold the Maiesty of God, with triūphant and vnspeakeable ioy in glory euerlasting. Seeke therfore the things that are aboue, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God the father: vnto whō with the sonne and the holy ghost, be all honor and glory, world without ende. Amen.

Yours in Christ, Bartlet Greene.

Diuers other letters and matters there were beside whiche this seruaunt of God did write, as namely certaine notes and extractes in Latin out of the Doctors and other authours for his memory, whereby is declared how studious he was in the searching and knowledge of the lawe of God, although his profession was the temporall law. Where I would to God, hee were not among the lawyers such a phenix that he had very fewe or no fellowes to flye with hym, or to followe his steppes. But GOD is to be praised, that although we read of fewe or none among that sorte that dyed as hee did: MarginaliaA cōmendation of Lawers.yet good wittes do spring vp daily of the same profession, to suche towardnes and Godly zeale, that some hope already appeareth, shortly to come to passe, þ^t thys godly Phenix shal not flie alone. These foresaid notes and gatherings of his out of the Doctours, were takē from hym by Boner, beeyng found about hym, whiche was to him no little griefe. He among the rest was first apprehended, but last of them condemned, whiche was the. xv. daie of Ianuary, and afterwarde burned with the other Martyrs, the. 27. of the same moneth.  

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The date of the execution of Whittle, Green and the others has been disputed. The normally reliable London diarist Henry Machyn states that it took place on 22 January (The Diary of Henry Machyn, ed. J. G. Nichols, Camden Society, original 42 [1848], p. 99). The chronicler Charles Wriothesley supports Foxe in stating that Whittle and the others were executed on 27 January. The dates of two of Green's letters further confirm the date of 27 January as that of his execution.

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3. Thomas Browne, Martyr.  

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Thomas Brown

Brown's death was merely listed in the Rerum (p. 634). This account of Brown and his martyrdom was first printed in the 1563 edition and substantially unchanged in subsequent editions. It is based entirely on official records, now lost, of Brown's trial.

MarginaliaEx Regist.MarginaliaTho. Browne, Martyr.MarginaliaIanuary 27.THomas Browne, borne in the parish of Histon, within the Dioces of Elye, came afterwarde to London, where he dwelled in the parishe of S. Brides in Fletestrete, a maried mā, of þ^e age of

37. yeres: who because he came not to his parish church was presented by the Constable of the Parish to Boner.MarginaliaTho. Browne presented by þ^e Constable of Saint Brides. As touching whose articles, wherupon he was examined by the said Boner, with his answeres also annexed to the same, mention goeth before, as in the generall processe of him and of the rest, may appeare. This Thomas Browne being had to Fulhā, with the other there to be examined, was required vpon Thurseday, beyng the. xxvi. daye of September, to come into the Chappel to heare Masse, which he refusing to do went into the warren, and there kneled among the trees.MarginaliaBrowne kneeleth amōg the trees at the Masse time. For this hee was greatlye charged of the Bishop, as for an hainous matter, because hee said it was done in despite and contempt of their Masse: which seemed to the Bishop and his Chaplaines no small offence. At length being producted to his last examination before the said Bishop, xv. daye of Ianuary, there to here the sentence diffinitiue against him, first he was required with many faire woordes and glosing promises to reuoke his doctrine, to whom the foresaid Bishoppe speakyng these wordes, saide: MarginaliaB. Boners words to Tho. Browne.Browne, ye haue beene before me many tymes and oft, and I haue trauailed with thee, to winne thee from thyne errours: yet thou and suche like haue and doe report that I go about to seeke thy blood. &c.

To whom the said Thomas Browne aunswered againe:MarginaliaB. Boner charged to be a bloudsucker. yea my Lord (said he) in deede ye be a bloudsucker, and I would I had as much bloud, as is water in the Sea, for you to sucke.

Boner then proceeding to the articles, when he had red them vnto him again, as he had done diuers tymes before, asked him whether he was content and willing to relinquish those his heresies and erroneous opiniōs (as he called them) and returne againe vnto the vnitie of the catholike faith. Wherunto he made aunswere againe, saiyng: if they were heresies, hee would forsake thē. They be heresies (quoth the Bishop.) MarginaliaThe aunswere of Thomas Browne to Bishop Boner.How will ye proue it, said Browne? for I will not goe from myne aunsweres, except you can proue them to be heresies, which ye shal neuer do. For that which you cal heresie, is no heresie. With that Boner not able, or els not disposed to supply the part of a sufficient teacher, in prouing that which the other had denied by good authority and doctrine of the scripture, went about with words and promise of pardon, to allure him to renounce those his heresies, as he called them, and to returne vnto the vnitie of his mother the Catholicke church. &c.

To whom the said Thomas inferred againe, as foloweth: Proue it (said he) to be heresie, that I do holde and maintaine, and I will turne to you. But you condemne me, because I will not confesse and beleue the bread in the Sacrament of the aultar (as you cal it) to be the body of Christe, and therefore ye spill mine and suche like innocents bloud, beeyng the Queenes true subiectes, for which you shall aunswere, & that shortly.

After this beyng spoken, Boner as hee had done to the other before, MarginaliaSentence read agaynst Thom. Browne.red in writing the sentence diffinitiue againste him. The copie and forme of whiche sentence wherwith the Papists were wont to condemne all the innocent sainctes of Christ, is aboue expressed, pa. 1417. And so this done hee was committed to the Shiriffes to be had awaie, and burned the. xxvii. day of the saide moneth of Ianuary,  

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The date of the execution of Whittle, Green and the others has been disputed. The normally reliable London diarist Henry Machyn states that it took place on 22 January (The Diary of Henry Machyn, ed. J. G. Nichols, Camden Society, original 42 [1848], p. 99). The chronicler Charles Wriothesley supports Foxe in stating that Whittle and the others were executed on 27 January. The dates of two of Green's letters further confirm the date of 27 January as that of his execution.

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4. Iohn Tudson Martyr.  

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John Tudson

Tudson's death was merely listed in the Rerum (p. 634). This account of his martyrdom was first printed in 1563 and remained substantially unchanged. It was based entirely on official records, now lost, of his trial.

THe same daie and time, MarginaliaIohn Tudson, Martyr.MarginaliaIanuary. 27. when the foresaid Iohn Browne, with his felowes was condemned (as is aboue rehearsed) beyng the xv. daye of Ianuary was also producted Iohn Tudson with the rest of the said company, vnto the like condemnation. This Iohn Tudson was borne in Ipswich in the County of Suffolke, after that apprentise in London, dwellyng with one George Goodyere of the parish of S. Mary Botulph, within the dioces of London, who beeing complained of to Sir Richard Cholmley and D. Story, was by thē sent vnto Boner bishop of London, and was diuers times before him in examination.

The Articles and interrogatories ministred vnto hym, as vnto the rest, before are specified, with his answeres also to the same annexed. &c. After this he was brought vnto the open Consistory: where the said blessed and true seruaunt of the Lorde Iohn Tudson, appearing before the said bishop and his complices, was moued with sondry perswasions (as their maner is) to