Marginalia1556. March.¶ Vnto these former Letters of Doctour Cranmer Archbyshop, written by him vnto others, it seemeth to me not much out of place to annexe withall a certain letter also of Doctour Taylor writtē to him and his fellow prisoners: the tenour of which Letter here foloweth.

¶ To my deare fathers and brethren Doctour Cranmer, Doctour, Ridley, and Doctour Latimer prisoners in Oxford for the faythfull testimony of Gods holy worde.  

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This letter is first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 171-72. BL, Additional MS 19400, fo. 29r is the original of this letter.

MarginaliaA letter written to Doct. Cranmer and his fellowes, by D. Taylour.RIght reuerend fathers in the Lord, I wish you to enioye continually Gods grace and peace through Iesus Christ: & God be praysed againe, for this your most excellent promotion whiche ye are called vnto at this present, that is, that ye are counted woorthy to be allowed amongest the number of Christes recordes and witnesses. England hath had but a fewe learned Byshoppes that would sticke to Christ MarginaliaMany professe God ad ignē exclusiuè, that is, in wordes and outward profession, but few sticke to hym ad ignem inclusiuè, that is, in deed, and in suffering for his sake.ad ignem inclusiuè. Once agayne I thanke God hartly in Christ for your most happy onset, most valiaunt proceedyng, most constaunt sufferyng of all such infamies, hyssinges, clappynges, tauntes, open rebukes, losse of liuyng and libertie for the defence of Gods cause, truth, and glory. I can not vtter with pēne how I reioyce in my hart for you three such Captaines in the foreward vnder Christes crosse, banner, or standerd in such a cause and skirmishe, when, not onely one or two of our deare redeemers strong holdes are besieged, but all his chief Castels ordeined for our safegard, are traiterously impugned. This your enterprise in the sight of all that be in heauen, and of all Gods people in earth, is most pleasaunt to behold. This is an other maner of nobilitie, then to be in the forefronte in worldly warefares. For gods sake pray for vs, for we fayle not dayly to pray for you. We are stronger and stronger in the Lord, his name be praysed, and we doubt not but ye be so in Christes owne sweete schole. Heauē is all and wholy of our side: therfore Gaudete in domino semper, & iterū gaudete & exultate. i.  

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Taylor, citing Philippians, 4. 4.

Foxe text Latin

Gaudete in domino semper, & iterum gaudete & exultate.

Foxe text translation

Reioyce alwayes in the Lord: and agayne reioyce and be glad.

Actual text of Philippians, 4. 4. (Vulgate)

gaudete in Domino semper iterum dico gaudete.

Your assured in Christ
Rowland Taylour.

¶ De Tho. Cranmeri Archiepiscopi qui carcere detinebatur palinodia.  

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This verses were first printed in the 1570 edition; they celebrate Cranmer overcoming his weakness to retract his recantation and thus frustrating the catholics.

Te Cranmere, grauis sontem prope fecerat error,
Sed reuocas lubicros ad meliora pedes.
Te docuit lapsus magis vt vestigia firmes,
Atq; magis Christo consociere tuo:
Vtq; tuæ melius studeas hærescere causæ:
Sic mala non rarò causa fuere boni.
Et benè successit, nam ficta & adultera turba
Illudens alijs, luditur arte pari,
Nempè pia sic est frustatus fraude papismus:
Et cessit summo gloria tota Deo.

¶ Persecution in Suffolke, Agnes Potten, and Ioane Trunchfield, Martyrs.  

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The Martyrdom of Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield

This entire account appears in the 1563 edition and was unchanged in subsequent editions. It is based partly on official documents; Foxe had copies of the articles charged against Agnes Potten and her replies (BL, Harley 421, fo. 191r-v), the articles charged against Joan Trunchfield and her replies (BL, Harley 421, fo. 192r-v and the sentence condemning them (BL, Harley 421, fos. 189r-190v).These documents were copied from a now lost Norwich diocesan court book. Foxe also received the story of Agnes Potten's dream and of Joan Trunchfield's behaviour at the stake from oral sources. Another anecdote concerning Joan Trunchfield came into Foxe's hands as the 1563 edition was nearing completion and was printed in an appendix at the end of the book (1563, p. 1734).

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MarginaliaAgnes Potten. Ioane Trunchfield, Martyrs.IN the story of Robert Samuell, mention was made before page. 1603. of two Godly women in the same Towne of Ipswitch, whiche shortly after hym suffered likewise, and obtained the crowne of Martyrdome: the names of whom was Agnes the wife of Robert Potten, and an other wife of Michaell Trunchfield, a Shoomaker, both dwellyng in one Towne: who about the same tyme that the Archbyshop aforesayd was burned at Oxford, suffered likewise in the foresayd Towne of Ipswitch, either in the same moneth of March, or (as some say) in the ende of February the next moneth before.

MarginaliaThe opinions of these two Matrons and Martyrs.Their opinion or perswasion was this, that in the Sacrament was the memoriall onely of Christes death and Passion: for sayd they, Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen, and is on the right hand of God the father, accordyng to the Scriptures, and not in the Sacrament, as he was borne of the Virgine Mary.  

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This was actually what Agnes Potten said (BL, Harley 421, fo. 191v).

For this they were burned. In whose sufferyng, their constancie worthely was to be wondered at, who beyng so simple women, so manfully stoode to the confession and testimony of Gods word and veritie: MarginaliaThe strength of God in weake vessels.In somuch that, whē they had prepared and vndressed thēselues ready to the fire, with comfortable wordes of the Scripture they earnestly required the people to credite and to lay hold on the word of God, and not vpon mans deuises and inuentions, despising the ordinaunces and institutions of the Romish Antichrist, with all his superstitions and rotten Religion: and so continuing in the torment of fire, they held vp their handes and called vnto God constauntly, so long as lyfe did endure.

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This Pottens wife in a night a little before her death, beyng a slepe in her bed, sawe a bright burnyng fyre, ryght vp as a pole, and on þ^e syde of the fire she thought there stode a nūber of Q. Maries friendes lookyng on. MarginaliaThe burning of Agnes Potten reuealed to her before in her sleepe.Then beyng a sleepe, shee seemed to muse with her selfe whether her fire should burne so bright or no: and in deede her sufferyng was not farre vnlike to her dreame.

This also I thought further to note, how these two being alwayes together in prison, the one which was Michaels wyfe, seemed to be nothing so ardent and zelous as Pottens wife was, although (God be thanked) they dyd stoutly stande to the confession of the truth both: MarginaliaGod geueth strength many tymes, where most weaknes is.but when the said Michaels wife came to the stake and saw nothing but present death before her, she much exceeded the other in ioye, and comfort. Albeit both of them dyd ioyfully suffer, as it was maruailed at of those that knewe them, and dyd behold theyr end. And thus these two Martyrs ended their lyues wyth great triumph: the Lorde graunt we may do the like, Amen.

¶ Persecution in the Dioces of Salisbury.  

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Maundrel, Coberley and Spicer

In the 1563 edition, all Foxe had was a brief statement that these three martyrs were burned at Salisbury in March 1556. Foxe further complained that he had not seen any official records regarding these martyrs. This account, which first appeared in the 1570 edition, seems to have been based entirely on information supplied by individual informants. But before this another informant had sent anecdotes about Maundrel and Spicer to Foxe which Foxe received as the 1563 edition was nearing completion; these were printed in an appendix to the edition (1563, p. 1734). Except for Maundrel's remark that statues of the saints were good to roast a shoulder of mutton, which was inserted into this account in the 1570 edition (see 1563, p. 1734), these anecdotes were never integrated into the account of these three martyrs.

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MarginaliaMarch. 24.MarginaliaOther 3. Martyrs suffering at Salisbury.AFter these ij. women of Ipswich, succeeded iij. men which were burnt þ^e same moneth at one fire in Salisbury, who in the like quarell with the other that went before them and led the daūce, spared not theyr bodies, to bryng their soules to þ^e celestiall felicity, wherof they were throughly assured in Christ Iesus by his promises, as sone as the furious flames of fire hadde put their bodies and soules a sonder.

Robert Spicer, free Mason.
William Coberley, Taylor.
Iohn. Maundrell, husbandman.  

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Note Foxe's comment in the 1563 edition that he had no further information about these martyrs 'by Register' or from these friends. Foxe never acquired official records on these martyrs but as the 1563 edition was nearing completion and before the 1570 edition was printed he received quite a bit of information from individual informants.

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MarginaliaThe story of Iohn Maundrell.FIrst, Iohn Maundrell whiche was the sonne of Robert Maundrel of Rowd in the County of Wiltshyre Fermer was from his childhode brought vp in husbandry, and after he came to mans state, dyd abyde and dwell in a Village called Buchamton in the Parish of Keuel within the County of Wiltshyre aforesayd, where hee hadde wife and children, beyng of good name and fame. MarginaliaMaundrell conuerted first by Tyndals Testament.Whiche Iohn Maundrell, after that the Scripture was translated into English by the faythfull Apostle of England, W. Tyndall, became a diligent hearer and a feruent embracer of Gods true Religion,