Marginalia1556. March.so that he delited in nothyng so much, as to heare and speake of Gods word, neuer being without the new Testament about him, although he could not read him selfe.MarginaliaMaundrell an earnest louer and and hearer of Gods word.But when he came into any company that could read, his booke was alwayes ready, hauyng a very good memory: so that he could recite by hart most places of þ^e new Testament, his conuersation and liuyng beyng very honest and charitable as his neighbours are able to testifie.

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So it was, that in the dayes of Kyng Henry the viij. at what tyme Doctour Trigonion, and Doctour Lee dyd visite Abbayes, the sayd Iohn Maundrell was brought before Doctour Trigonion at an Abbay called Edyngton within in the County of Wiltshyre aforesayd: MarginaliaMaundrell accused for speaking agaynst holy bread and holy water.where hee was accused that hee had spoken agaynst holy water and holy bread and such lyke ceremonyes, MarginaliaMaundrell put to open penance in K. Henryes dayes.and for the same dyd weare a white sheete bearyng a candle in his hand about the market in the Towne of the Deuises, whiche is in the sayd County. Neuertheles his feruency did not abate, but by Gods mercyfull assistaunce he tooke better hold, as the sequele hereof will declare.

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For in the dayes of Queene Mary, when Popery was restored agayne and Gods true Religion put to silence, the sayd Iohn Maundrell left his owne house and departed into the County of Glocestershyre and into the North part of Wiltshyre, wanderyng from one to an other to such men as he knew feared GOD, with whom as a seruaunt to keepe their cattell, he there did remayne, with Iohn Bridges or some other at Kyngeswoode: but after a tyme he returned to his countrey, and there commyng to the Veys to a frend of his named Anthony Clee,MarginaliaAntony Clee of Veys. had talke and conferēce with him in a Garden of returnyng home to his house.

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And when the other exhorted him by the woordes of Scripture, to flye from one Citie to an other, he replying agayne by the woordes of the Apocalips. 21. of them that be fearefull &c. sayd that he needes must go home, and so dyd. Where he with Spicer and Coberley vsed at tymes to resort and conferre together.

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At length vpon the Sonday folowyng they agreed together to go to the Parish Church called Keuell, where the sayd Iohn Maundrell & the other two, seyng the Parishoners in þ^e procession to folow & worshyp þ^e Idol there caried, MarginaliaMaundrell, Spicer and Coberley speaking against the procession.aduertised them to leaue the same & to returne to the liuyng God, namely speakyng to one Robert Barkesdale head mā of the Parish, but he tooke no regarde to these wordes.

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After this the Vicare came into the Pulpite, who there beyng aboute to read his bedroll and to pray for the soules in Purgatory, the sayd Iohn Maundrell speakyng with an audible voyce sayd: that that was the Popes pynfold:MarginaliaMaundrell calleth purgatory the Popes pinfolde the other two affirmyng the same. After which words, by commaundement of the Priest, they were had to the stockes, where they remayned till their seruice was done, & then were brought before a Iustice of peace, MarginaliaMaundrell, Spicer, Coberley, sent to Salisbury.and so the next day caryed to Salisbury all three, & presented before Bishop Capon,MarginaliaD. Capon B. of Salisbury. and W. Geffrey being Chauncellour of the Dioces. By whom they were imprisoned and often times examined of their fayth in their houses, but seldome openly. And at their last examination these were the Articles, whiche the Chauncellour alledged agaynst them, beyng accompanyed with the Sheriffe of the shyre one M. Saint Iohns, and other Popish Priestes in the Parishe Church of Fisherton Anger, demaundyng how they did beleue.

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They aunswered: MarginaliaConfession of their beliefe.as Christen men should and ought to beleue: and first they sayd they beleued in God the Father, and in the Sonne, and in the holy Ghost, the xij. Articles of the Creede, the holy Scripture from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalips.

But that fayth the Chauncellour would not allowe. Wherefore he apposed them in particular Articles: MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.First, whether that they did not beleue that in the Sacrament of the aultar (as he termed it) after the wordes of consecration spoken by the Priest at Masse, there remained no substaūce of bread nor wyne, but Christes body fleshe and bloud as he was borne of the virgine Mary. Whereunto they aunswered negatiuely, saying that the popish Masse was abhominable Idolatry and iniurious to the bloud of Christ: but confessing that in a faythfull congregation, receauyng the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud, beyng duely ministred accordyng to Christes institution, Christes body and bloud is spiritually receiued of the faythfull beleuer.

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MarginaliaAgaynst the Popes supremacy.Also, beyng asked whether the Pope was supreme head of the Churche, and Christes Vicare on earth: they aunswered negatiuely, saying that the Byshoppe of Rome doth vsurpe ouer Emperours and Kynges beyng Antichrist and Gods enemy.

The Chauncellour sayd: will you haue the Churche without a head?

They aunswered: Christ was head of his Church, and vnder Christ the Queenes Maiesty. What, said the Chaū-

celour? a woman head of þ^e Church? yea sayd they, within her graces dominions. MarginaliaChrist onely supreame head of his church: vnder him euery Prince in his owne dominion.

MarginaliaPurgatory.Also that the soules in purgatory were deliuered by the Popes pardons and the suffrages of the Church?

They sayd they beleued faythfully that þ^e bloud of Christ had purged their sinnes and the sinnes of al them that were saued, vnto the ende of the worlde, so þ^t they feared nothing the Popes Purgatory nor estemed his pardons.

MarginaliaImages.Also, whether Images were necessary to be in the churches, as lay mens bookes, and Saintes to bee prayed vnto and worshipped?

They aunswered negatiuely: Iohn Maundrell addyng that wooden Images were good to rost a shoulder of muttō, but euill in the Church:  

wherby Idolatry was committed. Those Articles thus aunswered (for their Articles were one, and their aunsweres in maner like( MarginaliaSentence red agaynst these 3. Martyrs.the Chauncellour red their condemnation, and so deliuered them to the Sheriffe. Then spake Iohn Spycer, saying: Oh M. Sheriffe, nowe must you be their butcher, that you may bee gilty also with them of Innocent bloud before the Lord. This was the MarginaliaMarch. 23.23. day of March. an. 1556. and the. 24. day of the same moneth they were carryed out of the common Gayle to a place betwixt Salisbury and wiltom, where were ij. postes set for them to bee burnt at. MarginaliaMaundrell Spicer Coberley, brought to the place of Martyrdome.Whiche men commyng to the place, kneeled downe and made their prayers secretly together, and then beyng disclothed to theyr shyrtes, Ioh. Maūdrell spake with a loud voyce: MarginaliaThe wordes of Maūdrell.not for all Salisbury. Whiche words men iudged to be an answere to the Sheriffe, which offered him þ^e Queenes pardō if he would recant. And after that, in lyke maner spake Iohn Spicer sayng: this is the ioifullest day that euer I saw. Thus were they three burnt at two stakes: where most constantly they gaue theyr bodies to the fire and theyr soules to the Lord for testimonie of hys truth.

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MarginaliaAlice Coberley being in durance, how she was brought by the keepers wyfe to reuoke.As touching William Coberley, this moreouer is to bee noted, that his wife also, called Alyce, beyng apprehended, was in the keepers house the same time deteyned while her husband was in prison. Where the keepers wife named Agnes Penycote, had secretly heated a key fire hoate, and layd it in grasse on the backside. So speakyng to Alyce Coberley to fet her the key in all hast, þ^e sayd Alyce went with spede to bryng the key, and so takyng vp the key in hast dyd piteously burne her hand. Whereupon shee crying out at the sodein burnyng of her hand: Ah thou drabbe, quoth the other thou that canst not abyde the burnyng of the key, howe wilt thou be able to burne the whole body, and so she afterwarde reuoked. And thus much concernyng these three Salisbury Martyrs.

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MarginaliaAprill. 24.MarginaliaSixe Martyrs burnt in Smythfild at one stake.ABout the. xxiiij. day of Aprill. Anno Do. 1556. were burned in Smithfield at one fyre, these sixe constant Martyrs of Christ, sufferyng for the profession of the Gospel, viz.

Robert Drakes Minister.
William Tyms Curate.
Rychard Spurge Shereman.
Thomas Spurge Fuller.
Iohn Cauell Weauer.
George Ambrose Fuller.

MarginaliaThese Martyrs were sent vp by the L. Rich, by M. Tyrrell, and others.They were all of Essex, and so of the dioces of London, and were sent vp: some by the Lorde Rich, and some by others at sundry tymes, vnto Steuen Gardiner B. of Winchester, then Lord Chaūcellour of England, about the. xxij. day of March. An. 1555. Who vpon small examination, sent. them, some vnto the kynges Bench,  

and others vnto the Marshalsey, where they remayned almost all þ^e whole yeare (vntill the death of the sayd Byshop of Winchester) & had duryng that tyme nothyng sayd vnto them. Wherupon, after that Doctor Heath Archbyshop of Yorke was chosen to þ^e office of Lord Chauncellorship, foure of these persecuted brethren, beyng now weery of this theyr long imprisonmēt, made theyr supplication vnto the sayd D. Heath, requiryng his fauour and ayde for their deliueraunce: the copy wherof ensueth.

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MarginaliaA suppication vnto the Lord Chaūcelor.MAy it please your honorable good lordship, for the loue of god, to tēder the humble sute of your lordships poore Orators, whose names are subscribed, whiche haue lyen in great misery in the Marshalsey, by the space of. x. monethes