Marginalia1556. Aprill.and more, at the commaundement of the late Lord Chauncellour, to their vtter vndoyng, with their wiues and childrē. In consideration wherof, your Lordshyps sayd Oratours do most humbly pray and beseech your good Lordshyp to suffer thē to be brought before your honour, and there, if any man of good conscience can lay any thyng vnto our charge, we trust either to declare our innocency agaynst their accusations, or if otherwise their accusations can be proued true and we faulty, we are ready (GOD helpyng vs) with our condigne punishments to satisfie the law accordyng to your wise Iudgement, as we hope full of fatherly mercy towardes vs and all men, accordyng to your Godly office, in the which we pray for your godly succes to the good pleasure of God, Amen.

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This Supplication was sent (as is sayd) and subscribed with the names of these 4. vnder followyng.MarginaliaNames subscribed to the supplication.

Richard Spurge. Thomas Spurge.

George Ambrose. Iohn Cauell.

VPon the recept and sight hereof, it was not long after, but Syr Richard Read Knight, then one of the Officers of the Court of the Chauncery. 16. day of Ianuary, was sent vnto þ^e Marshalsey, to examine þ^e said foure prisoners: MarginaliaRich. Spurge examined.and therefore begynnyng first with Richard Spurge vpon certaine demaundes, receiued his aunsweres thereunto: the effect wherof was, that he with others were complayned vppon by the Parson of Bockyng,MarginaliaThe Parson of Bocking accuser. vnto the Lord Rich,  

for that they came not vnto their Parish Church of Bockyng, where they inhabited: and therupon was by the sayd Lord Riche, sent vnto the late Lord Chauncellour, about the xxij day of March last past, videl. an. 1555.

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And farther he sayd, MarginaliaFor not comming to the Popish Church.that he came not to þ^e church sithēs the first alteratiō of the English seruice into Latin (Christmasse day then a tweleuemoneth onely except) and that, because he misliked both the same and the Masse also, as not consonant and agreeyng with Gods holy word.

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Moreouer, he required that hee might not be any more examined vpō the matter, vnles it pleased the Lord Chaūcellour that then was, to know his fayth therein, which to him he would willyngly vtter.

MarginaliaThomas Spurge examined.THomas Spurge beyng then next examined, made the same aunswere in effect that the other had done: MarginaliaNot comming to the Church, and why.confessing that he absented himselfe from the Church, because the word of God was not there truely taught, nor the Sacramentes of Christ duely ministred in such sorte as was prescribed by the same word. MarginaliaSacrament of the Altar.And beyng farther examined of his belief concernyng the Sacrament of the aultar, he sayd: that if any could accuse him thereof, hee would then make aunswere as God had geuen him knowledge therein.

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MarginaliaGeorge Ambrose examined.THe lyke aunswere made George Ambrose, addyng moreouer, that after he had read the late Byshop of Winchesters booke, intituled De vera Obedientia, with Boners Preface thereunto annexed, inueying (both) agaynst the authoritie of þ^e Byshop of Rome, he did much lesse set by their doynges then before.

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MarginaliaIohn Cauell examined.IOhn Cauell agreeyng in other matters with them, MarginaliaThe cause why Ioh. Cauell came not to church.aunswered that the cause why hee did forbeare the commyng to the Churche, was, that the Parson there had preached two contrary doctrines. For first in a Sermon that hee made at the Queenes first entry to the crowne, he did exhort the people to beleue the Gospell: for it was the truth, and if they dyd not beleue it, they should be damned. But in a secōd Sermon, he preached that the Testamēt was false in fourty places, whiche contrarietie in him was a cause amongest other, of his absentyng from the Church. MarginaliaThe Parson of Bocking false and contrary to his owne doctrine.

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MarginaliaRobert Drakes Parson of Thundersley examined.ABout the fourth day of Marche next after, Robert Drakes was also examined, who was Parson of Thūdersley in Essex, and had there remayned the space of three yeares. He was first made Deacon by Doctour Taylour of Hadley, at the commaundement of Doctour Cranmer,  

late Archbyshop of Caunterbury. And within one yeare after (whiche was the thyrd of the reigne of kyng Edward)

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he was by the sayd Archbyshop and Doctour Ridley Byshop of London, admitted Minister of Gods holy word and Sacramentes, not after the order then in force, but after such order as was after stablished, MarginaliaDrakes placed in the benefice of Thundersley by the Lord Rich.and was presented vnto the sayd benefice of Thundersley by the Lord Rich, at the sute of Maister Causton and Maister Treheron:  

and now notwithstandyng was sent vppe by the sayd Lord Riche, with the others before mentioned: and at his commyng to the Byshop of Winchester, was by him demaunded whether he would conforme him selfe lyke a subiect to the lawes of this realme then in force. To the which he sayd, he would abyde all lawes that stode with the lawes of GOD: and thereupon was committed to prison, where he and the rest aboue named did remaine euer sithens.

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NOw remaineth likewise to declare the examination of William Tyms, Deacō and Curate of Hocley in Essex. But before I come to his examination, first here is to be opened and set forth the order and maner of his trouble, how and by whom he was first apprehended in Essex, and from thence sent vppe to London: the story whereof followeth in this maner.

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MarginaliaThe first occasion of taking of W. Tyms.THere was at Hocley in Queene Maries dayes two Sermons preached in the woodes, the which woodes were appertaining to Maister Tyrrel, and the name of the one wood was called Plomborow wood, and the other Becheswood, and there was at the same Sermons an honest man and his wife with him, whose name was Iohn Gye, the whiche Gye was Maister Tyrrels seruaunt, and dyd dwell vnder him, beyng his Herd at a farme of his called Plomborow. Shortly after it was knowen to Maister Tyrrell, how that his wodes were polluted with Sermons, the which he did take very euill, and much matter did rise about it, as an vnlawfull assembly:MarginaliaM. Tirrell offended with Sermons preached in his woodes. the whiche was layd to Iohn Gyes charge, because he did not disclose that vnlawfull acte to his Maister, beyng then in the commission of the peace, appointed at that tyme to keepe downe the Gospell, the which he did to the vttermost, as it may appeare in many of his actes. Good God geue him repentaūce, if it be thy will.

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Shortly after it pleased Maister Tyrrell to come to Hocley, to sift out this matter, and to know who was at these preachynges. Well, there were found many faultes: for it is supposed there were a hundred persons at the least. So it pleased Maister Tyrrell to begyn first with Iohn Gye,MarginaliaIohn Gye M. Tirrels seruaunt an honest man. & asked him where that naughty fellowe was that serued their Parish, one Tyms: for it is told me (sayd he) that he is the causer to bryng these naughty fellowes into the countrey. Therfore I charg thee Gye to fet me this naughty fellow Tyms for thou knowest where he is. No sayd Gye, I do not know. So in no wise he could not make him fet him.

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Then stepped forth an other of M. Tyrrels men, willyng to shewe his Maister pleasure, whose name was Richard Shereffe, & sayd to his Maister: Syr I know where he is. Well sayd Maister Tyrrell, go to the Constables and charge them to bryng him to me.

So this ShereffeMarginaliaRich. Sheriffe, M. Tirrels man, persecutor. beyng diligent, made sure worke and had him brought before his Maister with the Constables,MarginaliaEdward Hedge, Iohn Iames, Constables. whose names be these, Edward Hedge and Iohn Iames.

So when he came before Maister Tyrrell, then Maister Tyrrell commaūded all men to depart: and it was wisely done, for hee was not able to open his mouth agaynst Tyms without reproch, and there he kept him about three houres. But there were some that listened at the walles, and heard Maister Tyrrell say thus to Tyms.

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MarginaliaTalke betwene M. Tirrell and Will. Tyms.Me thinketh (sayd he) that whē I see the blessed Roode, it maketh me thinke of God?

Why Syr, sayd Tyms, if an Idole that is made with mans handes doth make you remember GOD: how much more ought the creatures of God as man beyng his worke manshyp, or the grasse, or the trees that bringeth forth fruit, make you remember God.

So Maister Tyrrell ended his talke with Tyms, it should seeme in an heate, for he brast out and called him traytorly knaue.

Why Syr, sayd Tyms, in kyng Edwardes dayes you did affirme the truth that I do now.

Affrme, quoth Tyrrell? nay by Gods body, I neuer thought it with my hart.

Well sayd Tyms, then I pray you M. Tyrrell beare with me, for I haue bene a Traytor but a while, but you haue bene a Traytor vj. yeares.

MarginaliaTyms sent vp to London.After this, Tyms was sent to Lōdon to the Byshop, &