1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1854 
MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly.that you will doe in all thynges, muche better then I can teache you, because you haue that annointyng that teacheth you all thynges: who hath also giuen you an harte to obeye, and serue hym. Yet I truste you will not bee offended for this, whiche I haue written: but rather accept my good will towardes you, whom I loue in the Lorde, as well as I doe my daughter Iudith.
[Back to Top]Thus as myne owne soule, I commende you bothe to God, desiryng hym to blesse you with all maner of Spirituall blessynges in heauenly thynges, and also with the dewe of heauen, & fatnesse of the yearth, that in all thynges you maie be made riche in Iesus Christ our Lorde & onely Sauiour. The Lorde increase and blesse the fruite of your bodies, that your children maie stand round about your table, thicke, freshe, and lustie, like the Oliue braunches. God giue you bothe a long life, that you maie se & blesse your childrens children, vnto the third and fourth generation, & teach thē the true feare and loue of God, & that faith for the which thei shalbe accepted in his sight.
[Back to Top]God let you se the prosperitie of Syō, for whose liyng in the dust, let your hartes mourne. The Lorde make perfecte your loue together in hym, and alwaies encrease the same, and bryng you bothe in peace to your graues, at a good age.MarginaliaNote, þt bothe these departed in quiet peace, the one 1565. the other 1568.And now I bid you both moste hartly farewel: and I think I shall now take my leaue of you for euer in this life. I besech you both to aide me with your cōtinual praiers (as I will not forget you in myne) that I may haue a ioyfull victorie through Iesus Christe: To whose moste mercifull defence, I doe moste hartely for euer cōmende you to bee kepte vnblameable, vntill his commyng: The whiche I beseche hym to hasten for his mercies sake.
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Your owne vnfainedly Iohn
Careles, prisoner of the lord.
Here endeth the letters of Iohn Careles,
CloseFoxe gives an account of Palmer's background, his career as a catholic at Magdalen in Edward VI's reign, Bullingham's description of his conversion to protestantism during Mary's reign (Palmer was the opposite of the vicar of Bray), his departure from Magdalen in Mary's reign and a relatively brief account of his arrest and execution. Foxe relied on personal informants for this information, possibly his relatives in Coventry - his wife's family came from the city - and certainly members of Magdalen College. The most important of these was John Bullingham, whose letter recounting Palmer'sprotestant zeal, was printed in this edition.
[Back to Top]In the 1570 edition, Foxe added a long description of Palmer's character and habits. He also added much more detail about Palmer's time at Magdalen in Edward VI's reign and his expulsion for libelling Walter Haddon, the president of the college. Foxe also added much greater detail about Palmer's conversion to protestantism and his leaving Magdalen in Mary's reign. Further material was added on Palmer's becoming master of the grammar school at Reading, the search of his study there, instigated by rivals in Reading, and the discovery of verses denouncing Stephen Gardiner. Additionally the account was inserted of Palmer's flight from Reading, his mother's refusal to aid him, Palmer's return to Reading and his arrest, trial and execution. Once again, all of this additional material came from oral sources: definitely Thomas Parry and John Moyer, who not only seem to have contributed their own reminiscences, but also to have organized the gathering and sending of information to Foxe. The Bullingham letter was dropped from this edition, but Latin verses in praise of Palmer were added.
[Back to Top]No changes were made to this account in the 1576 edition. In the 1583 edition, the Bullingham letter was restored to the account. Material supplied by Moyer and Parry had attacked one Thomas Thackham as being partly responsible for Palmer's death; Thackham's defence was added to this edition, as was Moyer's rebuttal of it. Also added to this edition was an exchange Palmer was said to have had with Barwick, a fellow of Magdalen College, about martyrdom
[Back to Top]Strikingly, the account of Palmer did not make use of a single official document and it was not based on any of the martyr's own writings; it came entirely from information supplied by individual informants.
MarginaliaThe storie of Palmer.THe same moneth of Iuly, in whiche Careles, as before is declared, was released out of prison by death, in shorte tyme after, about the. xvi. daie of the said moneth of Iuly, suffered these three godlie and constaunt Martyres aboue mentioned, at Newberie, in whiche number was Iulins Palmer, somtyme student and fellowe of Magdalene Colledge in Oxford, and afterwardes Schoole miaster in the towne of Readyng. Concernyng whose storie and Martyrdome, here foloweth, although not so muche as he deserueth to bee saied: yet so muche as sufficientely maie sette forthe the great workyng of GOD in this yonge man.
[Back to Top]AS all Gods workes are wonderous, in callyng of all sortes of men to cōfirme his truthe, and to beare witnesse vnto his assured, and infallible worde, whiche the aduersaries haue depraued, & corrupted with their false gloses, to establishe the fleshely kyngdome of Antichriste, and to purchase securitie in the worlde, which they seke to kepe in their possession, by all meanes possible, rather cursyng with the Thunderbolte of excommunication, burnyng, hangyng, drounyng, rackyng, scourgyng, and persecutyng by secret practise, and open violence, the simple shepe of our Sauiour Christ: then that their false forged packing, should be detected, their estimation appaired, their kitchen cooled, their rentes, reuenues, gooddes, landes, and possessions abated: I saie as Goddes workes be wonderfull, whiche choseth some of al sortes, to confesse his Gospell: so there is no one exāple in the whole godlie fellowship of Martyrs, more to bee marked, yea, more to bee wondered at, then this: that one, which in all kyng Edwardes daies, was a Papist within the Vniuersitie of Oxford, and so obstinate, as that he did vtterly abhorre all godlie praier, and sincere Preachyng, and almoste of all them, with whom he liued, was therefore likewise abhorred, and (as I may saie) pointed at with the finger, did yet after in Queene Maries time suffer moste cruell death, at the Papistes handes, at Newberie in Barckshiere, for
[Back to Top]the most redy, & zelous profession of the blessed truthe.
His name was Iulins Palmer,MarginaliaIulins Palmer borne in Couentrie. borne in Couētrie, where also his parentes dwelte. His Father had some tyme been Maior of that citie, and occupied marchandise, albeit he was an Vpholster by his misterie.
CloseRoger Palmer, the father of Julins Palmer, had become a successful merchant although he had started out in the trade ('mystery') of being an upholsterer.
CloseDe principiis, de infinito, de vacuo, de tempore, de casu & fortuna. &c.
Not translated.
On principles, on infinity, on space, on time, on accident and fortune. etc.
In familiar talke he greatly delited, for the exercise of his learnyng, to defende the contrary to that, whiche was affirmed, yet with modestie, and without all ostentation. For he greately abhorred all ouerthwart cauillyng, all friuolous talke, and vnsauerie brabblyng. He was not captious, but would reason so soberly, & with suche probabilitie, that euen his aduersaries would no lesse maruell at the dexteritie of his inuentiō: then at his comely & decent behauiour in prosecuting the same.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIulins Palmer beginneth to apply Diuinitie.And although he applied Diuinitie very lately, yet it appeareth, that he recompensed the small tyme of his studie, with the greatnesse of diligence bestowed in the same, and his late comming to the truthe, with his earneste and zealous procedyng therein. For by the secrete inspiration of Gods holie spirite, inwardly working in his harte, he gaue an apparant significatiō in his yong yeres, that if God had spared his life to age, he would haue growen to suche maturitie, and ripenes of iudgement, as whereby he should haue been an ornamente to Christes Churche, and an honour to his countrey.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe ciuill behauiour of Iulins Palmer.And somewhat to speake of his ciuill behauiour, he was of maners courteous without curiositie, of countenaunce chereful, without high lookes, of speach pleasaunt, without affectation, he was affable and lowly as any child, and yet quicke spirited, and vehement in reasonyng. He practised no deceipt toward any man, for he was of suche simplicitie, that he was apter to be deceiued, then to deceiue, and he was so great a contemner of all reproches, & iniuries, that he would saie: MarginaliaPalmers prouerbe.none were to be coūted valiant, but suche as could despise iniury.
[Back to Top]In priuate studie he was so infatigable, that he arose ordinarily euery mornyng at. iiij. of the clocke, and went not lightly to bed, before. x. at night. In so muche that as he grewe in yeres and vnderstādyng: so he came to be a Bacheler of Art, & at length for the hope apperyng in hym, MarginaliaPalmer fellowe of Magdalene college.to the preferment of a felowship in Magdalene Colledge, MarginaliaPalmer reader of Logique in his college.where also he was admitted to the office of a reader in Logique Anno. 1550. Now if he had at the firste, fauoured sincere Religion, so muche as he followed his booke, then had we had the lesse matter to note in him. But in deede he was so muche (as is aforesaied) addicted to the Romishe faithe, MarginaliaPalmer an vtter enemie to sounde religiō.that his company and conuersation in the same house, was altogether with suche, as were vtter enemies to the Gospell of Christ. If he came to cōmon praier at any tyme, it was by violence, and complusion, for otherwise he came not. Sermons would he heare none hym self, nor yet suffer his scholers, to resorte vnto them, by his good will, for he was full perswaded, that they might be better occupied at home. MarginaliaPalmer impugner of true preachers in Kyng Edwardes tyme.The Preachers them selues, he did both disdaine, and despise, and all suche as were setters forth of sounde doctrine beside. For the whiche contumacie, and stubbornesse, he was so ofte called before the officers of the Colledge, & punished somtyme by the purse, sometyme by the lacke of his commons, and otherwhile by certaine taskes, and exercises of learnyng, enioyned vnto hym: that diuerse supposed hym to haue endeuoured of set purpose, and continually to seke occasion, whereby he might be counted a sufferer for that fantasied religion of the Romishe Churche.
[Back to Top]In the ende, not long before the death of kyng Ed-