MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly. 26.suffered first for vs.
With these and suche like wordes, he did not onely comforte the hartes of his seelie brethren, that were with hym appointed as shepe to be slaine, but also wrested out plentifull teares, from the eyes of many that heard hym. MarginaliaPalmer, Guyn, Askine, brought to the place of slaughter.And as they were syngyng a Psalme, came the Sheriffe sir Richard Abridges, and the Bailiffes of the toune with a greate companie of harnesed, and weaponed men, to conducte them to the fire. When thei were come to the place, where they should suffer, they fell all three to the grounde, and Palmer with an audible voice, pronounced the. xxxi. Psalme: but the other twoo made their praiers secretly to almightie God.
[Back to Top]And as Palmer began to arise, there came behinde hym twoo Popishe Priestes, exhortyng hym yet to recant, and saue his soule. Palmer aunswered and saied: MarginaliaThe wordes of Palmer to the Popishe Priestes.Awaie, awaie, tempt me no longer. Awaie I saie from me, all ye that woorke iniquitie. For the Lorde hath heard the voice of my teares. And so forthwith thei put of their raimente, and went to the stake, and kissed it. And when they were bound to the post, Palmer saied: Good people praie for vs, that wee maie perseuere to the ende. And for Christes sake, beware of Popishe teachers, for they deceiue you.
[Back to Top]As he spake this, a seruaunte of one of the Bailiffes, threwe a Fagot at his face, that the bloude gushed out in diuerse places. For the whiche facte the Sheriffe reuiled hym, callyng hym cruell tormentour, and with his walkyng staffe brake his head, that the bloud likewise ran about his eares. When the fire was kindled, and beganne to take holde vpon their bodies: they lifte their handes towardes heauen, and quietly and cherefully, as though they had felte no smarte, they cried: MarginaliaThe wordes of these Martyrs at their death.Lord Iesu strength vs, Lorde Iesu assiste vs, Lorde Iesu receiue our soules. MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of the three godly Sainctes.And so they continued without any struglyng, holdyng vp their handes, and knockyng their hartes, and callyng vpon Iesu, vntill they had ended their mortall liues.
[Back to Top]Among other thynges, this is also to be noted, MarginaliaA notabte spectacle in the Martyrdome of Iulins Palmer.that after their three heades by force of the ragyng, and deuouryng flames of fire, were fallen together in a plūpe or cluster, whiche was marueilous to behold, and that they all were iudged already to haue giuē vp the ghost, sodainly Palmer, as a manne waked out of sleepe, moued his tongue and Iawes, and was heard to pronounce this woorde Iesu. So beyng resolued into Ashes, he yelded to GOD as ioyfull a soule (confirmed with the sweete promises of Christ) as any one that euer was called beside, to suffer for his blessed name. God graunte vs all to bee moued with the like spirite, woorkyng in our hartes constauntely to stande in defence, and confession of Christes holie Gospell, to the ende, Amen.
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Palmerus flammas Christi pro dogmate passus,
Impositum pondus, ceu bona palma tulit.
Non retrocessit, sed contra audentior iuit,
Illæsam retinens, fortis in igne fidem.
Propterea in cœlum nunc Palmifer iste receptus,
Iusticiæ Palmam non pereuntis habet.
Iustus vt Palma florebit.
This entire account was first introduced in the 1570 edition and was unchanged in subsequent editions. As Foxe reveals in a marginal note, at the end of this story, Foxe reveals that the source for this account was Peter Moon, whose account of his own ordeals follows this one.
MarginaliaIuly. A notable story of Agnes Wardall of Ipswich.ABout the saied monethe of Iuly, in this present yere. 1556. there was one Richard Argentine, Doctour of Phisicke, otherwise called Richard Sexten, with certaine other dwellyng then in the Toune of Ipswiche, not many in number, but in harte and purpose mightily bente to impugne, and impeache the growyng of Christes Gospell, and the fauourers of the same. MarginaliaD. Argentine Scholemaster, Mat. Butler. Constable, Phil. Vlmes, Edm. Leach. Iohn Steward persecutors.In the number of whō were Philip Vlmes, Edmonde Leache, Ihon Stewarde, and Mathewe Butler Apothecarie,
Phillip Ulmes is almost certainly Phillip Williams. In 1556, Williams, Steward and Butler sent a petition to the royal commissioners, denouncing protestants in Ipswich and urging that they be prosecuted (1576, p. 1981; 1583, pp. 2089-90).
Agnes Wardall forthwith should be apprehended: but God in whose prouidence the directiō of al things consisteth, by whose disposition they haue their operatiō, so graciously prouided for his seruaunt, and so preuented their malignant deuises, that they came to no great effect in workyng, although on the contrary part there wanted no good will, as here consequentlie you shall further vnderstand.
[Back to Top]This Agnes Wardall was a womam that liued in Gods feare,
Agnes Wardall was a member of the parish of St Clement's in Ipswich which contained a striking number of protestants (see 1576, p. 1981; 1583, p. 2090). Richard Agentine was the rector of St Clement's, so he would certainly have known the Wardalls and his persecution of them may well have been personal.
[Back to Top]For Agnes's husband, Robert Wardall, see 1576, p. 1981 and 1583, p. 2090).
A small trading vessel.
The said Agnes Wardal chaunced on a day to come home to see her poore house and childrē, which was vnder the guidyng of a young maid, and beeyng espyed, newes was borne to D. Argentine, MarginaliaAgnes Wardall persecuted by D. Argentine and his mates.who hauing knowledge therof, as is afore said, went spedely vnto the Apothecary
I.e., Matthew Butler.
This knowen to the Constable the watch was charged speedely, and eche company sent to his place. And Argentine and Butler tooke vnto them a good nomber, and forth they go vnto the house of this poore woman to lay hands vpon her, and beset the house on the foreside and backeside, liyng open in the fieldes, and other some were set to the house of his mother, whiche was not farre from his house. MarginaliaVnmercifull seekers of a poore womans bloud.This doen, one knockt at the street doore, where Argentine and Butler was, with one of their Weapons, and no aunswere was made: the seconde tyme somwhat harder, but had no aunswere. In the meane tyme they fearyng that some conueiaunce was made, knocked the thirde tyme more harder then before.
[Back to Top]There was not far from the doore where they knocked, a certein bay window where one might looke out, and speake: And so at the thirde knockyng, a woman, who at that tyme was tenaunt to Robert Wardalles mother, & had but two nightes before lien in the house, speaking out hard by their eares, asked who was there?
[Back to Top]Ah syrrha, quod Argentine, are ye so nie and will not speake? How fortuned it that ye spake not at the first, beyng so nie? How fortuned it, quoth the woman? Mary I shall tell you: I am but a straunger here, and I haue heard saye, that there bee spirites walkyng hereabout,MarginaliaThe Lorde blesse euery good man and woman from such wicked spirites. which if a man do aunswere at the first call, or second, he standes in greate daunger: and I was neuer so afraid of my life. At this her aunswere, they laughed, and commaunded her to open the doore in the Quenes name: for they were the Queenes watch.
[Back to Top]Agnes Wardall beyng at that tyme in bed in an inner chamber, hauyng her maid with her, and her twoo children, she beyng at that tyme very heauy a sleepe, hard not the knockyng. MarginaliaHe sleepeth ne slumbreth not that keepeth Israell. Psa. 120.Her mayd hearyng at the second knocke, called and shogged her dame, and with muche ado awaked her, and said: the watche is at the doore. What thou liest, said she. Yes truly, said the maid, and hath knockt twise. With that she arose with all speede, and put on her clothes very sleyghtly, and tooke with her a Bocarom apron,which afterward she cast on her head, when she was faine to creepe in a ditch with nettels, and so passed doune into a parlour, wherin stoode a cupbord with a fayre presse, MarginaliaAgnes Wardal hydeth her selfe in a presse from the handes of her persecutors.into the whiche the mayd did locke her.
[Back to Top]And immediatly went vp to a chamber, whiche was hard by the streete, where she might see and speake to the watch, and said: who is there. Then they bad her open the doore. And she saide, we haue no Candle. And they saide, open the doore or we will laye it in the flore: With that she came doune and opened the dore. Then asked they the maid: who is within? And she said, none but a woman that dwelleth within vs, and twoo children. Thensaid they, where is thy dame? Truely, saide
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