MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly.MarginaliaExample of a faithfull maide to her mistres.she, I can not tell, shee is not within. She was here in the euenyng, sayde they. Yea, saide the maide, but she went forth I knowe not whether. Notwithstandyng they charged her that she knewe where she was, whiche she denied. Then got they a Candle light at one of the neighbours houses, and came in: and in the Entrie met the woman which had aunswered them at the window, and said, she was afraied of spirites. Argentine lokyng vpon her, clapt her on the backe, and said: thou art not the womam whom we seeke for.

MarginaliaThe house searched for Agnes Wardall.So entred they the house, and searched a Parlour next the streete where the woman lay, whiche was his mothers tenaunt, and a young child that sucked on her brest, and not only in the bed turnyng it downe past all honest humanitie, but also vnder the bedde, behind the Painted clothes, and in the Chimney and vp into the Chymney. And findyng the bedde hoate, saide: who lay here in the bed. The woman said: I and my child. And none els, quoth they. No, said the woman. When they could find nothing there for their purpose, from thence they went into an inner parlour, in the which stode the Cupbord wherein she was, and searched the Parlour, which was but a litle one. MarginaliaGods marueilous protection working for his seruaunt.And on of the cōpany laying his hand on the cupbord, saide: this is a fayre cupbord, she maie bee here for any thing that is doone. That is true, saith an other of them. Notwithstandyng they loked no farther, but went from that into the chamber a loft, wherein the said Agnes had layen with her mayde and children, with all other rowmes and chambers.

At length came downe into the yarde, where they found a horse tyed at a pale eatyng of shorne Grasse. Then asked they the maide: whose horse is this? She aunswered, it is her horse in deede, and she came in before night, and went abroad againe, but I knowe not whether. Then were they in good hope to finde their pray, and bestirred them with speede, and went into an out Chamber that was in the yearde, in whiche was a boy in bed of 13. or 14. yeres old. And beyng in his dead sleepe, they sodenly awaked hym, and examined him for his dame. Who answered he knew not where she was. and vnto that stoode firmely, although their threates were vehement, not onely to the poore sely boy, but also to the good simple plaine mayd. Then caused they him to arise and dresse hym, MarginaliaThe boy and the maide sent to the cage.and sent both mayd and boy vp to the cage, where they put the mayde, but kept the boy among their trustie Souldiours, so that one of them should not speake with an other.

Now, while some were on the cornehill, and other some searching the neighbours houses and backesides, MarginaliaAnges Wardal in daunger to be smothered.the wife of Wardall being in the presse fast locked, and almost smothered for want of breath, desired the womā her mothers Tenaunt, when she hard her in the Parlour, to let her out. She asked her where the keyes were: Who aunswered they were in a hamper, whiche she found and assaied to vnlocke the Presse, and of a long tyme could not. Then desired she her to breake it open: for (said she) I had rather fall into their handes, then to kill my selfe. Then went her mothers tenaunt, and sought for her housbandes hammer and chysell, to breake it open, but could not find it, nor any thyng els to breake it open with all, and came againe and tolde her she could finde nothing to breake it open with.

MarginaliaGods merciful helpe in the tyme of neede.Then sayde she, assay againe to open it, for I truste God will geue you power to open it. And being within in much extremitie, she hartily prayed vnto God, who heard her prayer, and helped her: for at the first assay and turne of the key, it opened easely. When she came out, she looked as pale and as bleake as one that were layd out dead by the walles, and as she her selfe looked afterward when she was dead, as the same woman reported, whiche then let her out, and was also at her death long after in the Quenes Maiesties raigne that now is, and al on a vehement sweat was she like droppes of rayne.

Then went she out into the backeside, where was a pale toward the fieldes for the defence of the Garden, wherein was one or two loose pales, by the which both she and her husband had diuers times vsed to come and go in and out: so went she out into the fieldes. And passing one litle field and ouer a stile, shrouded her selfe in a low ditch with nettles: & couered her head whith the bocarom apron afore mentioned, and so crept low, and lay in the ditch. After long search, when thei could not find her in the towne, certaine of the watche retourned agayne into the fieldes side: among whom was one George Mannyng with MarginaliaIohn Bate cryer of Ipswich, a spitefull enemie against Gods people.Iohn Bate the Crier of the

same towne commyng together. This Mannyng was a simple honest plaine man, but Bate a verie enemie, and one that in Quene Maries time would haue bene a Priest, as it was reported, but that he was maried.

Mannyng espiyng where she lay, gaue a hemme, and made a noyce with his bil, he being before Bate, at the which she lay still: MarginaliaAnother escap of Agnes Wardall by Gods good prouidence.and at last they departed to the stret side to the Constable. All this time the maide was in the Cage, and the boy with the other of the watche vntill perfite day light. Then went they vp and let out the maid, and sent her home, & the boy also? but they made the mayd beleue they had found her dame. Who aunswered: if ye haue her, kepe her fast.

On the morow, MarginaliaGeorge Mannyng an honest man.Mannyng sent her word to beware that she should hyde her selfe no more so neare.

Thus by the might and power of God was his faithfull seruaunt deliuered from their crueltie, and they knowen to be his aduersaries, not onely at that tyme, but diuers tymes after and before. Notwithstandyng, MarginaliaThe doinges and conditions of Doctour Argentine described.the sayd Argentine at his first commyng to Ipswiche, came in a Seruyng mans coate. And then beyng in the daies of Kyng Henry the viij. he would accustomablie vse the readyng of Lectures him selfe, in the whiche he was well commended at that tyme. After obtained the office of vsher of the free Grammer schole: and the master beyng dead, got to be master him selfe. And beyng maried to a verie honest woman, MarginaliaD. Argentine in Kyng Edwardes tyme a Protestaunt.remained there the daies of King Edward. And when God tooke him frō vs for our iuste deserued plague, and Queene Mary came to her Raigne, MarginaliaD. Argentine in Quene Maries time a foule Papist, and a persecutour.none more hoate in all Papistrie and Superstition, then he, paintyng the Postes of the towne with viuat Regina Maria, in euery corner.

Furthermore, after the death of his wife (which was an honest woman) was made a Priest: takyng vppon hym diuers tymes to preache (but neuer without his white miniuer hode) suche doctrine as was shamefull to heare, saiyng Masse, and cariyng about the Pixe in hye processions. Furthermore, leadyng the boy S. Nicolas with his miniuer hode, about the streetes for apples and belie chere. And who so woulde not receaue him, he made them heretikes, and suche also as would not giue his fagot to the bonefire for Queene Maries child. And thus continued he at Ipswich the most part of Queene Maries daies, molestyng there good men: some for not goyng to the Church: some for not beyng confessed: some for not receauing, &c. till at length, towarde the end of Queene Mary, he came to London, and in this Queenes tyme began to shewe him selfe againe a perfect Protestant. And thus much of Argentine. Ex testimonio Petri Moonæi.

¶ The trouble of Peter Moone and his wife, and of other godly Protestantes at Byshop Hoptons visitation in Ipswiche.  

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Peter Moon

This account was introduced in the 1570 edition and was unchanged in subsequent editions. As Foxe records in a marginal note, his source for this account was Peter Moon himself. Peter Moon was the author of a number of protestant polemical works written at the outset of Edward VI's reign: A short treatyse of certayne thinges abused in the popish church (Ipswich: 1548), STC 18055; A plaister for a galled horse (London, 1548), STC 20622 and A corosyfe to be layd harde unto the hartes of all faythfull professors of Christes gospels (London: 1548?), STC 20661. On Moon see J. Webb, 'Peter Moone of Ipswich (d. 1601). A Tudor Poet and Gospeller and his Circle,' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, 38 (1993), pp. 35-55.

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IN the yeare of our Lord God. 1556. The sceane or visitation, beeyng kept before Whitsontyde, in the towne of Ipswich in Suffolke, by D. Hopton being then Bishop of Norwiche, and Myles Dunnynges, beeyng then hys Chaūcelour, diuers and sondry godly protestantes, through the accusation of euill men, were sore troubled and presented before hym: MarginaliaPeter Moone accused to B. Hopton.among whom were accused one Peter Moone a Taylor, and Anne his wife: for their disobedience to the law, in not shewyng their readines to come to the Churche, and to bee partaker of such Romish obseruances as at that tyme were vsed.  

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There was more to Moon's arrest than this. Along with John Ramsey (see 1576, p. 1981; 1583, p. 2090), Christopher Goodman and William West, Moon had been sent to the Tower in the summer of 1554 for leading a conspiracy against Mary (APC V, pp. 65 and 70 as well as Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, Mary I, 1553-58, ed. C. S. Knighton [London: 1998], p. 358). Moon was released on a bond of £200 and a promise to confess publicly his offense in his parish church. Moon must have already been regarded with considerable suspicion by the authorities.

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And first the said Peter Moone was commaunded to come before the Bishoppe, where he was examined of three sondry Articles,Marginalia3. Articles obiected to Peter Moone. to witte: 1. Whether the Pope were supreme head: 2. Whether Kyng Philippe and Queene Mary were right inheritours to the crowne. 3. And whether in the Sacrament of the altar was the very body of Christ substācially & really there present.

Vnto the whiche, MarginaliaPeter Moone graunteth to the Bishops articles through infirmitie.the saide Peter beyng timerous and weake, fearing more the face of man then the heauy wrath of God, affirmed and in maner graunted vnto the demaundes. Whereupon the Bishop beyng in good hope, that although hee had not come to the Church, nor receiued their Sacrament of the Aultar, nor bene readie to doe his duetie as the law had commaunded: yet there shewyng his mynde, saide, that he liked well the man: for such as haue bene (said he) earnest in euill thinges, will also be earnest in that that is