1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1870 
MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iune. 26.and glorious Martyrdome for the testimonie of righteousnesse, in the same Toune of Leicester, the yeare of our lorde aboue mentioned, 1556. about the 26. of Iune.
To this Thomas Moore, wee haue also annexed the aunsweres and examination of one Ihon Iackson, before Doctour Cooke one of the Commissioners, for that it belongeth muche vnto the same tyme.
CloseThis examination, first printed in the 1563 edition, was never changed in subsequent editions. It was printed considerably out of chronological order in the 1563 edition - inserted among the events of the summer of 1557, a sure sign that Foxe acquired this material while the 1563 edition was being printed.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaExamination of Iohn Iackson, before doctour Cooke.FIrst, when I came before hym, he railed on me, and called me hereticke. I aunswered and saied: I am no hereticke.
Cooke. Yes, quod he. For master Read
CloseI.e., Thomas Read, the martyr. Remember that Read may not have actually called Jackson a heretic; he may, for example, have praised his zeal for the gospel, which, in this context, Cook would have interpreted as indicating that Jackson was a rank heretic.
Iackson. I saied, I knewe hym not.
Cooke. No, quod he? Yes, he examined thee at the kynges Benche.
Iackson. I aunswered hym, and saied: he examined fiue other, but not me.
Cooke. Then aunswere me: what saiest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the Altar? Tell me.
Iackson. I aunswered: it is a diffuse question, to aske me at the first dashe, you promisyng to deliuer me.
Cooke. What an hereticke is this, quod he?
Iackson. I said: It is easier to call a man hereticke, then to proue hym one.
Cooke. MarginaliaThe Churche.Then he saied: what Churche art thou of?
Iackso. What church, quod I? I am of the same church that is builded on the foūdation of the Prophetes and the Apostles, Iesus Christ beyng þe head corner stone.
Cooke. Thou art an hereticke, quod he.
Iackson. Yea, quod I? how can that be, seyng that I am of that Churche? I am sure you will not saie that the Prophetes, and Apostles were heretickes.
Cooke. No, quod he. MarginaliaThe Sacramēt of the altar.But what saiest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the altar againe? Tell me.
Iackson. I aunswered hym and saied: I finde it not written.
Cooke. No, quod he? Keper, awaie with hym.
Iackson. Yet I taried there longe, and did talke with hym, and I saied: Sir, I can bee contente to bee tractable, and obedient to the woorde of God.
Cooke. He aunswered, & saied to me, that I knewe not, what the woorde of God meant, nor yet whether it were true or not.
Iackson. I aunswered, & saied to hym, yes that I do.
Cooke. Whereby, quod he?
Iackson. Hereby saied I. Our sauiour Christ saith: MarginaliaIohn. 5.Searche the scriptures, for in thē you thinke to haue eternall life. For they be they that testifie of me.
Cooke. This is a wise proofe, quod he.
Iackson. Is it so, quod I? What saie you then to these wordes that the Prophet Dauid saied? Whatsoeuer he bee that feareth the Lorde, he will shewe hym the waie that he hath chosen: his soule shall dwell at ease, and his seede shall possesse the lande. The secretes of the Lorde are among them that feare hym, and he sheweth them his couenaunt &c.
[Back to Top]Cooke. Well, quod he, you shall bee ridde shortly one waie or other.
Iackson. Then I saied to hym: My life lieth not in mannes handes: therefore no man shall doe more vnto me, then God will suffer hym.
Cooke. No, quod he? Thou art a stubborne & a noughtie fellowe.
Iackson. You can not iudge me, quod I, except you did see some euill by me.
Cooke. No, quod he? MarginaliaAlthough they call you Papistes, yet they iudge you not to death.Why maie not I iudge thee, as well as thou, and thy fellowes iudge vs, and call vs Papistes?
Iackson. Why, quod I, that is no iudgemēt, but Christ saieth: If you refuse me, and receiue not my woorde, you haue one that iudgeth you. The woorde that I haue spoken vnto you now, shall iudge you in the laste daie.
Cooke. I praie thee tell me, MarginaliaHeade of the Churche.who is the head of the congregation?
Iackson. I aunswered, and saied: Christ is the head.
Cooke. But who is head in yearth?
Iackson. I saied: Christ had mēbers here in yearth.
Cooke. Who are they, quod he?
Iacksō. They, quod I, that are ruled by þe word of god.
Cooke. You are a good fellowe, quod he.
Iackson. I am that I am quod I.
Cooke. Then he sayde to my keeper, haue him to prison agayne.
Iackson. I am contented with that, quod I: and so we departed. I aunswered no further in this matter, because I thought he should not haue my bloud in a corner. But I hope in the liuing God, that when the time shall come before the congregation, I shall shake their building on an other maner of fashion. MarginaliaThe buildynges of the Papistes bee but daubed walles.For they build but vpon sande, and their walles be daubed with vntempered morter, and therfore they cannot stand long.
[Back to Top]Therefore good brothers and sisters, be of good chere, for I trust in my God, I, and my other prison fellowes shall goe ioyfully before you, praysing God most hartely, that we are coūted worthy to be witnesses of his truth. I pray you accept my simple aunswere at this time, committing you vnto God.
¶ Of this Iohn Iackeson, besides his foresayd aunsweres and examination before Doct. Cooke one of the Commissioners, no more as yet came vnto our hands.
CloseThis examination, first printed in the 1563 edition, was never changed in subsequent editions. It was printed considerably out of chronological order in the 1563 edition - inserted among the events of the summer of 1557, a sure sign that Foxe acquired this material while the 1563 edition was being printed.
[Back to Top]
CloseThis material was only introduced in the 1570 edition and considerably out of chronological order, indicating that Foxe obtained these documents while the edition was being printed. Interestingly, Foxe never tried to integrate these materials with his earlier narrative of Newman's martyrdom until the 1583 edition and this attempt was bungled, creating a confusing repetition of documents.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaReferre this to the page. 1596.IOhn Newman first was apprehended in Kente, dwellyng in the toune of Maidestone, and there was examined before D. Thornton
CloseFoxe earlier claimed that Newman and John Denley was arrested in Essex when they were intercepted by Sir John Tyrell when the two were carrying a letter to the martyr John Simpson. If that account is correct, the question arises: when was Newman examined by Thornden whose jurisdiction was in Kent, not Essex? One possible explanation was that Newman had been arrested in Kent before his final arrest in Essex and had been released; possibly because he had recanted. If this is the case, Foxe may well not have wanted to mention this initial recantation.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe copie of Ioh. Newmānes wordes in writyng to D. Thornton.JT may please you to vnderstand, that for the space of all the time of king Edwardes raigne, we were diligētly instructed with continuall Sermons made by such mē whose faith, wisedome, learning & vertuous liuing, was commended vnto all men, vnder the kynges hand and seale, and vnder the handes of the whole Coūsell. These men taught diligently a long time, persuading vs by the allegations of Gods word, that there was no transubstantiation, nor corporall presence in the Sacrament. Their doctrine was not beleued of vs sodenly, but by their continuall preaching, and also by our continuall prayer vnto God that we might neuer be deceaued: but if it were true, that God would incline our hartes vnto it: and if it were not true, that we might neuer beleue it. We wayed that they laboured with Gods word, and we asked the aduise of our frendes: neither could we finde that they preached false doctrine. We considered also, as we did learne, that the kynges grace and his Counsell, and the most part of the whole Realme, beleued as they taught, because no man preached the contrary. Also we know that the preachers were commaunded by the kyng and lawes of the Realme, to preach vnto vs suche doctrine, as was to the authoritie of Gods word, agreable and no other. And by their diligent settyng forth of it, by the kynges commaundement, and the whole consent of the whole Counsell, and by the authoritie of the Parlament, we embrased it, and receiued it, as a very infallible truth taught vnto vs, for the space of seuen yeares. Wherfore, vntill such tyme as our consciences are otherwise taught and instructed by Gods word, wee cannot with sauegarde of our consciences, take it, as many suppose at this time. And we trust in God that the Queenes mercyfull highnes, neither yet her most honorable Coūsell will in a matter of faith vse compulsion, nor violēce, because faith is the gift of God, and cōmeth not of man, neither of mans lawes, neither at such time as men require it, but at such time as God geueth it.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe examination and aunsweres of Iohn Neweman: Which is to be referred to the pag. 1596.FIrst, one of the Doctours, or one of the Bench, either the Archdeacon, or Fauced, or some other, whose name Iohn Newman doth not expresse, begynneth askyng in this wise.