1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1875 
MarginaliaAnno. 1556. December.good for hym as to cary a dungforke, MarginaliaCariyng about the Crosse.and that it is as necessary to cary the gallowes about, if his father were hāged, as the crosse. To come to the churche he cannot, said he, with a safe consicence. Concernyng fishe daies and fleshe daies, hee graunted it good to put difference therin, MarginaliaNecessitie alwaies excused in matters indifferent.except where necessitie required the contrary.
[Back to Top]This William Foster was a laboryng man, of the age of. xl. yeares. MarginaliaWil. Foster apprehēded by sir Tho. Moyle.He was apprehended and imprisoned by Syr Thomas Moyle Knight.
MarginaliaMother Potkins Martyr, troubled by M. Robertes.Alice Potkins also for the like confession, was condemned to bee burned, for that shee was not, neither would be confessed to the Priest, for that she receaued not the sacrament of the aultar, because she would not pray to sainctes, nor creepe to the Crosse. &c. Being demaunded of her age, she saide that she was xlix. yeares old according to her old age, MarginaliaAlice Potkins in Christe but one yere olde.and according to her yong age, since she learned Christ, she was of one yeares age, and was committed by maister Robertes to prison.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe aunswere of Ihon Archer Martyr.The aunswere and Confession of Iohn Archer of Crambroke, was much in like sort. And although certein of these vpon ignorant simplicitie swarued a litle in the number of Sacramentes, some grauntyng one Sacrament, That is, the body of Christ hangyng vppon the crosse, some mo, some lesse. &c. yet in the principall matters touching the doctrine of saulation for faith to staie vpon, and in disagreeing from the dremyng determinations of the Popish Church, they most agreed. Concernyng the not praiyng to Saintes, and for the dead in Purgatory, for not creeping to the Crosse, for faith onely to iustifie, for takyng of an oth & such other like, he graunted as the other had done. This Father Archer by his occupation a weuer of the town of Crābroke, of the age of l. yeres, MarginaliaSir Ihō Gilford committed father Archer to prison.was attached and imprisoned by Syr Iohn Gilford Knight. And thus haue ye the cause & imprisonment of these fiue godly prisoners. Now as touching the crueltie of their death, for that ye shall not surmise the suspicion or relation thereof to proceede of my self, ye shall heare their owne testimony and certification by their owne Letter throwen out of the Prison concernyng the vnmercifull dealyng of the Catholicke tyrauntes in famishyng them, as is aforesaid. The wordes and copy of their letter is this.
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CloseThis letter was reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 681-82.
MarginaliaThe prisoners letter, declaryng how they were handled and famished in prison.BE it knowen to all men that shall reade, or heare reade these our letters, that wee the poore prisoners of the Castle of Canterburie for Gods truthe, are kepte and lye in cold yrons, and our kepers will not suffer any meat to be brought to vs to comfort vs. And if any man do bryng any thyng, as bread, butter, chese, or any other foode, the saied keper will charge them that so bryng vs any thyng, except money or raiment, to cary it with them againe, or els if he doe receiue any foode of any for vs, he doeth kepe it for hymself, and he and his seruauntes doe spend it, so that wee haue nothyng thereof: and thus the keeper kepeth awaie our vittals from vs. In so muche that there are fower of vs prisoners there for Gods truthe, famished already, and thus is it his minde to famishe vs all: and we thinke he is appointed thereunto of the Bishops and priestes, and also of the Iustices, so to famishe vs, & not onely vs of the saied Castell, but also all other prisoners in other prisons for the like cause to bee also famished: notwithstandyng wee write not these our letters, to that entent we mought not aforde to be famished for the lorde Iesus sake, but for this cause and entent, that they hauyng no lawe so to famishe vs in prison, should not doe it priuely, but that the murtherers hartes should bee openly knowen to all the worlde, that all menne maie knowe of what Churche they are, and who is their father.
[Back to Top]Out of the Castell of Canterburie.
CloseThis account first appeared in the 1573 edition and remained unchanged in subsequent editions. It is based on official records sent to Foxe, some of which survive among Foxe's papers.
THese foresaid monethes of September, Nouember, and December as they were troublesome to diuers other places, and especially to the Dioces of Caunterbury by reason of the Archdeacon aboue named: so likewise they brought no little busines in the Countrey of Lichfield and Couentrey by a cruell Bishoppe there called Rafe Bane,MarginaliaDoctor Bane. Doctor Draicot his Chauncellor in Lichfield cruell persecutours.and a more cruell Chauncellor named Doctor Draycot, through the fierce inquisition of
[Back to Top]whom, great stirre was there among the people, being called to examination for their faith, and many caused to beare fagots. Who although they were not put to the torment of death, yet because it may appere what a number there is in the countreyes of England abroad, which in their harts haue a misliking of the popes Romish lawes & religion, if for feare they durst vtter their myndes, I thought to make a rehearsall of their names whiche in the foresaide Dioces of Couentry and Lichefield were taken in suspicion and examined for their religion.
[Back to Top]And firste amongest them that were detected and inioyned to the popish penance, that is, to beare a fagot, candell, and beades about in procession, were Agnes Forman,
CloseWas she a relative of the martyr John Foreman?.
CloseThe abjuration of Robert Byssel, M. A., of Birmingham, of his heretical opinions, especially his denial of the Real Presence survives in Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 83r.
CloseThe abjuration of Leonard West, parson of Little Packington, for his heresies, especially describing the mass as abominable, survives among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 84r.
CloseArticles objected against Richard Bayly of Whitacre, including his denial of the Real Presence and his denial of the power of the priest to absolve sin, survives among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley 421, fo. 87r-v.
Nicholas Cartwright,
CloseThe abjuration of Nicholas Cartwright, D. D., vicar of Nuncton, of his heretical opinions, including denial of the Real Presence, survives in Foxe's papers: BL, Harley 421, fo. 88r. Richard Iurdian,
CloseA denunciation of Richard Jurdane, priest, for various heretical opinions, including his statements that the mass was an abomination and a denial of the Real Presence, survives among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 90r. Jurdane's abjuration of these opinions is BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 91r. Edmnnd Crokell,
CloseArticles against Crokel as a married priest survive among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 59r-61r. Thomas Whithed, Priest. William Taylour, Priest. Anselme Sele, Priest. Richard Slauy,
CloseArticles against Henry (not Richard) Slavy as a married priest survive among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 59r-61r. Edward Hawes,
CloseArticles against Edward Hawkes as a married priest survive among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 59r-61r. Robert Aston,
CloseArticles against Robert Aston as a married priest survive among Foxe'spapers: BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 59r-61r. Henry Tecka,
CloseArticles against Henry Checke as a married priest survive among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 59r-61r. Tecka looks like a mistake due to someone's faulty paleography when the Acts and Monuments was being printed. Robert Mossey, priest, maried and depriued. | Teese were depriued. |
Beside these were diuers other whiche in like sorte were detected, accused, & examined, although they bare no fagot, but were dimissed, MarginaliaThe names of them whiche were troubled there, and bare no fagottes.as Richard Kemp, Iohn Frankling, Williā Marler, Ielius Dudley, Eustach Bysacre, William Shene, Antony Afterwittel, Thomas Steylbe, Henry Birdlim, William Mosley, Iohn Leech, Iohn Richardson, Antony Iones, alias Pulton, Thomas Wilson, Thomas Lynacres, and Hugh Lynacres his sonne, Isabell Parker, Martine Newman, William Enderby, Cicely Preston, Thomas Saulter, Iohn Stāford Shomaker, Richard Wodburne, Thomas Arnall Shomaker, Iohn Robinson, Hugh Moore shomaker, Iohn Adale, Thomas Arch, Fraunces Warde, Iohn Auines, Richarde Foxall, Thomas Vnderdoune, Richard Weuer.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIoice Lewes Martyr, read hereafter.The next moneth followyng, beyng October, came vnder examination Ioyce Lewes gentlewoman, of whom we differ to speake vntill the next yeare, at what tyme she was burned?
These fornamed persons with many mo followyng in the next yeare after, although they did subscribe and relent through feare of death: yet for this cause I doe here recite them that by them it might appeare, what a number there were not onely in the countrey of Lichefield, but also in other parties in hart set againste the Popes procedings, if that feare rather then conscience had not compelled them to the contrarie.
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CloseThis account first appears in the 1570 edition and was reprinted without change in subsequent editions. It was a difficult account for Foxe to write. On the one hand, Cheke had played a crucial role in the Edwardian reformation at Cambridge and he was a close friend and associate of Foxe's patron William Cecil. (See Stephen Alford, Kingship and Politics in the Reign of Edward VI [Cambridge: 2002}, pp. 126-28, 142-43 and 145). On the other hand, Cheke's recantation wasa major embarrassment for English protestants and encouraged other protestants to recant (Cal. State Papers Venetian, VI, p. 690). The incident was too well-known forFoxe to ignore but he treated it tactfully and relatively briefly. Furthermore, although copies of Cheke's recantation and of Feckenham's oration at the recantation survive among Foxe's papers (Inner Temple Library, Petyt MS 538/47, fos. 390r-391v); Foxe never printed them.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe conclusiō of the. xi. booke.ANd thus haue ye the whole persecution of this yeare declared, whiche was the yeare of oure Lord. 1556. and the fourth of Queene Maries reigne, with the names and causes of all them which suffered Martyrdome within the compasse of the said yeare: the number of all which slaine and martyred in diuers places of England at sundry tymes this yere came to aboue. 84. persons,Marginalia84. Martyres, and aboue in this yere 1556. put to death in this realme. wherof many were women, wiues, widowes, and maydens: besides them whiche otherwise by secret practise were made away, or driuen out of goodes and houses, or out of the Realme, or els within the realme, were put to penance, and coacted by forceable violence to recant, saue onely that I haue omitted the story of sir Iohn Cheeke, Knight, & scholemaster sometymes to Kyng Edwarde. The worthines of whiche man deserueth much to be saide: but his fall
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