Marginalia1557. August.who after the burnyng of the right hande of M. Scæuola. whiche came purposely to kill him, beyng onely contented therewith, sent him home to Rome agayne. But thus to burne the handes of poore men and women whiche neuer meant any harme vnto them, and yet not contented with that, but also to consume their whole bodies without any iust cause, we finde no example of such barbarous tyrannie, neither in Titus Liuius, neither in any other story amongest the Heathen.

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But to returne to our Colchester Martyrs againe, as touching William Munt and his wife, and burning of their daughter Rose Allins hande, sufficient hath bene declared.  

With the said William Munt and his familie, was ioyned also in the same prison at Colchester, an other faithfull brother named Iohn Iohnson, aliâs Aliker, of Thorpe, in the Countie of Essex labourer, of the age of xxxiiij. yeares, hauyng no wife aliue, but three young children, who also was with them indicted of heresie, and so al these foure lay together in Colchester Castle.

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The other sixe prisoners lay in Mote Hal in the saide towne of Colchester, whose names were:

First, William Bongeor, of the parish of S. Nicholas in Colchester, Glasier, of the age of. lx. yeares.  

2 Tho. Benold of Colchester, Talowe Chaundler.

3 W. Purcas of Bocking in the Coūtie of Essex, Fuller, a young man, of the age of. xx. yeares.

4 Agnes Syluerside, aliâs Smith, dwelling in Colchester widow, of the age of. lx. yeares.

5 Helene Ewring,  

the wife of Iohn Ewring, Myller, dwellyng in Colchester, of the age of fiue and fourtie yeares or thereaboutes, MarginaliaHelene Ewring apprehended the second tyme.who was one of the two and twentie prisoners mentioned before. pag. 1863. sent vp in bandes from Colchester to London, and after being deliuered with the rest, repayred home to Colchester againe to her husbande, where notwithstandyng shee enioyed her libertie not verye long: for shortly after her returne, met with her one MarginaliaRobert Maynard a great enemy to the Gospell.Robert Maynard then Bayliffe of Colchester, a special enimie to Gods Gospel, who spying her, came to her, & kissed her, and bade her welcome home from London. Vnto whom shee considerately aunsweared againe, and said, that it was but a Iudas kisse. For in the ende (quoth shee) I knowe you wyl betray me: As in deede it came to passe, for immediately after that talke shee was apprehended by hym againe, and there lodged with the rest in the towne prison (as is afore said) called the Mote hall.

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6 The sixt of this company was Elizabeth Folkes, a young maid, and seruaunt in Colchester, of the age of twentie yeares.

These sixe were imprisoned in the towne prison of Colchester, called Mote Hal, as the other foure aboue specified, were in the Castle.

Diuers examinations these good men had at sundrye tymes before diuers Iustices, Priestes, and Officers, as M. Roper, Iohn Kingstone Commissary, Iohn Boswel Priest and Boners Scribe, and others moe, whereof the said Boswell made relation to Bishop Boner, certifying hym of their depositions, as is to be read in our first booke of Actes and Monumentes, pag. 1607. Last of al they were examined againe in Mote hall the. xxiij. day of Iune, by doctour Chadsey, Iohn Kingstone Commissary, with other priestes, and Boswel the Scribe, in the presence of the two Bailiffes of Colchester, Robert Browne & Robert Maynard, with diuers other Iustices both of the town & countrey, and other Gentlemen a great sort: at which tyme and place, and before the said persons, they had sentence of condemnation read against them, chiefly for not affirmyng the reall presence of the Sacrament in their Aultar. The effect of their wordes therein, was this, or suche like, as here foloweth.

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MarginaliaWilliam Bongeor.WIlliam Bongeor, of the parish of S. Nicholas in Colchester, Glasier, said: that the sacramēt of the altar was bread, is bread, and so remaineth bread, and for the consecration, it is not the holyer, but rather the worse. To this he dyd stand, as also against all the rest of their Papisticall doctrine: and so had sentence read against hym.

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MarginaliaThomas Benolde.Thomas Benold of Colchester, Talow Chaundler, affirmed the like in effect, that the said William Bongeor did: and so had sentence also read against hym.

MarginaliaWilliam Purcas condemned.W. Purcas of Bocking, said, that when he receyued the Sacrament, he receyued bread in an holy vse, that preacheth the remembrance that Christ dyed for hym. To this he stood, and against other their popish matters: and so also had sentence read against hym.

Agnes Syluerside, aliâs Smyth, sayd: that shee loued

MarginaliaAgnes Siluerside condemned.no Consecration. For the bread and wine is rather worse then better therby, shee said. This good olde woman aunsweared them with such sounde iudgement and boldnes, to euery thing they asked her, that it reioyced the hartes of many, and especially to see the pacience in such a reuerende olde age, against the tauntes and checkes of her enemies. To this shee also stood, and had sentence read against her in like maner.

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MarginaliaHelene Ewring condemned.Helene Ewring answered the like in effect as the other dyd, clearly denying al the lawes set forth by the Pope, with her whole hart. This good woman was somwhat thicke of hearing, but yet quicke in vnderstanding the Lords matters (his name therfore be praysed). Against her also there was sentence read.

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MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes condemned.Elizabeth Folkes the young mayden, being examined whether shee beleued the presence of Christes body to be in the Sacrament substantially and really, or no: MarginaliaA substanciall lie. A reall lye.aunswered, that shee beleued that it was a substantiall lye, and a reall lye. At which words the Priestes and others chaufed verye much, and asked her againe, whether after the Consecration there remayned not the body of Christe in the Sacrament. And shee aunsweared, that before Consecration and after, it is but bread, & that man blesseth without gods word, is cursed and abominable by the word. &c. Thē they examined her of confession to the Priest, of going to church to heare Masse, of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome. &c. Vnto al which shee answeared, that shee would neither vse nor frequent none of thē all by the grace of God, but vtterly detest and abhorre thē from the bottome of her hart, & al such trumpery.

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Then read they the sentence of condemnation agaynst her. In which tyme MarginaliaDoctor Chadsey wept.Doct. Chadsey wept that the teares trickled downe his cheekes. So the sentence being read, shee kneeled downe on both her knees, liftyng vp her handes and eyes vnto heauen, with feruent prayer in an audible voyce, praysing GOD that euer shee was borne, to see that most blessed and happy day,MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes prayseth God at her condemnation. that the Lord would count her worthy to suffer for the testimonie of Christ: and Lorde, sayde shee (if it be thy wyll) forgeue them that thus haue done agaynst me, for they know not what they doo.MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes prayeth for her enemies. Then rising vp, shee exhorted al those on the Bench to repentance, especially those who brought her to Prison, as Robert Maynard the Bayliffe, and suche like: which MarginaliaSleeping Maynard.Maynard commonly when he sate in iudgemēt vpon life and death, would sit sleepyng on the Bench many tymes: so careful was his mynd on his Office. Further shee wylled haltyng Gospellers to beware of bloud, for that would crye for vengeance. &c. And in the ende shee told them all, laying her hand on the Barre, if they dyd not repent their wicked doinges therin, that vndoubtedly the very barre should be a witnes against them at the day of iudgement, that they had there that day shed innocent bloud.

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This Elizabeth Folkes, the day before shee was condemned, was examined onely vpon this Article, whether shee beleued that there was a Catholike church of Christ, or no. Vnto which shee answeared, Yea. Then was shee immediately (by Boswels meanes the Scribe) deliuered vnto her vncle Holt of the same Towne of Colchester, to keepe: who carryed her home vnto his house: and shee beyng there, might haue departed thence many tymes, if shee had woulde:MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes might haue escaped, and woulde not. for there was meanes offered to conuey her away. But shee hearing that some doubted that shee had yeelded to the Pope (although it was moste vntrue) woulde in no wise content her selfe, but wept, and was in such anguish of mynd and terrour of conscience, that (no remedie) shee would to the Papistes againe, for any perswasion that could be, and commyng before them at Cosins house at the white Hart in Colchester,  

shee was at vtter defiance with them and their doctrine: & so had, as ye haue heard, in the end, a papisticall reward, as the rest of her brethren had.

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MarginaliaW. Munt condemned.WIlliam Munt of Muchbentley in Essex, of the age of lxj. yeares, said: that the Sacrament of the Altar was an abominable Idoll, and that if he should obserue any part of their Popish proceedynges, he should displease God, and bryng his curse vppon hym, and therefore for feare of his vengeaunce he durst not doo it. This good father was examined of many thyngs, but God be thanked, he stood to the truth, and in the end therfore had sentence of condemnation read agaynst hym.

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MarginaliaIohn Iohnson condemned.Iohn Iohnson of Thorpe in Essex, wydower, of the age of. xxxiiij. yeares, was examined as the rest, and made aunsweare in such sort, as the Papistes counted hym none of theirs, and therefore condemned hym with their bloudy