MarginaliaW. Swallow tormentor of George Eagles.MarginaliaAn. 1557. August.the checke he had of the ladder.

Then one William Swallowe of Chelmsforde a Bayliffe dyd draw hym to the Sledde that he was drawen thyther on, and layde his necke thereon, and with a Cleauer, such as is occupyed in many mens Kitchins, and blunt, did hackle of his head, and sometyme hyt his necke, and sometyme his chynne, and dyd fowly mangle hym, and so opened hym. Notwithstandyng this blessed Martyr of Christ abode stedfast & constant in þ^e very mydst of his tormētes, tyl such time as this tormentor William Swallow dyd plucke the hart out of his body. The body being diuided in foure partes, and his bowels burnt, was brought to the aforesaid Swallowes doore, and there laid vpon the fish stalles before his doore, tyll they had made ready a horse to cary his quarters, one to Colchester , & the rest to Harwich, Chelmsford, and S. Rouses.  

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Compare the accounts of the treatment of Eagles' corpse in the 1563 and 1570 editions and note Foxe's concern to be as detailed as possible in describing the degradation, which increased the comparison of Eagles to that of Christ.

His head was set vp at Chelmsford on the Market Crosse on a long pole, and there stood tyl the wynd did blow it downe, and lying certayne dayes in the streat tumbled about, one caused it to be buryed in the Churchyard in the night. MarginaliaGod iust punishment vpon a cruell persecutor.Also a wonderful worke of God was it that he shewed on this wicked Bayliffe Swallow, who within short space after was so punished, that al the heare went welnere of his head, his eyes were as it were closed vp and could skant see, the nayles of his fingers and toes went cleane of. He was in such case of his body, as though he had ben a leper, & now in his last age almost a very begger, MarginaliaW. Swallowes wyfe punished with the falling sicknes.& his wyfe which he a litle after maryed, God hath punished with the fallyng sicknes, or a disease like vnto that: which may be a warnyng or glasse for al men and women to looke in, that be enimies to Gods true seruants.

MarginaliaGods iudgement vpon Richard Potto an other persecutor of George Eagles.No lesse token of his marueylous iudgement dyd God shewe vppon the foresaide Richard Potto, whiche dyd so much trouble this George Eagles in the Inne, and at the place of execution, as is aboue specified. He lyued tyl the beginnyng of Queene Elizabethes raigne, all which tyme he litle ioyed, & on a tyme being in a great chaufe with two or three of his neighbors in his owne house, feelyng hym selfe not well, he said to one of his seruaunts: Go with me into the chamber, and when he came there, he fel downe on a low bed, as heauy as it had ben lead, and lay there fomyng at the mouth, and could neuer speake after, neither yet vnderstand what was sayd to hym, as by al meanes was tryed by his neighbours with signes to hym made, but lay as senseles as it had ben a very dumbe beast, & within three or foure dayes dyed. God graunt that this token sent of God, with many moe like, may be a warnyng to vs euer hereafter while we shal lyue, vnto the worldes end.

Besides this, God hath wonderfully shewed his work. For at a tyme when they laid great wayt for this George Eagles, so that it was thought that it was vnpossible but that he should be taken beyng so beset, his frends dyd put hym in a Prentice apparell, that is to say, watchet hose, as their maner is, and an olde cloke, and set hym on a packe of woll, as though he had rydden to cary woll to the spinners, so he rode amongst the midst of his aduersaries, and escaped them all for that tyme. An other troubler of the sayd George Eagles was also Iustice Browne, who enioyed not his crueltie many yeares after, &c.

Also when he was at the Sessions at Chelmsforde, there was a rumor raysed þ^t he had accused diuers honest men that dyd keepe hym in their houses, and was cōuersant with hym, and al to discredite hym, which rumor was very false and vtterly vntrue. Witnes one Reynold, with diuers other dwellyng in Chelmsford.

¶ The martyrdome and examination of Richard Crashfield of Wymoundham, condemned to death for the testimonie of Iesus Christe.  

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Richard Crashfield

The account of Crashfield was based almost entirely on Crashfield's account of his examinations. This account appeared in the 1563 edition and remained unchanged in subsequent editions.

MarginaliaAugust. 5.ABout this tyme suffered at Norwich, a godly man & a constant Martyr of Christ, called Richard Crashfielde, whose examinations before the Chauncellor, named Dunnynges, as he penned them with his own hand, so haue we faithfully recorded the same.

MarginaliaThe examination of Rich. Crashfield before Dunning Chauncellour of Norwich.How say you Syrrha, said the Chancelor, to the ceremonies of the church?

Then said I: what ceremonies?

He said vnto me: Doo you not beleue that all the ceremonies of the church were good and godly?

My answeare was: I doo beleue so many as are groūded in the Testament of Iesu Christ.

Tush, sayd he, doo you beleue in the MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.Sacrament of the aultar?

I said, I knew not what it was.

Then sayde he: Doo you not beleue that Christe tooke

bread, gaue thankes, brake it, and said: Take, eate, this is my bodye?

Yes verily, said I, and euen as Christ did speake, so did he performe the worke.

Tush, said he, do you not beleue this, that after þ^e words be spoken by the priest, there is the substaunce of Christes bodye, flesh and bloud? How say you, doo you not beleue this? Speake man.

I doo beleue that Christes bodye was broken for mee vppon the Crosse, and his bloud shedde for my redemption, wherof the bread and the wyne is a perpetuall memorie, the pledge of his mercye, the ryng and seale of his promise, and a perpetuall memorie for the faithfull, vnto the ende of the world. So thē I was commaūded in to Prison vntyll the next day.

MarginaliaAn other examination of Richard Crashfield.THe day folowing I was brought foorth. Then the Chauncellor said vnto me: Richard, how say you? Are you otherwise mynded thē you were yesterday? He rehearsing al the words that we had afore, said: are not these your words? Wherto I answered, Yes.

Then said he: how say you, MarginaliaWorshiping of Images.can you not finde in your hart, when you come to Church, to kneele downe before the Roode, and make your prayer?

I answeared and said, No: rehearsing the commaundement of God forbiddyng the same.

He said: haue you not read or heard, that God cōmaunded an Image to be made?

I answered, what Image?

He said, the brasen Serpent.

I said, Yes, I haue heard it read, howe that GOD dyd commaunde it to be made, and likewise to be broken downe.

Then D. Brigges said: Wherfore did God cōmaund the Seraphins and Cherubins to be made?

I said, I could not tell: I would faine learne.

Then said the Chancellor: But how say you to this? can you finde in your hart to fall downe before the picture of Christ, which is the Roode?

I sayde, No: I feare the curse of GOD: for it is written that God curseth the handes that make them, yea, and the handes that make the tooles wherewith they are carued.

Then D. Brigges raged, and said: List nowe what a peece of scripture he hath here gotten to serue his purpose: for he wyl not allow but where he lysteth.

Then said the Chancelor: MarginaliaConfession to the priest.How say you to Confession to the priest? when were you confessed?

I said, I confesse my selfe dayly vnto the eternal God, whom I most greeuously offend.

Then the Chancellor said: You doo not then take confession to the priest to be good?

I answered, No, but rather wicked.

Then the Chauncellor said: Howe say you by yonder geare, yonder singing, MarginaliaPlaying on the Organes.and yonder playing at the Organes? is it not good and godly?

I said, I could perceiue no godlynes in it.

Then he said: why, is it not written in the Psalmes: that we shal prayse God with Hymnes and spiritual songs?

I said, Yes, spiritual songs must be had: but yonder is of the fleshe, & of the spirit of error. For to you it is pleasant and glorious, but to the Lord it is bytter and odious.

Then said the Chauncellor: why? is it not written: MarginaliaEsay. 56.My house is an house of prayer?

I said, Yes. It is written also: MarginaliaLuke. 19.That you haue made my house of prayer a den of theeues.

With that, the Chancellor looked, and said: Haue we?

I answered and said, Christ said so. Then was I cōmaunded to ward.

MarginaliaAn other examination of Richard Crashfield.The thursday next folowing, was D. Brigges sent to me for to examine me of my fayth. And he said: Coūtreymā, my Lord Bishop (for loue he would haue you saued) hath sent me vnto you, because to morow is your day appointed: therfore my lord hath thought it meete, that you should declare vnto me your faith: For to morow my Lord wyl not haue much adoo with you.

I answered & said: Hath my Lord sent you? It is not you to whom I am disposed to shew my mynd.

Then he said to me: I pray you shewe me your mynde concernyng the sacrament of the altar.

I answered: Are you ignorant what I haue said?

He said, No: for it was well written. Except you beleue, saith he, as the Churche hath taught, you are damned both body and soule.