MarginaliaAnno. 1557. September.Rafe. Then saide I to my fellowe prisoners standyng by: My brethren, doe ye not heare how these men helpe one an other? let vs do so also. But we neuer came all in together after that tyme, but seuerally one after an other. Then was I caried away for that tyme. The xix. day of May I was brought before the Bishop of Rochester, and Chichester with others.

B. Rochest. Were you a companion of George Eagles, otherwise called Trudgeouer? My Lord of London telleth me that you were his fellow companion.

Rafe. I know hym very well, my Lord.

Rochester. By my faithe I had him once, and then hee was as dronke as an Ape, for he stonke so of drinke, that I could not abide hym, and so sent hym away.

Rafe. My Lorde, I dare saie you tooke your markes amisse. It was either your selfe or some of your owne company: for he did neither drinke Wine, Ale, nor beere in a quarter of a yeare before that tyme, and therfore it was not he forsooth.

The rest of mine examinations you shall haue when I am cōdemned, if I can haue any tyme after my commyng into Newgate, the which I trust shall touch the matter a great deale more plainly: for the pithy matters are yet vnwritten. Thus fare you wel good frēds all. Yea I say, fare well for euer in this present world. Greete ye one an other, and be ioyful in the Lord. Salute the good widowes among you, with all the rest of the congregation in Barfold, and Dedham, and Colchester.

This promise of his, beeyng either not performed, for that he might not thereto be permitted, or els if hee did write the same not commyng to my handes, I am fayne in the rest of his examinations to follow the only report of the Register: who witnesseth that the xv. day of May. an. 1557. in the Bishops Palace at London, he was examined vpon certeine interrogatories, the contentes whereof be these.

MarginaliaArticles ministred againste Rafe Allerton.Marginalia1FIrst, that he was of the parishe of Muchbentley, and so of the Dioces of London.

Marginalia2.Secondly, that the x. day of Ianuary, then last past, M. Iohn Morant preaching at Paules, the said Rafe Allertō did there openly submit himself vnto þ^e church of Rome, with the rites and Ceremonies thereof.

Marginalia3.Thirdly, that he did consent and subscribe aswell vnto the same submission, as also to one other bill, in the which he graunted, that if he should at any tyme turne again vnto his former opinions, it should be then lawful for the bishop immediatly to denounce and adiudge hym as an heretike.

Marginalia4.Fourthly, that he had subscribed to a bill, wherein he affirmed, that in the sacrament, after the words of consecration be spoken by the Priest, there remaineth still materiall bread and materiall wine: and that he beleued that the bread is the bread of thankesgeuyng, and the memoriall of Christes death: and that when he receaueth it, he receaueth the body of Christe spiritually in his soule, but materiall bread in substaunce.

Marginalia5.Fiftly, that he had openly affirmed, and also aduisedly spoken that which is contained in the said former fourth article last before specified.

Marginalia6.Sixtly, that he had spoken against the B. of Rome, with the sea & church of the same, and also against the seuen sacraments and other ceremonies and ordinaunces of the same church, vsed then within this Realme.

Marginalia7.Seuenthly, that he had allowed and commēded the opinions and faith of M. Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and others of late burned within this Realme, and beleued that their opinions were good and godly.

Marginalia8.Eightly, that he had diuers times affirmed that the religion vsed within this Realme at the time of his apprehension, was neither good nor agreable to Gods word, & that he could not conforme hymselfe therunto.

Marginalia9.Ninthly, that he had affirmed, that the booke of common prayer set forth in the reigne of king Edward the vi. was in all partes good and godly: and that the sayd Rafe and his cōpany prisoners, did daiely vse amongst themselues in prison some parte of the same booke.

Marginalia10.Tenthly, that he had affirmed, that if he were out of prison, he would not come to Masse, Mattins, nor Euensong, nor beare Taper, Candle, or Palme, nor goe in procession, nor would receaue holy water, holy bread ashes, or pax, nor any other ceremonie of the church thē vsed within this Realme.

Marginalia11.Eleuenthly, that he had affirmed, that if he were at liberty he would not confesse his sinnes to any priest, nor receaue absolution of him: nor yet would receaue the

sacrament of the altar, as it was then vsed.

Marginalia12.Twelfly, that he had affirmed, that praiyng to saints and praiers for the dead, were neither good nor profitable, and that a man is not bound to fast and pray, but at his owne will and pleasure, neither that it is lawful to reserue the sacrament or to worship it.

Marginalia13.Thirtenthly, that the said Allerton hath, according to these his affirmations, abstained and refused to come vnto his parish church euer sithens the tēth day of Ianuary last, or to vse, receaue or allow any ceremonies, sacramentes, or other rites then vsed in the church.

To all these articles he answered affirmatiuely, deniyng precisely none of them: sauing to this clause conteined in the xij. article, that a man is not bound to fast and praie but at his owne will and pleasure, hee saide that he had affirmed no such thing, but he cōfessed that he had not fasted nor praied so oft as he was bound to doe. And vnto this answere hee also subscribed in thys sorte.

Excepte it bee proued otherwise by the holy Scrip-
ture, I do affirme these articles to be true. By mee
Rafe Allerton.

The next examination was the fourth day of Iuly. The actes whereof, because they doe appeare more amply in his other examination, had the x. day of September, I do here omit, geuing you farther to vnderstand, that vpon the vij. daye of the same Moneth of Iuly, he was brought before Doctour Darbishere in the Bishops Palace, who examined hym againe vpon the former articles, and after persuaded hym to recant, threatenyng hym that otherwise hee should bee burned. To whom he boldly aunswered: I would I might bee condemned euen to morrowe: for I perceaue my Lorde (meaning Boner) doth nothing but seeke mens bloud. Vpon which saiyng Darbishire committed him againe to prison, and the x. daye of September the bishop caused him (with þ^e other three aboue named) to be brought vnto Fulham, and there in his priuate chappel within his house, he iudicially propounded vnto hym certayne other newe articles: of the whiche, the tenours of the first, fifte, sixte, and seuenth are already mencioned in the second, third, and fourth former obiections: as for the rest, the contentes thereof here followeth.

Thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny, but that the information geuen against thee, & remainyng now in the actes of this court of thine Ordinary Edmund Bishop of London, was and is a true information.

MarginaliaPersecutors.This informatiō was geuen by Thomas Tye, Curate of Bentley (of whom ye haue already heard) and certeine other of the same parish and affinitie: as namely Iohn Painter, William Harris, Iohn Barker, Iohn Carter, Thomas Candeler, Ieffrey Bestwod, Iohn Richard, Richard Meere.  

Commentary     Close

Foxe was clearly consulting the document denouncing Allerton.

MarginaliaInformation giuen against Rafe Allerton, by sir Thomas Tye Prieste, a wicked promotour.The effect wherof was, that one Laurēce Edwards of Bentley aforesayd, had a child that was vnchristened, and beyng demaunded by the saied Tye, why hys child was not baptised, he made aunswere it should be when he could find one of his religion (meanyng a true professour of Christes Gospell) Whereat the Curate said: ah, ye haue had some instructor that hath schooled you of late. Yea (quoth the saide Edwardes) that I haue: and if your doctrine bee better then his, then I will beleue you: and therwithall fondly offered to fetch hym. Wherupon the Constable goyng with hym, they brought before the said Curate the sayd Rafe Allertō: of whom in this information they make this reporte that he was a sedicious person, who sithens his commyng downe from the bishop had set vppon the Constables doore certeyne sedicious letters, mouyng and perswadyng thereby the people to followe his malicious disobedience: and that these his perswasions had taken effect in many: And father that the sayde Rafe Allerton (the Curate askyng hym whether he had instructed this Laurence Edwardes that it was against Gods commaundement to enter into the Churche) casting abroad his handes, should say. Oh good people, now is fulfilled the saiyng of the godly priest and prophet Esdras, who sath: Marginaliaiiij. Esdr. xvj.The fire of a multitude is kindled against a few: they haue takē away their houses, and spoiled their goods. &c. Which of you al haue not sene this day, who is he here amongest you, that seeth not all these things done vpon vs this day. The church which they cal vs vnto, is the church of Antichrist, a persecuting church, and the church malignant. With these and