MarginaliaAnno. 1557. Nouember. December.and they shall haue no rest day nor night, but the smoke of their torment shall ascend vp for euermore: Also what the gorgious and glittering whore is, the whiche sitteth vpō the Beast with a cup of gold in her hand, full of abominations, with whom the kinges of the earth haue committed fornication, and the inhabitours of the earth and she her selfe also is dronken with the bloud of Sainctes, whiche is the wine of her fornication, whose fleshe the hornes of the beast shall teare in peeces, and burne her with fire. For God hath put in their hartes to doe his wil.

Marginalia8.Whether a king ouer al those people which are borne and inhabite within his owne dominions, regions, and countreis, or any part of them, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng by office soeuer they be, here vpon this earth immediatly vnder Christe, by the holy ordinaunce of God, is lawfull, supreme and chief gouernour or no: And whether a kyng ouer all those people within his dominions, regions, and countreys, and euery part of them, by the holy ordinaunce of God, lawfully may, and ought not otherwise to doe, not suffer otherwise to be done, then in his owne name, power, and auctoritie (the name of God onely except) as lawfull, supreme, and chief head in all thinges that belongeth to rule (without exception) to gouerne and rule: And whether all those people of what dignitie, estate or callyng soeuer they be, are bound by the holy ordinaunce of God, to owe their whole obedience and seruice in all thinges without exception (their duetie to god onely excepted) to their kyng onely, as to their supreme and chiefe gouernour vppon earth immediatly vnder Christe: And whether a kyng without offence against God and his people, may geue away, and not hym selfe vse that his aucthoritie and power geuen him of God, or lawfully may without offence to god and his people (after knowledge thereof had) suffer hym selfe by fraud or guile, or by any other vnlawfull meane, to bee beguyled, defrauded, and spoiled thereof, & whether any subiect, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng so euer he or they be, without offence to God and to his kyng, to the minishyng or derogatyng of the supreme prerogatiue royall of his kyng, or of any part thereof, may do ought, or after knowledge thereof had without offence to God and to his kyng, may conceale the same.

Marginalia9.MarginaliaHe meaneth the Canon law.Whether the holy written law of GOD bee geuen of God vnto all men, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng by office soeuer they bee, aswell thereby to gouerne all their Dominions, Regions, and countreis, and their people therein inhabityng, as themselues: and whether any law or lawes (the holy law of God onely excepted) not being made within any Dominion, Region, or countrey where as it or they bee vsed, may bee lawfully vsed before it or they bee, as the lawfull law or lawes of the same dominion, Region, or countrey, by publicke and common order of the same Dominion, Region or countrey lawfully allowed: and whether any Subiect, without offence againste GOD and his kyng, within the Dominion of hys Kyng, may lawfully vse any suche law or lawes not so allowed.

Emanuell.

MarginaliaPsal. xxxix.¶ Ascribe vnto the Lord, O ye mightie, ascribe vnto the Lord, worship and strengthe: geue the Lorde the honour of his name, and bow your selues to the holy maiestie of the Lord.

MarginaliaPsalme 84.I will harken what the Lord God will say: for hee shall speake peace vnto his people, that they turne not themselues vnto folishnes. This vj. of Aprill. 1557.

By me Richard Gibson.

¶ The death and Martyrdome of John Rowgh Minister, and Margaret Mearyng burned at London the xxij. of December.  

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John Rough and Margaret Mearing

Most of the account of John Rough first appeared in the 1563 edition; it was based partly on official documents (the articles against Rough) but mostly on Rough's writings and on material from individual informants. In 1570, an anecdote about Rough and Thomas Watson was added and in the 1583 edition, a letter from Rough to the underground London congregation was added. The account of Margaret Mearing was printed in its entirety in the 1563 edition; it was unchanged in subsequent editions. This account consisted of her answers to the articles against her, drawn from official records, and of information sent to Foxe by individual informants.

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MarginaliaDecember. 22.MarginaliaIohn Rough, Margaret Mearyng, Martyrs.IN this furious time of persecution, were also burned these twoo constaunt and faithfull Martyrs of Christe, Iohn Rough a Minister, and Margarette Mearyng.

This Rough was borne in Scotland, who (as him selfe confesseth in his aunsweres to Boners Articles) because some of his kinsfolke woulde haue kept him from his right of inheritaunce which he had to certaine landes, did at the age of xvij. yeares, in despite (and the rather to displease his frendes) MarginaliaA zealous occasion of a Frierly profession.professe hym selfe into the order of the blacke Friers at Sterlyng in Scotland: where he remained the space of xvi. yeares, vntill suche tyme as the Lorde Hamulton, Earle of Arren, and gouernour of the Realme of

Scotland aforesaid (castyng a fauour vnto hym) did sue vnto the Archbishop of S. Andrewes, to haue him out of his professed order, that as a secular Priest he might serue hym for his Chaplaine. At whiche request the Archbishop caused the Prouinciall of that house, hauyng thereto authoritie, to dispence with hym for his habite and order.

This sute beeyng thus by the Earle obtained, the said Rough remained in his seruice one whole yeare: MarginaliaIohn Rough first called to the truth.during which time it pleased God to open his eyes, and to geue hym some knowledge of his truthe, and thereupon was by the sayd gouernour sent to preache in the freedome of Ayre, where he continued foure yeares, and then after the death of the Cardinall of Scotland, hee was appointed to abide at S. Andrewes, & there had assigned vnto hym a yearely pension of xx. pound from kyng Henry the eight, kyng of England. Howbeit, at last waiyng with him selfe his owne daunger, and also abhorryng the Idolatrie and superstition of his countrey, and hearyng of the freedome of the Gospell within this Realme of England, hee determined with hym selfe not to tary any longer there: And therefore soone after the battaile of Musclebourough,MarginaliaIohn Rough first commyng to England in K. Edwardes tyme.he came first vnto Carliell, and from thence vnto the Duke of Somerset, then Lord Protectour of England, and by his assignement had appointed vnto him out of the kinges treasury xx. poundes of yearely stipend, and was sent (as a Preacher) to serue at Carliell, Barwicke, and Newcastell. From whence (after he had there, accordyng to the lawes of God, and also of this Realme, taken a countrey woman of his to wife) he was called by the Archbishop of Yorke that then was, vnto a benefice nigh in the towne of Hull: where hee continued vntill the death of that blessed and good king Edward. vi.

But in the beginnyng of the reigne of Queene Mary (perceauyng the alteration of Religion, and the persecution that would thereupon arise, and feelyng hys owne weaknes) MarginaliaIohn Rough with his wife flieth into Friseland.he fled with his wife into Friseland, and dwelt there at a place called Norden, labouryng truely for his liuyng, in knittyng of Cappes, hose, and suche like thinges, till about the ende of the moneth of October last before his death. At whiche tyme, lackyng yearne and other such necessary prouision for the mainteinaunce of his occupation, he came ouer againe into England, here to prouide for the same, and the x. day of Nouember arriued at London. Where hearyng of the secrete societie, and holy congregation of gods children there assembled, MarginaliaIohn Rough ioyneth him self to the congregation at London.he ioyned himselfe vnto them, and afterwardes beyng elected their Minister and Preacher, did continue moste vertuously excercised in that Godly fellowship, teaching and confirmyng them in the truth and Gospell of Christ. But in the ende (such was the prouidence of God, who disposeth all thinges to the best, the xij. daye of December, he with Cutbert Simson and others, MarginaliaIohn Rough apprehended and by whom.through the crafty and traiterous suggestion of a false hipocrite and dissembling brother called Roger Sargeaunt, a taylor, were apprehended by the Vicechamberlaine of the Queenes house, at the Saracens heade in Islington: where the Congregation had then purposed to assemble themselues to their godly and accustomable exercises of prayer, and hearyng the word of God: which pretence, for the safegard of all the rest, they yet at their examinations, couered and excused by hearing of a play that was then appointed to be at that place. The Vicechamberlaine after he had apprehēded them, caried Rough and Simson vnto the Counsell, who charged thē to haue assembled together to celebrate the communion or supper of the Lord, and therefore after sundry examinations and aunsweres, they sent the saide Rough vnto Newgate: but his examinations they sent vnto the Bishop of London, with a Letter signed with their handes, the copy wherof followeth.

¶ A letter sent from the Queenes Councell vnto Boner Bishop of London, touching the examination of Iohn Rough Minister.  

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A copy of this letter survives in Foxe's papers among other items copied from the privy council register (BL, Harley 419, fo. 134r; cf. APC VI, p. 216). But Foxe had probably already copied this letter from a court book, now lost, containing the documents of Rough's trial.

MarginaliaA Letter sent from the Counsell vnto B. Boner.AFter our hartye commendations to your good Lordship, we sende you here inclosed the examinatiō of a Scotish man, named Iohn Rough, who by the Queenes Maiesties commaundement is presently sent to Newgate, beeyng of the chief of them that vpon Sondaie last, vnder the colour of commyng to see a Play at the Saracens head in Islington, had prepared a Communion to he celebrated and receiued there