MarginaliaAugust.MarginaliaThe story of 4. Martyrs in Suffolke.IN this yeare aforesaid, which was the last of Q. Maryes reigne D. Hopton being B. of Norwich, & D. Spenser bearing the roume of his Chauncellour, about S. Iames tyde, at s. Edmunds Bury, were wrongfully put to death foure christian martyrs, to wyt:

MarginaliaMartyrs.Iohn Cooke, a Sawyer.
Robert Myles, aliâs Plummer, a Shereman.
Alexander Lane, a Wheelewright.
Iames Ashley, a Bacheler.

The examination of these forenamed persons, being seuerally called before the Bishop of Norwich, and Syr Edward WalgraueMarginaliaSyr Edw. Walgraue persecutor. with others, was partly vpon these articles folowing.

MarginaliaExamination of Iohn Cooke.First Sir Edward Walgraue called Iohn Cooke to him, and said: How fortuneth it that you go not to church?

Iohn Cooke said: I haue bene there.

Sir Edward said: what is the cause that you go not thither now in these dayes?

Iohn Cooke said: because the sacrament of the altar is an abominable Idol, and (saith he) the vengeaunce of God wyl come vpon all them that doo mainteyne it.

Syr Edward said: O thou ranke traytour, if I had as good commission to cut out thy tongue, as I haue to sit here this day, thou shouldest be sure to haue it cut out. Then cōmaunded he the Constable to haue hym awaye, saying, he was both a traytor and a rebel.

MarginaliaExamination of Robert Miles.Then he called Robert Myles, and said: Howe fortuneth it that you go not to the church?

Robert Myles answeared: because I wyl folowe no false Gods.

Then said the bishop: who told thee that it is a God?

Then said Myles: Euen you and such as you are.

Then the Bishop commaunded hym aside, & to appeare before hym the next day.

MarginaliaExamination of Alexander Lane.Then he called Alexander Lane before him, & asked him how it chaunced that he would not go to the church?

He said, that his cōscience would not serue him so to do.

Then sir Edward said: How doest thou beleue?

Then said Lane: Euen as it is written in Gods booke.

Then sir Edward commaunded hym to say his beliefe.

Thē the said Lane being somwhat abashed, said his beliefe, to these wordes, which he missed vnwares: Borne of the virgine Mary.

Then sir Edward said: What, was he not borne of the virgine Mary?

Yes, said Lane, I would haue said so.

Nay, said sir Edward, you are one of Cookes schollers, and so commaunded hym away, and to come before hym the next day.

MarginaliaExamination of Iames Ashley.After the like maner they passed also with Iames Ashley, whō they warned the next day likwise to appeare before them againe. So in fine they appearing again, had their condemnation. MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Cooke, Miles, Lane, and Ashley, at Bury. Anno. 1558. August.And thus these foure blessed Martyrs & seruants of Christ, innocētly suffered together at S. Edmūds Bury, as is aforesaid, about the beginnyng of August, not long before the sicknes of Queene Mary.

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MarginaliaNouember 4MAister Noone,  

MarginaliaM. Noone persecutor. a Iustice in Suffolk, dwelling in Martlesham, hunting after good men to apprehend them (as he was a bloudy tyrant in the dayes of triall) at the length had vnderstanding one Gouch of Woodbridge, & Driuers wife of Grosborough, to be at Grosborough together, a litle frō his house, immediately tooke his men with hym & went thither, & made diligent search for thē, where the poore man & womā were cōpelled to step into an hay golph to hide thē selues from their crueltie. At the last they came to searche the hay for them, and by gaging thereof with pitchforkes, at the last found them: MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer taken at Grousborough.so they tooke them & led them to Melton Gayle,MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer caryed to Melton Gaile. wher they remaynyng a tyme, at the length wer caryed to Bury, against the Assise at S. Iames tyde, and being there examined of matters of fayth, dyd boldly stande to confesse Christe crucified, defying the Pope with all his papisticall trashe. And among other thinges Driuers wife likened Queene Mary in her persecution, to Iezabel,MarginaliaQ. Mary called Iesabell. and so in that sense calling her Iezabel, for that, sir Clemēt Higham being chiefe Iudge there, adiudged her eares immediately to be cut of, MarginaliaAlice Driuers eares cut of, for likening Q. Mary to Iesabell.which was accomplished accordingly, and shee ioyfully yeelded her self to the punishment, and thought her selfe happy, that shee was counted worthy to suffer any thyng for the name of Christ

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After the Assie at Bury, they were carryed to Melton

Gaye agayne, where they remayned a tyme. MarginaliaAlexander Gouch.This Alexander Gouch was a man of the age of. xxxvi. yeres or theraboutes, and by his occupation was a Weauer of shredding Couerlettes, dwellyng at Woodbridge in Suffolke, & borne at Vfford in the same Countie. Driuers wyfe was a woman about the age of. xxx. yeres, & dwelt in Grousborough where they were taken, in Suffolke. Her husband dyd vse husbandry. MarginaliaGouch and Alice Driuer caryed to Ipswich.These two were caryed from Melton Gayle, to Ipswich, where they remained and were examined. The which their examination, as it came to our handes, here after foloweth.

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FIrst, shee commyng into the place where shee shoulde be examined, with a smilyng countenaunce, Doct. SpenserMarginaliaD. Spenser after the death of D. Dunning who dyed sodenly in Lincolneshire, was Chaūcellor vnder Byshop Hopton. said: Why woman, doest thou laugh vs to scorne?

Driuers wife. Whether I doo, or no, I might well enough, to see what fooles ye be.

Doctour Spenser. Then the Chauncellour asked her wherfore shee was brought before hym, and why shee was layd in prison.

Dry. Wherfore? I thinke I neede not to tell you: for ye know it better then I.

Spens. No by my troth woman, I know not why.

Dry. Then haue ye done me muche wrong (quoth shee) thus to imprison me, and know no cause why: for I know no euyl that I haue done, I thanke God, and I hope there is no man that can accuse me of any notorious fact that I haue done, iustly.

Spens. Woman, woman, MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.what sayest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the aultar? Doest thou not beleue that it is very fleshe and bloud, after the wordes be spoken of consecration?

Driuers wyfe at those wordes helde her peace, & made no answere. Then a great chuffeheaded Priest that stoode by, spake, and asked her why shee made not the Chauncellor an answeare. With that, the sayd Driuers wyfe looked vpon hym austerely, & said: MarginaliaA fatte Priest put to silence.Why priest, I come not to talke with; thee, but I come to talke with thy Maister: but if thou wylt I shal talke with thee, commaund thy maister to hold his peace. And with that the priest put his nose in his cap, and spake neuer a word more. Then the Chauncellour bade her make answere to that he demaunded of her.

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Dry. Syr (sayde shee) pardon me though I make no answeare, for I can not tel what you meane therby: for in all my lyfe I neuer heard nor read of any such sacrament in all the scripture.

Spens. Why, what scriptures haue you read, I pray you?

Dry. I haue (I thanke God) read Gods booke.

Spens. Why, what manner of booke is that you call Gods booke?

Dry. It is the old and new Testament. What cal you it?

Spens. That is Gods booke in deede, I can not deny.

Dry. MarginaliaNo Sacrament of the altar to be found in Gods booke.That same booke haue I read throughout, but yet neuer could find any such sacrament there: & for that cause I can not make you answeare to that thing I knowe not. Notwithstanding, for all that, I wyll graunt you a sacrament, called the Lords supper: and therfore seeing I haue graunted you a Sacrament, I pray you shewe me what a Sacrament is.

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Spens. It is a signe. And one D. Gascoine,MarginaliaD. Gascoyne persecutor. being by, confirmed the same, that it was the signe of an holy thing.

Dry. You haue said the truth sir, said shee. MarginaliaWhat a sacrament is.It is a signe in deede. I must needes grant it: & therfore seeing it is a signe, it can not be the thing signified also. Thus far we do agree: for I haue granted your own saying. Then stood vp þ^e said Gascoine, MarginaliaD. Gascoynes oration litle to purpose.& made an Oration with many fayre words, but litle to purpose, both offensiue & odious to the mynds of the godly. In the end of which long tale, he asked her if shee did not beleue the omnipotencie of God, & that he was almighty, and able to performe that he spake. Shee answered, yes, and said: I doo beleue that God is almighty, and able to performe that he spake and promised.

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MarginaliaTalke betwene Alice Driuer and D. Gascoyne.Gascoine. Very wel. Then he said to his disciples: Take, eate, this is my body: Ergo, it was his body: For he was able to performe that he spake: and God vseth not to lye.

Dry. I pray you, dyd he euer make any such promise to his disciples, that he would make the bread his body?

Gasc. Those be the words. Can you deny it?

Dry. No, they be the very wordes in deede, I can not deny it: but I pray you, was it not bread that he gaue vnto them?

Gasc. No, it was his body.

Dry. Then was it his body that they dyd eate ouer night.

Gasc. Yea, it was his body.