MarginaliaA treatise of Gods mercy and prouidence in preseruing good men and women, in the tyme of this persecution.MarginaliaAn. 1558.ALthough the secrete purpose of almighty GOD, whiche disposeth all thynges, suffered a great number of his faythfull seruantes both men & women, and that of all ages and degrees, to fall into the enemyes handes, and to abyde the brunt of this persecution, to bee tryed with roddes, with whippes, with rackes, with fetters and famine, with burnyng of handes, with pluckyng of beardes, with burnyng also both hand, beard, and body, &c.

Yet notwithstandyng some there were againe, & that a great nūber, who miraculously by þ^e mercyfull prouidence of GOD, agaynst all mans expectation, in safetie were deliuered out of þ^e fiery rage of this persecution, either by voydyng þ^e Realme, or shiftyng of place, or the Lord so blynding the eyes of the persecutours, or disposing the oportunitie of tyme, or woorkyng some such meanes or other for his seruauntes, as not onely ought to styrre them vp to perpetuall thankes, but also may moue all men both to behold and magnifie the wonderous workes of the almighty.

About what tyme it began to be knowen that Queene Mary was sicke, diuers good men were in hold in diuers quarters of the Realme, some at Bury, some at Salisbury, as Iohn Hunt and Richard White, of whom we haue storied before, & some at London amongest whō was W. Liuyng with his wife, and Iohn Lithall, of whom something remayneth now compendiously to be touched.

MarginaliaThe deliuerance of W. Liuing, his wyfe, and of Iohn Lithall.ABout the tyme of the latter ende of Queene Mary, she then beyng sicke, came one Coxe a Promoter to the house of William Liuyng, about vj. of the clocke, accompanyed with one Iohn Launce of the Grayhounde. They beyng not ready, they demaunded for buttons, saying they should be aswell payed for them, as euer was any: and he would come about three houres after agayne for them.

MarginaliaDeane Constable George Hācocke, Beadell, persecutors.In the meane while he had gotten the Constable called Maister Deane, and George Hancocke the Beadle of that Ward, and searchyng his bookes, found a booke of Astronomy, called the worke of Iohannes de sacro busto de sphæra, with figures, some rounde, some triangle, some quadrate: which booke because it was gilted, semed to him the chiefest booke there, and that he caried open in the streete, saying: I haue found him at length. It is no maruell the Queene be sicke, seyng there be such cōiurers in priuy corners: but now I trust he shall coniure no more, and so brought him and his wife from Shoe lane thorough Fleete streete into Paules Churchyard, with the Constable, the Beadle, and ij. other followyng them, till they were entred into Darbyshyres house, who was Byshop Boners Chauncellour: And after the Constable and they had talked with Darbyshyre, he came forth and walked in his yard, saying these wordes.

MarginaliaTalke betwene Darbishyre and W. Liuing, Priest.Darbyshyre. What is your name?

Lyuing. William Liuyng.

Darb. What are you? a Priest?

Lyuyng. Yea.

Darb. Is this your wife that is come with you?

Lyuing. That she is.

Darb. Where were you made Priest?

Liuyng. At Obourne.

Darb. In what Byshops dayes?

Liuyng. By the Byshop of Lincolne that was kyng Henryes ghostly father in Cardinall Wolsyes tyme.

Darb. You are a Schismaticke and a traytor.

Liuyng. I would be sory that were true. I am certaine I neuer was traytor, but alwayes haue taught obedience, accordyng to the tenour of Gods word: and when tumultes & schismes haue bene styrred, I haue preached Gods word, and swaged them, as in the tyme of kyng Edward.

Darb. What? you are a Schismaticke. You be not in the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche: for you pray not as the Church of Rome doth: You pray in English.

Liuyng. We are certaine we be in the true Church.

Darb. There be that doubteth therof, for somuch as there is but one true Church.

Well, you will learne agaynst I talke with you agayne, to know the Church of Rome, and to be a member therof.

Liuyng. If the Church of Rome be of that Church wherof Christ is the head, then am I a member thereof: for I know no other Church but that.

Darb. Well, Cluny take him with thee to the Colehouse.

Then called be Cluny agayne, and spake secretly to him what I know not.

Then sayd Cluny: wilt thou not come: and so pluckt me away violently and brought me to his owne house in Pater noster Rowe, MarginaliaCluny playeth the theefe.where hee robbed me of my purse, my girdle, and my Psalter, and a new Testament of Geneua, and then brought me to the Colehouse to put me in the

stockes, saying: put in both your legges and your handes also: and except you fine with me, I will put, a collor about your necke. What is the fine, quoth I? Forty shillinges: quoth he. I am neuer able to pay it, sayd I.

MarginaliaNote the couetous dealing of these Papistes.Then sayd he: you haue frendes that bee able. I denyed it: and so he put both my legges into the stockes tyll supper tyme, which was vi. of the clocke, and then a cosin of my wiues brought me meate, who seyng me so sit there, sayd: I will geue you xl. pence and let hym go at libertie: and he tooke her money, and presently let me forth in her sight, to eate my supper. And at vij. of the clocke he put me into the stockes agayne, and so I remayned til two of the clocke the next day, and so he let me foorth til night.

MarginaliaW. Liuing layd in the Lolardes Tower.The thursday folowing at afternone was I called to the Lollardes tower, and there put in the stockes, hauing the fauour to put my leg in that hole that Maister Iohn Philpotes leg was in, and so lay al that night, no body commyng to me, eyther with meate or drynke.

At a xj. of the clocke on the Fryday, Cluny came to me with meate, and let me forth, and about one of the clocke he brought me to Darbyshyres house, who drew forth a scrole of names, and asked me if I knewe none of them. I sayd I knew none of them, but Foster. And so I kneeled downe vpon my knees, and prayed hym that he would not enquire therof any farther. MarginaliaWilliam Liuing deliuered.And with that came forth two Godly women, which sayd: Mayster Darbyshyre, it is inough, & so became suerties for me, and payd to Cluny xv. s. for my fees, and bad me go with them.

And thus much concernyng William Liuing. After this came his wife to examination, whose aunsweres to Darbyshyre the Chauncellour, here likewise follow.

MarginaliaTalke betwene Darbyshyre and Liuinges wyfe.DArbyshyre. Ah syrha: I see by your gown you be one of the Sisters.

Iulian. I weare not my gowne for Sisterhod, neyther for nunnery, but to keepe me warme.

Darby. Nunne? No I dare say you be none. Is that man your husband?

Iulian. Yea.

Darby. He is a Priest.

Iulian. No, he sayth no Masse.

Darby. What then? He is Priest. How darest thou marry hym?

Then he shewed me a role of certaine names of Citizens To whom I aunswered, I knew none of them.

Then sayd he: you shall be made to know them.

Then sayd I: do no other but iustice and right, for the day will come that you shall aunswere for it.

Darby. Why woman, thinkest thou not that I haue a soule?

Iulian. Yes, I know you haue a soule: but whether it be to saluation or damnation, I can not tell.

Darb. Ho Cluny, MarginaliaLiuinges wyfe commaunded to the Lolardes Tower.haue her to the Lolardes Tower. And so he tooke me, and caryed me to hys house, where was one Dale a Promotor, whiche sayd to me: Alas good woman, wherfore be you here.

What is that to you, sayd I?

You be not ashamed, quoth Dale,MarginaliaDale a Promotor. to tell wherfore you came hether.

No, quoth I, that I am not: for it is for Christes Testament.

Christes Testament, quoth he? it is the Deuils Testament.

Oh Lorde, quoth I. God forbid that any man shoulde speake any such word.

Well, well, quoth he: you shall bee ordered well inough. You care not for burnyng, quoth he. By Gods bloud there must be some other meanes found for you.

What quoth I, will you finde any worse then you haue founde?

Well, quoth he, you hope and you hope: but your hope shall be a slope. For though the Queene fayle, she that you hope for, shall neuer come at it: MarginaliaMarke the hope of the Papistes.For there is my Lord Cardinals Grace, and many more, betwene her and it.

Then quoth I: my hope is in none but in God.

Then sayd Cluny: Come with me: and so went I to the Lollardes Tower. On the next day Darbyshyre sent for me agayne, and enquired agayne of those Citizens that he enquired of before.

I aunswered, I knew them not.

where were you, quoth he, at the communion on Sonday was fortenight?

And I sayd, in no place.

Then þ^e Cōstable of s. Brides being there made sute for me.