MarginaliaAnno. 1558.And thus the said Dabney takyng the occasion offered of God, beyng let out by the porter, escaped out of the Wolues mouth. The procession beyng done, when the Bishoppe returned home, Dabney was gone and could not be found. Wherupō much search was made, but especially Iohn Auales layd much priuy wayt for hym: Who after long searchyng, when he could not get hym, at length he receiued xv. crownes of his wife to let hym alone when hee should see hym: and so that good man escaped.

¶ Alexander Wimshurst.  

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This account first appeared in the Rerum (pp. 637-38). In it, Foxe described Wimshurst as an old friend of his.

MarginaliaAlexander Wymshurst a Minister, deliuered by Gods prouidence frō his enemies.A Like example of God almighties goodnes toward his afflicted seruauntes in that daungerous time of persecution may also appeare euidently in one Alexander Wymshurst a Priest, sometyme of Magdalene Colledge in Oxford, and then the Popes own knight, but since an earnest enemy to Antichrist, and a mā better instructed in the true feare of GOD. It happened that one had promoted hym to Boner for religion, vppon what occasion I do not vnderstand. Accordyng to the old maner in such cases prouided, he sent forth Robin Caly, otherwise called Robin Papist, one of hys whelpes, to bryng in the game, and to cause this seely poore man to appeare before him. Litle Robin lyke a proper mā, bestyrreth him in his busines, and smelleth him out, and when he had gotten him, MarginaliaWymshurst taken by Robin Caly.bryngeth hym a long by Chepeside, not sufferyng hym to talke with any of his acquaintaunce by the waie, though there were of his old frēds of Oxford that offered to speake vnto hym.

When they came into Paules, it happened this Alexander to espy Doct. Chadsey there walkyng vp and downe. To whom, because he was able in such a case to doe pleasure, and for that he had bene of his old acquaintaūce in Oxford, he was very desirous to speake to him ere he went through. Chadsey perceyuyng that Robin Calye did attend vpon hym, sayd that he durst not medle in the matter. Yes (sayth litle Robin) you maye talke with him if it please you, master Doctour. MarginaliaWymshurst talketh with D. Chadsey.To bee short, Alexander openeth his case, and in the end desireth for old acquaintaunce sake that he would finde meanes he might be rather brought before Doctour Martin to be examined, then any other. MarginaliaD. Chadsey a sure frend at neede.Nay saith he (alleagyng the wordes of Christ vnto Peter in the last chapter of S. Iohn:) You remember brother what is written in the Gospell: When thou wast young, thou diddest gird thy selfe, and wentest whether thou wouldest: but beyng aged, other men shall gird thee and lead thee whether thou wilt not, thus abusing the Scripture to his priuate meanyng: wheras notwithstandyng hee might easely haue accomplished so small a request, if it had liked him.

MarginaliaWymshurst brought to D. Story and D. Cooke, Commissioners.Thence was he caried to Story & Cooke Cōmissioners, there to learne what should become of him. Before thē he did vse him selfe boldly & stoutly, as they on the other side did vrge him with captious questiōs very cruelly. Whē they had bayted the poore mā theyr fil, they asked him where his whore was. She is not my whore (said he) but my lawfull wife. She is thy whore, said they. She is not my whore (said he agayne) but my wife, I tel you. So when they perceiued that he would not geue place vnto thē, nor attribute to them so much as they looked for at his hād, accordyng to the ordinary maner they commaunded hym to prison.MarginaliaWymshurst cōmaunded to prison. And now marke wel the prouidence of God in his preseruation.

Hee was broughth into Clunes house at Pater noster row, thence to be caried to Lollardes tower out of hand, but that Cluny (as it happened) his wife, and hys mayde were so earnestly occupied about present busines, that as then they had not laysure to locke vp their prisoner. In the hall where Alexander sat, was a straunge woman whose husband was then presently in trouble for religion, whiche perceiued by some one occasion or other that this man was brought in for the like cause. Alacke good man, sayth she: MarginaliaGood counsell sent of God.if you will, you maie escape the cruell handes of your enemyes, forasmuch as they be all away that should looke vnto you. God hath opened the way vnto you of deliueraunce, and therefore lose not the oportunitie thereof, if you be wise. MarginaliaA way made by Gods prouidēce to Alexander Wymshurst to escape.With those & such like wordes being then perswaded, he gat out of the doores, and went away, without any hast making at all: so that if any had followed, he might haue bene easely recouered agayne. But vndoubtedly it was Gods will that hee should so escape the furie of his aduersaries, and be preserued from all

daungers of death and imprisonment.

¶ Bosoms wife.  

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Bosome's wife also related a story to Foxe about the martyr Elizabeth Pepper (see 1563, p. 1734 and 1583, p. 2145). This would suggest that she was also Foxe's source for this anecdote.

MarginaliaBosoms wife.AS the workes of the Lord are not to bee kept secret, whatsoeuer the persons be in whom it pleaseth him to worke: so commeth to remembraunce the story of one Bosoms wife not vnworthy to be considered. This good woman being at Richmond with her mother, was greatly called vpon and vrged to come to church. At lēgth through importunate crying and calling vpon, she graunted vnto thē, and came. Being in the church, and sitting with her mother in the pue, contrary in all thinges to the doinges of the Papistes, she behaued her selfe:MarginaliaThe behauiour of Bosoms wife in the Church. to wit, when they kneeled she stoode, when they turned forward, she turned backward. &c.

This being notorious in the church, at length the Constable and Churchwarden named Saunders, attached her in the Queenes name, MarginaliaBosoms wife summoned to appeare at Kingston.charging her with her mother the next day to appeare at Kingston. Who at their commaundement so did.

The next day, according as they were assigned, they came to Kingstō to appeare before þ^e foresayd officers, who at the same time (as it chaūced) were going ouer the Fery, and meeting them by the way, saluted thē by their names, but at that tyme had no further power to speake vnto them. Afterward, as they were in the bote going ouer, they knockt their handes, stampt and stared, lamenting that they had let them so passe their handes.MarginaliaBosoms wife through Gods helpe escapeth. This the Ferymā declared vnto them, & what they said in the bote. Whereupon the good woman taking her iourney to London, escaped theyr crueltie, through þ^e secrete working (no doubt) of the Lord: who in all his workes and euermore be praysed, Amen.  

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In the 1563 edition (p. 1698) there was an anecdote here about the escape of John 'Moyse' (almost certainly John Noyes, see 1570, pp. 2217-19; 1576, pp. 1913-15 and 1583, pp. 2021-22) from the persecution of 'Master Nownd' (i.e., the Suffolk JP Francis Nunn). It was not reprinted, probably because Nunn, who was still alive, and very influential, objected to this account of his Marian past.

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¶ Lady Kneuet in Norfolke.  

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Lady Anne Knevet was an important sustainer and correspondent of several Marian martyrs, notably John Careless (see ECL MS 260, fos. 49r-50r and 227r-228r and ECL MS 262, fos. 105r-106v; also see Thomas S. Freeman, '"The Good Ministrye of Godlye and Vertuouse Women"', Journal of British Studies 39 [2000], p. 21 n. 60 and p. 29).

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MarginaliaThe Lady Anne Kneuet.AMong the number of the Godly that were kept vnder the prouidence of the Lord in those perillous dayes, I maie not forget an auncient good Lady of much worship, called Lady Anne Kneuet, who till her death dwelt in Norfolke, in a towne named Wimondham vj. myles from Norwich. Which sayd good Lady in Queene Maries dayes, being iudged by the cōmon people, more then an hundreth yeare of age, and by her owne estimation well towardes a C. kept her selfe from their Popish Church, or hauing an Papisticall trash ministred in her house, but only the seruice that was vsed in the latter dayes of kyng Edward the vi. which dayly she had sayd before her, either by one M. Tollin who was then by Gods prouidence preserued in her house, or els by one of her Gentlewomen or houshold seruaūtes, that could serue the place in the sayd M. Tollins absence.

Now, this worshipfull Lady continuing in this maner of true seruyng of God, she and her familie were many tymes threatned by messengers, MarginaliaLady Kneuet threatned by the Bishop.that the Byshop woulde visite her therefore. Vnto which messengers she would alwayes aūswere, that if his Lordship sent word before what daie hee would come, he should therafter be entertained at her hand. But God, whose prouidence ruleth the raging Seas, neuer suffered thē all that toyling time to molest her: Although oftentimes, when she had seruice before her, there were very great enemies to the truth and of much authoritie, that came in, and kneled to prayer amōg them, and yet had no power to trouble her therfore.

This good Lady (gētle reader) kept good hospitalitie, as any in that countrey, of her liuing. She also succoured many persecuted, that came to her house in the sayd Q. Maries dayes. Were they neuer so simple, they were estemed of her as the frendes of the Gospel, and departed not from her without money and meat. MarginaliaThe great age of the Lady Kneuet.Borne she was long before kyng Edward the fourth dyed, and ended her life in the Lord Iesus peace, about the begynning of the second yeare of our most soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabethes reigne, as one fallyng into a most sweete slepe.

Vnto whom not vnworthely maie be compared the good Lady Elizab. Vane,MarginaliaLady Elizab. Vane a great relieuer of Gods people. who likewise being a great harborer and supporter of the afflicted Martyrs and Cōfessors of Christ, was in great hassardes & daūgers of the enemies, & yet notwithstādyng, through the mercyfull prouidence of the Lord, remained still vntouched. Of this Lady Vane thou shalt read before pag. 1559.

FVrthermore, to both these maie also be associate an other gentlewomā, to make þ^e third, named Mistres