MarginaliaAnno. 1558.Roberts, yet liuing and dwelling (as I vnderstand) in the towne of Haukhurst in Sussex. MarginaliaThe Miraculous deliueraunce of Mistres Roberts.  

MarginaliaThis Gentlewoman was a great succourer of the persecuted that came to her house, and specially of good Woodmā, whom ye heard of before, and to whom he wrote a letter, pag. 1893.She being earnestly addicted to the truth of Christes Gospel, and no lesse constant in that whiche she had learned therein, so kept her self during al the brunt of Q. Maries time, that she neuer came to their Popish seruice, nor would pollute her conscience with hearyng their Idolatrous Masse. There dwelt the same tyme not far of, a Iustice called Syr Iohn Gilford,MarginaliaSyr Ion Gilford a troubler of Mistres Roberts. who beyng as feruent on the contrary side, to set forwarde the procedinges of Queene Mary, thought to proue masteries with this gentlewoman, in forcyng her to the Churche. And first sendyng his wife, he attempted her by faire words & gentle persuasions, to conforme her self to the princes lawes, and to come as other Christen people did, to the Church. Notwithstanding she constantly persisting in the sinceritie of the truth, would by no persuasions be wonne to do therin against her conscience: and so kept at home a certeine space, till againe the second tyme, M. Gilforde thinking not to geue her ouer so, sent his officers & seruauntes to her, by force and power to hale her out of her house to the Church, and so did. Where by the way she for griefe of conscience swounded, and so of necessitie was brought home again: and falling into an ague, was for that tyme dispensed withall.

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The third tyme yet the vnquiet spirite of M. Gilford beyng not content, after the tyme that she recouered health againe, would nedes come his owne person to compell her, wild she nild she, to come to Church. But (as the Prouerbe goeth) who can let, that GOD would haue done? MarginaliaSyr Iohn Gilford stopped of his purpose, by gods working.For when M. Gilford had purposed as pleased him, the Lord so disposed for his seruaūt that as the said M. Gilford was cōming vp the staires toward her chamber, sodeinly his old disease the goute so tooke him & terribly tormented him, that he could go no farther: And so he that purposed to cary her to the Church against her will, was fayne him selfe to be caried home to his house to his payne, protestyng and swearyng that he would neuer from hence forth trouble that Gentleman more, and no more he did.

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MarginaliaMistres Anne Lacy.IN this number of good gētlewomen beyng in trouble and daunger for Gods word, is not to bee omitted the memory of one Mistres Anne Lacy widow in Nottingham shyre, who was in great daunger in Q. Maries tyme, in so muche that the Processe was forth against her, and she ready to haue bene apprehended, beyng so neerely pursued, that she was driuen to hide her Bible and other bookes in a dunghill. M. Lacy her brother was then Iustice of peace: but to whom (as I haue heard) she was but smally beholden. Neuertheles where kindred faileth, yet Gods grace neuer faileth such as sticke to hym: for in this meane tyme, as the processe came out against her, Queene Mary dyed, and so she escaped.

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MarginaliaCrosmans wife.ONe Crosmans wife of Tibnam longrow in Norffolke, in Q. Maries tyme, for not goyng to Church, was sought for at her house by one BarbourMarginaliaBarbour of Tibnam Constable, persecutour. of the sayd towne, then Constable of the hundreth: who when hee came to her house, she beyng at home with a child suckyng in her armes, stept into a corner on the one side of the chimney & they seeking the chābers, the child neuer cried (although before they came, it did) as long as they were there, MarginaliaExample of Gods gratious prouidence.& so by this meanes the Lord preserued her.

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MarginaliaThe story of a congregation at Stoke in Suffolke.THere were some likewise whiche auoyded the violent rage of the aduersaries by meanes onely of their number, and mutuall concord in godlines, wherin they did so hold together that without much adoe none wel could be troubled: Wherof we haue example in a certayne towne of Suffolke called Stoke. After the three sharpe yeares of Q. Maries persecution beeyng paste, yet notwithstandyng the inhabitauntes of the towne aforesaid specially the women, came not to their church to receaue after the Popishe maner, the Sacrament. Who, if thei had bene but few, thei could by no means haue escaped imprisonment. But because there were so many, the Papistes thought it not best to lay hands vpon them. Onely they appointed them xvi. dayes respite after Easter, wherein as many as would, should receaue the Sacrament: those that would not, should stand to the perill that would follow. Of this company

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which were many, geuyng their handes together, the chiefest doers were these.MarginaliaConfessors.

Eaue, an old woman of three score yeares. Alice Coker her daughter. Elizabeth Foxe. Agnes Cuttyng. Alice Spenser.

Henry Cauker. Ioane Fouke. Agnes Spauldyng. Iohn Steyre, and his brother. Iohn Foxe.

These, after the order was taken for their not commyng to the Churche, tooke aduisement among themselues what was best to be done, and at length concluded by promise one to an other, that they would not receiue at all. Yet some of them afterward being persuaded with faire promises that the Cōmunion should be ministred vnto them accordyng to kyng Edwardes booke, gat them vnto the Parish Priest (whose name was CotesMarginaliaCotes Parishe priest at Stoke.) and asked hym after which sort he woulde minister the Sacrament. He aunswered to such as hee fauoured, that he would geue it after the right sort: the rest should haue it after the Papisticall maner.

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MarginaliaIohn Steyre and Iohn Foxe reuolted.To bee short, none did communicate so, but onely Iohn Steyre and Iohn Foxe: of which the one gaue his wiue leaue to doe as she thought beste. The other went about with threates to compell his wife, saiyng that otherwise he would diuorce hym self from her. As for the rest, they did withdraw themselues from church, resortyng to their wonted company. Onely Foxes wife taryed still at home, all in her dumpes and heauines, whose huseband practised with the Curate in the meane tyme, that the next day after he should geue her the sacrament, which was the xvij. day after Easter. But the very same day, vnknowyng vnto her housband, she gat her selfe secretly to her company, and with teares declared howe violently her housband had delt with her.MarginaliaThe Christian constancy of Elizabeth Foxe. The other women bad her notwithstandyng to be of a good cheare, and said that they would make their earnest prayers vnto the Lorde, both for her and her husband, and in deede when they had so done, the matter tooke very good successe. MarginaliaThe effect of christian praier.For the next day after, goodman Foxe came of his owne accord vnto them, a farre other man then he was before, MarginaliaIohn Foxe recouered agayne to the truth by prayer.and bewailed his owne headines and rashnes, praiyng them that they woulde forgeue him, promising euer after to be more strong in faith, to the great reioysing both of them and his wife.

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About halfe a yeare after this, the Bishop of Norwich sendeth forth certaine of his Officers or Apparitours thether, which gaue them warnyng euery one to come to the church the next sonday followyng. MarginaliaThe women of Stoke summoned by the Bishop.If they would not come, they should appeare before the Commissary out of hand, to render accompt of their absence. But the women hauyng secret knowledge of this before, kept themselues out of the way for the nonce, to auoyde che summons or warnyng. Therefore when they were not at the churche at the day appointed, the Commissary did first suspend them accordyng to the Bishop of Romes lawe, and within three weekes after did excommunicate them. MarginaliaHow the women of Stoke escaped.Therefore when they perceiued that an Officer of the Towne was set to take some of them, they conueiyng them selues priuily out of the towne, escaped all daunger.

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MarginaliaThe preseruation of the congregation at London.NO lesse marueilous was the preseruation of the congregation in London, which from the first beginnyng of Q. Mary, to the latter ende thereof, continued, notwithstandyng what soeur the malice, deuise, searching and inquisition of men, or streitnes of lawes could worke to the contrary. Suche was the mercifull hand of the Lorde, accordyng to his accustomed goodnes, euer working w^t his people. Of this great boūtiful goodnes of the Lord, many and great examples appeared in the congregation which now I speake of. How oft, and in what great daungers did he deliuer them?

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MarginaliaThe congregation at Master Cardens house.First at the Blacke Friers, when they should haue resorted to Syr Thomas Cardens house, priuy watch was layd for them, but yet through the Lordes vigilant prouidence the mischiefe was preuented, and they deliuered.

MarginaliaThe congregation againe deliuered.Againe, how narrowly did they escape about Algate where spies were laid for them, and had not Thomas Simson  

the Deacon espied them, & bid them disperse themselues away, they had bene taken. For within two houres the Constable commyng to the house after they were gone, demaunded of the wife what company had bene there. To whom she to excuse the matter, made aunswere againe, saiyng that halfe a dosen good fel-

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