MarginaliaAn. 1558.Then the Priest looked on the other booke: What say ye to that Syr Rafe, is that as euill as the other? No sayde he, but it is not good that they should haue suche English bookes to looke on: for this and such others, may do much harme. MarginaliaSearch made for Hurst and his sister Alice.Then he asked the mother where her eldest sonne was, and her daughter Alyce? She aunswered, she could not tell: they were not with her of long tyme before. And he swore by Gods body, MarginaliaThe old mother threatened to go to Lancaster Castle.he would make her tell where they were, or hee would lay her in Lancaster dungeon, and yet he would haue, them, notwithstandyng too. To be short, MarginaliaHurstes mother and brother bound in a C. pound for his forth commyng.for feare he had hys brother Iohn Hurst and hys mother bound in a hundreth pound to bryng the parties before hym within xiiij. dayes, and so departed he, and the Priest put both the bookes in his bosome, and caried them away with hym Then Iohn Hurst went after them, desiryng that he might haue the booke whiche the Priest found no fault with: but he (said they) should aunswere to them both, and whiche so euer was the better, was not good.

As this past on, when the tyme was come that Ieffrey Hurst and his sister should be examined, the Iustice sent for them betymes in the mornyng, and had prepared a Masse to beginne withal, asking Ieffrey Hurst if he would first go and see his maker, MarginaliaMaster Lelondes maker.and then he would talke further with hym. MarginaliaTalke betwene Ieffrey Hurst and the Iustice.To whom then Ieffrey aunswered and sayd: Syr my Maker is in heauen, and I am assured in goyng to your Masse I shall finde no edification thereby, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst denieth to come to Masse.and therefore I pray you holde mee excused.

Well well, said he, I perceaue I shall find you an hereticke, by God: but I will go to Masse, and I will not lose it for all your pratling. Then into his Chappell hee went, and when Masse was done, MarginaliaExamination after Masse.hee sent for them, and caused his Priest to reade a scrole vnto them as concernyng the vij. Sacramentes, & euer as he spake of the body and bloud of Christ, he put of his cap, and said, loe ye may see: you wil deny these thyngs and care not for your Prince: but you shall feele it ere I haue done with you, & all the faculty of you, with other talke more betweene them, I know not what: MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst and Alice his sister, let go vnder suerties.but in the end they were licensed to depart vnder suerties to appeare againe before hym within three wekes, and then to goe to Lancaster. MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst by the death of Queene Mary, released.Howbeit in the meane while it so pleased God, that within foure daies of the day appointed, it was noysed that the Queene was dead, and within xiiij. dayes after, the sayd Ieffrey Hurst fette home hys two bookes, and nothyng was sayd vnto hym.

It followed after this that Gods word begonne to take place, and the Queenes visitors came doune into that Countrey, who did chuse fower men in the parish: to wit, Simond Smith, Ieffrey Hurst, Hēry Browne, George Eccersly, which fower were Protestantes, MarginaliaIeffrey Hurst in Q. Elizabethes time put in authoritie to see the proceedyng of Religion.to see the Queenes proceedinges to take place: which according to their power did the same, notwithstanding it did little preuaile: and therefore the sayd Ieffrey being sore greeued with the office, fell sicke, in which sicknes it pleased GOD to call him, making a very godly end, God haue the prayse for it.

MarginaliaTho. Lelond the Popish Iustice, would not come to the Church in Q. Elizabethes tyme, and yet continued Iustice still.Now to returne to the foresaied Thomas Lelond againe, he continuing in his office still, did very fewe tymes come to the Church, but saide he was aged and might not labour, and there kept with hym Syr Rafe Parkinson his Priest, whiche could (as it was saide) minister the Communion vnto the people, and sing Masse to his master: Yea and (as the fame reported) did a pretier feat then all that: MarginaliaA Catholicke father of the Popish church.for he begot twoo children by a seruaunt in the house, his maister knowyng it, and saiyng nothing, for that he would not loose his good Masse Priest.

MarginaliaNote a catholicke knaue of a Popish Iustice.Furthermore, this was noted in the same Iustice Lelondes behauiour at seruice tyme, that he had a litle dogge which he would play with all seruice tyme, and the same dogge had a coller full of Belles, so that the noyse of them did molest and trouble others as wel as himselfe, from hearing the seruice. Also in the same Iustice it was noted and obserued, that as he sat in his Chappell at seruice time, his maner was on a willow barke to knit knottes, for that he could not be suffered to haue his Beades, and to put the same vpon a string also. Witnes hereof Edward Hurst, with others.  

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This is a good example of a relative of a victim relating an incident of the Marian persecution to Foxe.

MarginaliaThe trouble and escape of Henry Brown out of his enemies handes.Furthermore, as concernyng Henry Browne one of the iiij. chosen men aboue mencioned, this is also to be added, that the said Henry Browne dwelling in the towne of Pinington in the same parishe, An. 1564. had a little boy, who as he was plaiyng in the towne, one

Glaues wife gaue vnto the boy a payre of beades made of wood, to play him withall. The little boy being glad thereof to haue suche a trimme thing, went home and shewed his father of them. His Father seyng the Beades, tooke them and burned them and when he had so done, went forthe and asked who had geuen vnto his little boy that payre of Beades.

That did I, said Glaues wife.MarginaliaGlaues wife maintayner of Popery, and persecutor.

Well said he, I haue burned them.

Hast thou so, said she? and thrust him frō her: They shalbe the dearest Beades that euer thou sawest, and incontinent went and complayned vnto the sayde Iustice, how Browne had burned her Beades.

This matter the Iustice tooke sore to snuffe, and was very angry, MarginaliaIustice Lelond writeth to the Constables to apprehēd Henry Browne.and did direct his letter vnto the constables of the same Towne, by his owne hand subscribed: the title of whiche superscription on the backe side was this: To the Constables of Pinington geue this.

MarginaliaHenry Brown troubled for burning of Beades in Q. Elizabethes tyme.This done the Constables accordyng to this their charge did bryng him afore the Iustice at time appointed, and when the Iustice came to talke with hym, hee was in such a chafe, that he called him theefe, and sayd that he had robbed his neighbour in burnyng of her beades, and that there was ringes and other Iuels on them, and that he might as well haue picked her purse: wherefore I will lay thee (saide he) in Lancaster for this geare.

Whilest they were thus talkyng, there came all his seruauntes about them from their woorke,MarginaliaLike master, like men. saiyng: is this M. Doctour Browne that will burne Beades? I pray you Syr, let vs haue hym here and preach. I will geue a quarters wages, saith one: and I will geue money saith an other, and he shalbe master Doctour: with much derision and scoffing at this poore man.

He hearing this, spake againe boldly, and said: did you send for me to make a laughing stocke of me? You be in office, and ought rather to come to Churche, and see suche Papistry abolished your selfe, then thus to trouble mee for doyng my duetie: but I tell you plainly, you do not come to church as you ought to doe, and wherfore with more thinges that I haue to charge you withall, I say you doe not well. When all this misdemeanour of the Iustice laide to his charge, would not preuaile, & also witnes came in of the Papistes, which did know the Beades, & testified that they were plaine and cost but a halfepeny, he then went into his Parlor in a chafe, MarginaliaA lamentable thing when such Iustices beare rule ouer Christian congregations.and one M. Erberston a Papist with hym: Which Erberston turned backe & said: is it you Henry Browne, that keepeth this sturre? you are one of them that pulled downe the Crosses in the church, and pulled doune the Roode seller, and al the Saints: you were best now to go paint a blacke Deuill, and set him vp and worship hym, for that will serue well for your religion. MarginaliaHenry Brown vnder suerties dismissed for a tyme.And thus vnder suertiship hee did depart till Iuly followyng, and then he said he should go to Lancaster to prison, and so came he away.

The time drew on that he should appeare, but God staied the matter, MarginaliaThe punishmēt of Gods stroke vpon an obstinate persecutor.and in Iuly, as þ^e foresaid Thomas Lelond satte in his chayre talking with his frendes, he fell doune sodeinly dead, not muche mouing any ioint: And thus was his end: from such God vs defend.

¶ William Wood of Kent.  

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This account of the examinations of William Wood was apparently sent to Foxe by Wood himself (see 1583, p. 2146).

MarginaliaExamination of W. Wood.THe examination of William Wood Baker, dwellyng in the Parishe of Strowd, in the County of Kent, before Doct. Kenall Chauncellor of the dioces of Rochester, Doct. Chadsey, the Maior of Rochester, & M. Robinson the Scribe, the xix. day of October, and in the second yeare of Queene Mary, in S. Nicolas Church in Rochester.

M. Robinson. MarginaliaW. Wood charged for not comming to church.William Wood, you are presented because you will not come to the Church, nor receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar. How saye you? haue you receiued, or haue you not?

Wood. I haue not receiued it, nor I dare not receiue it, as you do now minister it.

Kenall. Thou Hereticke, what is the cause that thou hast not receiued the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar? and at this woord all they put of their caps, and made low beysaunce.

Wood. Marginalia3. causes why W. Wood durst not receaue the Sacrament of the altar.There be three causes that make my conscience afeard that I dare not receaue it. The 1: Christ did deliuer it to his xij. Apostles, & said: Take, eate: And drinke yea all of this. &c. and you eate and drinke vp all alone. The 2. cause is: you hold it vp to be worshipped, contrary to Gods commaundements: Thou shalt not bow