more groundly instrusted, returned agayne to the Citie of Gaunt, where all hys neighbours first beganne to maruell at the sodaine chaunge of this mā. The Franciscanes, which knew hym before so beneficiall vnto them, now seeing hym so altered from their wayes and superstition, and seeing hym to visite the captiues in prison, to comfort them in persecution, and to confirm them in the word of God which went to the fire, cōspired agaynst him: wherby he was detected and layde in bandes. After that, with sharpe & greuous tormentes they would haue constreined him to vtter other of the same Religion. To whome thus hee aunswered, that if they could proue by the Scripture, that his detectyng and accusing of hys brethren, whom they woulde afflicte with the like tormentes, were not agaynst the secōd Table of Gods lawe, then he woulde not refuse to preferre the honour of God before the safegard of his brethren. Then the Friers examined him in þ^e Sacrament, asking him why he was so earnest, to haue it in both kyndes, seyng (sayd they) it is but a naked Sacrament, as you say. To whom he aunswered, that the elementes thereof were naked, but the Sacrament was not naked, for so much as the sayd elementes of bread and wyne, beyng receaued after the institution of Christ, do now make a Sacramēt, and a misticall representation of the Lordes body, cōmunicatyng him selfe with our soules. And as touchyng the receauyng in both kyndes, because it is þ^e institution of the Lorde, who is he (sayd Martin) that dare alter the same? Then was he brought before the counsaile of Flaunders. The causes layd agaynst hym, were the Sacrament, Purgatory, & prayng for the dead: for the which he was condemned & burned at Gaunt, in Verle place, all his goods beyng confiscate, As he stode at the stake, a Fraunciscane Frier sayd to him: Martin, vnles thou doest turne, thou shalt go from this fire, to euerlastyng fire. It is not in you, sayd Martine agayn, to iudge. For this the Friers after were so hated, that many bylles and rimes were set forth in diuers places agaynst them. Ex Pantal.

fayth in Christ, all the other marchaundise of the Pope, which he vseth to sell to the people for money was needles. First Mary beyng the younger, was put to the fire, where she prayed ardently for her enemyes, commending her soule to God. At whose constancie the Iudges did greatly maruell.

Then they exhorted Vrsula to turne, or if shee would not, at least that she would require to be headed. To whom she said, that shee was giltie of no errour, nor defended any thyng, but which was consonant to the scripture, in which she trusted to perseuere vnto the end. And as touchyng the kynd of punishment, she sayd, she feared not the fire, but ra

ther would folow the example of her deare sister, þ^t went before. MarginaliaA miraculous worke of God in the dead bodyes of these two vyrgines. This was meruelous, that the executioners coulde in no wise consume their bodyes with fire, but left thē whole lying vpon the ground whyte: which certeine good Christians priuyly tooke vp in the nyght and buryed. Thus God many tymes sheweth his power in the middest of tribulations. Ex Lud. Rab. Pantal. &c.

ther and sister and younger brother, by diligent instruction, brought them to the right knowledge of Gods Gospel,MarginaliaFraunces & Nicholas constant in Christ. which being not vnknowen to the person there of S. Catherine, he called to hym Doctor Rupert Tapert and other Maisters and Fryers, who takyng counsaile together, with William Clericken the head Magistrate of the towne of Mechlin, agreed that þ^e mother with her iiij. childrē should be sent to prison, separated on from an other: where great labour was employed to reclaime them home vnto their church, þ^t is, frō light to darkenes againe. The ij. yoūger, to wit, þ^e daughter w^t the yoūger brother, being yet not setled, neither in yeares nor doctrine, something inclined to them, & were deliuered. The mother which would not consent, was condēned to perpetuall prison. The other two, Fraunces and Nicolas, standyng firmely to their confession, defended that the Catholicke Churche was not the Church of Rome: that the Sacrament was to bee ministred in both kindes: that auricular confession was to no purpose: that Inuocatiō of Saintes was to be left: that there was no Purgatory. The Friers they called hypocrites, & contemned their threatnynges. The Magistrates after disputations, fell to tormentes, to knowe of thē who was their master, & what felowes they had. Their maister (they sayd) was Christ, whiche bare his Crosse before. Felowes (they saide) they had innumerable, dispersed in all places. At last they were brought to the Iudges: their Articles were read, and they condēned to be burned. Commyng to the place of execution, as they began to exhort the people, gagges or balles of wood were thrust in their mouthes, which they through vehemencie of speaking thrust oute agayne, desiring for the lordes sake, that they might haue leaue to speake. And so singing with a loude voyce, Credo in vnum Deum, &c. they went, & were fastened to the stake, praying for their persecutours, and exhortyng the one the other, they dyd abyde the fire paciently. The one feelyng the flame to come to his beard: Ah (sayd he) what a small paine is this, to be compared to the glory to come? Thus the pacient Martyrs committyng their spirite to þ^e hands of God, to the great admiration of the lookers on, through constancie, atchiued the crowne of martyrdome. Ex Phil. Melanct.