the Emperour in reuoking his fayth and doctrine of the Gospell wherein he stoode: For þ^e which he was deteyned from his wife and children, and bereiued of all hys goods, and caried about wyth the Emperour the space of fiue yeares. This admirable constancie of that duke was a wōder to all his aduersaries. At last, in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. through the benefite of almighty God, he was set agayne at libertie, & returning home to his wife & childrē, cōtinued in his religion till the houre of his death. Ex Ioan. Sled. lib. 19.

MarginaliaThe Lantgraue of Hesse. Much like was þ^e case also of Philip Lātgraue of Hesse, who likewise beyng takē and spoyled of the Emperour, cōtinued þ^e space of v. yeres in the cruel custodye of the Spanyardes, and albeit he had fined vnto the Emperour, and was promised to be set free out of prison. the Emperour and his counsaile dalying with their promise, expounded hys prisonment not to be perpetuall. And though great labour & intercession was made for him: yet all would not helpe. For when the Emperour sent him away, thē Mary the Emperours sister tooke him by the way, findyng cauillations agaynst him: whereby he was agayne cōmitted to the handes of Spanyardes, tyll at length, through the disposing of Gods mercy, first þ^e duke of Saxonie, and thē 6. dayes after, þ^e Lātgraue also, were both freed out of long captiuitie, and sent home. Ex Comment. Sled. lib. 19. 24.

les the Emperour sent word to Colē, that he should be deposed, which he paciently did suffer. In his roome was set Adolphus Earle of Schauuēburge. Ex Sled. lib. 18.

which he willingly did. Frō thence passing by Dornic (or Tornay) they helde on their iorney towarde England. But in the way Austen and his wife beyng knowen, were detected to the Lieuetenaunt of Dornic, who in all speedye hast folowyng after them, ouertooke them iiij. myles beyonde Dornic,

Augustine (how I cannot tell) escaped that tyme out of their handes, and could not bee found. The souldiours then laying handes vpō Nicolas and the ij. wemen, brought them backe agayne to Dornic. In returning by the way, when M. Nicolas at þ^e table gaue thankes (as the maner is of the faythfull) the wicked ruler scorning them, and MarginaliaBlasphemye of a Papist. swearing like a Tyrant, sayd: Now let vs see, thou lewed hereticke. Whether thy God can deliuer thee out of my hand. To whome Nicolas aunsweryng agayne modestly, asked what had Christ euer offended him, þ^t he with his blasphemous swearing did so teare hym in peeces, desiring him, that if he had any thyng agaynst Christ, rather he would wreke his anger vpō hys poore body, and let the Lord alone. Thus they being bound, handes & feete, were brought to Bergis, and there layd in the doungeon. Then Duke Ariscote, accompanied with a great nūber of priestes, and Franciscan Friers, and MarginaliaThe Fryers confounded. with a Doctour which was their warden, came to talke with them. Nicolas stādyng in the midest of them, beyng asked what he was, and whether he would: aunswered thē perfectly to all there questions, and moreouer so confoūded the Friers, that they went away ashamed, saying that he had a deuill, and crying: to the fire with hym Lutherane.

As they continued lookyng still for the day of their execution, it came in thee rulers myndes to aske of Nicolas in what house he was loged, when he came to Bergis. Nicolas sayd he had neuer bene there before, and therfore beyng a straunger he could not tell the name of the house. When Nicolas would confesse nothyng, Duke Ariscotus came to Barbara Nicholas his wife, to knowe where they were loged at Bergis, promising many fayre wordes of deliuery, if she would tell. Marginalia Barbara reuolted.
Gods punishment vpon persecutours. She beyng a weake and a timerous woman, vttered all. By the occasion whereof great persecution folowed, and many were apprehended. Where this is to be noted, that shortlye, euen vpon the same, the sōne of the sayd Duke Ariscotus, was slayne and buried the same day, when Augustinus was burned.MarginaliaNicholas condemned. To be shorte, Nicolas shortlye after was brought before the Iudges and there condemned to be burned to ashes. At which sentence geuing Nicholas blessed the Lord. Whiche had counted hym worthye to be a witnes in the cause of his deare and welbeloued sonne. Goyng to the place of execution, he was cōmaunded to speake nothyng to the people, or els hee shoulde haue a balle of wood thrust in hys mouth. Beyng at the stake and seyng a great multitude about him, forgettyng his silence promised, hee cried with a loude voyce: O Charles Charles, how long shall thy hart be hardened? and with that, one of þ^e souldiours gaue him a blow. Thē sayd Nicolas agayne: Ah miserable people, thou art not worthy to whom þ^e word of God shoulde be preached. And thus he spake as they were byndyng him to the stake. The Friers came out with their old song, crying. þ^t he had a diuile. To whome Nicolas spake the verse of the Psalme: Depart, from me all ye wicked, for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weapyng. And thus this holy martyr paciently takyng his death, cōmended vp his spirite vnto God in þ^e midest of þ^e fire. Ex Lud. Rab. Pantal. et aliis.

but a partaker. The sentence of her condemnation was this, that shee should be interred quicke. When she was MarginaliaMarion buryed quicke. let downe to the graue, kneeling vpon her