1583 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1516 
Close(1538? - 1591)
Diplomat and son of John Rogers [DNB]
Daniel found his father's account of his examinations and other writings hidden in his father's cell. 1570, p. 1663; 1576, p. 1419; 1583, p. 1492.
CloseSheriff of London (1554 - 1555) (DNB, sub 'Sir William Chester').
Together with fellow sheriff Sir William Chester, David Woodruff escorted John Rogers and John Hooper to and from various prisons during their trials and condemnations. 1563, pp. 1030 and 1056-57; 1570, pp. 1662 and 1679-80; 1576, pp. 1418 and 1433-34; 1583, pp. 1489 and 1507.
After Rogers and Hooper were degraded, they were delivered to the custody of Chester and Woodruff. 1563, p. 1058; 1570, p. 1681; 1576, p. 1435; 1583, p. 1508.
Chester and Woodruff also conveyed John Rogers to Smithfield. 1563, p. 1076; 1570, p. 1663; 1576, p. 1419; 1583, p. 1492.
Woodruff urged John Rogers, at his execution, to recant his 'abhominable doctrine'. 1570, p. 1664; 1576, pp. 1419-20; 1583, p. 1493.
Together with William Chester, he took custody of Stephen Knight, John Laurence and William Pygot and delivered them to Newgate. 1563, p. 1112; 1570, p. 1721; 1576, p. 1469; 1583, p. 1543.
Bradford was handed over to the sheriff of London [Chester or Woodruff] and taken to the Clink. He was then taken to the Counter in the Poultry, and it was intended that he be handed to the earl of Derby and burned in Manchester, but these original plans were altered and he was burned in London. 1563, p. 1199, 1570, pp. 1789-90, 1576, p. 1528,1583, p. 1611.
[Back to Top]Woodruff taunted Bradford at his burning and ordered Bradford's hands to be tied when he would not cease praying. 1563, p. 1215, 1570, p. 1804 [with cross-ref to p. 1664], 1576, p. 1540, 1583, p. 1624.
He called John Rogers a heretic at his burning and said that he would never pray for him, although Rogers prayed for the sheriff. 1563, p. 1215, 1576, p. 1540, 1583, p. 1624.
In 1555 he was sheriff with William Chester. Chester would weep at the death of the martyrs, whereas Woodruff would laugh. Chester was kind, whereas Woodruff would beat the condemned. 1563, p. 1215, 1570, p. 1804, 1576, p. 1540, 1583, p. 1624.
When Woodruff went home after the burning of John Bradford, he became paralysed in his legs and arms. 1563, p. 1215, 1570, pp. 1804-05, 1576, p. 1540, 1583, p. 1624.
Denley, Newman and Packingham were handed over to the sheriffs of London to be kept until commanded by writ to be sent to their places of execution. 1563, p. 1249, 1570, p. 1867, 1576, p. 1572, 1583, p. 1685.
Along with Bonner, Woodruff cried for Robert Smith to be taken away at his last examination. 1563, p. 1259, 1570, p. 1874, 1576, p. 1605, 1583, p. 1694.
David Woodruff insisted that Carman's head be broken for getting his cart in the way when Woodruff's children were being brought to him. 1563, p. 1704, 1570, p. 2299, 1576, p. 1991, 1583, p. 2010.
Woodruff was afflicted with a deadening of one side, which stayed with him for seven or eight years until he died. 1563, p. 1704, 1570, p. 2299, 1576, p. 1991, 1583, p. 2010.
[For further evidence of Woodruff's catholic sympathies, see Brigden, London, p. 554].
[Foxe also refers to him by the variants: 'Woodriff', 'Woodrofe', 'Wodroffe' and 'Wodriffe'.]
Close(1522 - 1584)
Printer. Of London. [See Elizabeth Evenden, 'Patents and Patronage: The Life and Career of John Day, Tudor Printer', (unpublished PhD thesis, York University, 2002).]
John Day was imprisoned in Mary's reign for religion. John Rogers predicted to Day, when they were both in prison, that the gospel would be restored to England. 1563, p. 1037; 1570, p. 1663; 1576, p. 1419; 1583, p. 1492.
William Cooke was sent to prison for persuading John Day to print Gardiner's De Vera Obedientia. 1563, p. 1681.
Drainer went to see the printer John Day and verbally attacked him for his portrayal in Foxe's work. Day derided him by calling him Justice Nine Holes and saying that he knew that Drainer had denied his real reason for drilling the holes. Drainer was alleged to have claimed in Cheapside to have drilled the holes to look on women. Drainer denied drilling all the holes and said that the parson drilled some also. . 1563, p. 1730, 1576, p. 2002, 1583, p. 2113.
[Back to Top]John Peter said on many occasions that if things were not true God should let him rot. He died of a disease that caused his body to rot. John Day the printer was witness to this. 1570, p. 2300, 1576, p. 1992, 1583, p. 2101.
CloseWife of the Keeper of Newgate prison
She woke John Rogers on the morning of his execution. 1563, p. 1036; 1570, p. 1663; 1576, p. 1419; 1583, p. 1492.
Close(1509? - 1595?)
Draper. Lord mayor, alderman and merchant of London. (DNB)
Sheriff with David Woodruff in 1555.
Together with his fellow sheriff David Woodruff, Chester escorted John Rogers and John Hooper to and from various prisons during the process of their trials and condemnations. 1563, pp. 1030 and 1056-57; 1570, pp. 1662 and 1679-80; 1576, p. 1418 and 1433-34; 1583, pp. 1489 and 1507. After Hooper and Rogers were degraded they were delivered to the custody of Chester and Woodruff. 1563, p. 1058; 1570, p.1681; 1576, p. 1435; 1583, p. 1508. He and Woodruff also conveyed John Rogers to Smithfield. 1563, p. 1036; 1570, p. 1663; 1576, p. 1419; 1583, p. 1492.
[Back to Top]Chester escorted Rowland Taylor out of London on the first leg of Taylor's journey to Hadleigh for execution. Chester gave Taylor permission to speak with his wife and daughters and wept as Taylor said farewell to them. He 'gently' refused to let Taylor's wife speak further with her husband while Taylor was being detained in an inn, awaiting the arrival of the sheriff of Essex. Chester provided Margaret Taylor with an escort to her mother's house. 1563, p. 1076; 1570, p. 1700; 1576, pp. 1451-52; 1583, p. 1525.
[Back to Top]Together with David Woodruff, he took custody of Stephen Knight, John Laurence and William Pygot and delivered them to Newgate. 1563, p. 1112; 1570, p. 1721; 1576, p. 1469; 1583, p. 1543.
On 30 May 1555, John Cardmaker and John Warne were committed to Chester and Woodruff's custody for execution. At the stake, Chester and Woodruff called Cardmaker aside and talked with him secretly for a long time. 1563, p. 1142; 1570, p. 1751; 1576, pp. 1496-97; 1583, p. 1579.
Bradford was handed over to the sheriff of London [Chester or Woodruff] and taken to the Clink. He was then taken to the Counter in the Poultry, and it was intended that he be handed to the earl of Derby and burned in Manchester, but these original plans are altered and he was burned in London. 1563, p. 1199, 1570, pp. 1789-90, 1576, p. 1528,1583, p. 1611.
[Back to Top]Chester would weep at the death of the martyrs, whereas Woodruff would laugh. Chester was kind, whereas Woodruff would beat the condemned. 1563, p. 1215, 1570, p. 1804, 1576, p. 1540, 1583, p. 1624.
In a letter to Augustine Bernher, Bradford asked Bernher to ask Mrs Pierrpoint to ask Sheriff Chester what was planned for him. 1570, p. 1837, 1576, p. 1598, 1583, p. 1654.
Denley, Newman and Packingham were handed over to the sheriffs of London to be kept until commanded by writ to be sent to their places of execution. 1563, p. 1249, 1570, p. 1867, 1576, p. 1572, 1583, p. 1685.
William Chester was persecuted during Mary's reign for his protestant beliefs. 1563, p. 1737.
MarginaliaAnn. 1554. February.If God looke not mercifully
CloseThese two paragraphs are the only portions of Rogers's two points which are printed in the 1570 and 1576 editions. These paragraphs are printed twice in the 1583 edition because Foxe simply reinserted the text of the two points, from the 1563 edition, into the version of Roger's martyrdom printed in the 1570 and 1576 editions. When he did this, he neglected to remove the redundant paragraphs which had formed an abstract of the points in the second and third editions, from the 1583edition.
[Back to Top]Spite of Nabuchodonosors beard, and maugre his heart, the captiue, thrall and miserable Iewes must come home agayne, and haue their Citie and temple builded vp agayne by Zorobabell, Esdras, and Nehemias, &c. And the whole Kingdome of Babylon must go to ruine, and be taken in of straunges, the Persians and the Medes. So shall the disperpled English flocke of Christ be brought againe into theyr former estate, or to a better I trust in the Lorde God, than it was in innocent Kyng Edwardes dayes, and our bloudy Babylonicall Byshops, and the whole crowneshorne companye brought to vtter shame, rebuke, ruyne, decaye, and destruction: for God can not, and vndoubtedly wyll not suffer for euer theyr abhominable lying false doctrine, theyr hypocrisie, bloudthrist, whoredome, idlenesse, theyr pestilent lyfe pampored in all kynde of pleasure, theyr thrasonicall boasting, pryde, theyr malicious, enuious, and poysoned stomackes, which they beare towardes hys poore and miserable Christians. Peter truely warneth, that if iudgemente begynneth at the house of God, what shall be the ende of them that beleeue not the Gospell? If the righteous shall scant be saued, where shall the vngodly and sinfull appeare? Some shall haue theyr punishmente heere in thys worlde, and in the worlde to come, and they that doo escape in thys worlde, shall not escape euerlastyng damnation. Thys shall bee youre sauce, O yee wicked papistes, make yee merry heere as long as yee may.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaFebr. 4.
CloseThe following notice is taken of Rogers' martyrdom by the French ambassador, Noailles, a zealous papist: "This day was performed la confirmation de l'alliance between the pope and this kingdom, by a public and solemn sacrifice of a preaching doctor named Rogerus, who has been burnt alive for being a Lutheran; but he died persisting in his opinion. At this conduct the greatest part of the people took such pleasure, that they were not afraid to make him many acclamations to strengthen his courage. Even his children assisted at it, comforting him in such a manner, that it seemed as if he had been led to a wedding." (Noailles' Lett. Feb. 4, 1555.)
[Back to Top]
CloseA common practice; see Hooper's case, and Taylor's, with Foxe's remarks there.
Briefly and in few wordes to comprehend the whole order of his lyfe, doynges, and Martyrdome, first this godly M. Rogers was committed to prison (as is abouesayd) & there continued a yeare and halfe.
CloseThe edition of 1563, p. 1036, here says: "This Rogers was first committed to pryson An. 1553, in the moneth of August, and there continued a xii. moneth and a halfe."
CloseThis story of how Rogers's writings were discovered first appears in the 1570 edition. Daniel Rogers himself may have been Foxe's source for this story; he was on very friendly terms with the martyrologist when he was an adult (see Bl, Harley 417, fos. 104r and 117r).
dy to go away, it chaunced her sonne aforenamed, casting his eye aside to spy a blacke thing (for it had a blacke couer belike because it shuld not be known) lying in a blind corner vnder a payre of stayres. Who willing his mother to see what it was, found it to be the booke written with his own hand, contayning these his examinatiōs & answers with other matter aboue specified. In the latter end where of this also was conteyned, which because it concerneth a Propheticall forewarning of thinges pertayning to the Church I thought to place the same his woordes, as they be there written, which are these. If God looke not mercifully vppon Englande, the seedes of vtter destruction are sowne in it already, by these hipocritical tyrauntes, & Antichristian Prelates, Popish Papists, and double traytors to their naturall country. And yet they speake of mercy, of blessing, of the Catholicke Churche, of vnitie, of power, & strengthning of the realm. MarginaliaM. Rogers seemeth to prophesie here of England, and that truely.This double dissimulation will shewe it selfe one daye when the plague commeth, whiche will vndoubtedly light vppon these crowneshorne Captaines, and that shortly, whatsoeuer the godly and þe poore realme suffer in the meane while by Gods sufferaunce and will.
[Back to Top]Spite of Nabuchodonozers beard, and maugre hys hart, þe captiue, thral & miserable Iewes must come home agayne, and haue their Citie and temple builded vp again by Zorobabell Esdras, & Nehemias, &c. And the whole kingdome of Babilon must goe to ruine and be taken of straungers, the Persians and Medes. MarginaliaHe meaneth here of the returne of the exiles into England.So shal þe disperckled english flock of Christ be brought agayn into their former estate, or to a better I trust in the Lorde God, then it was in innocent king Edwardes dayes, and our bloudye Babilonicall Bishops, and the whole crowneshorn company, brought to utter shame: rebuke, ruine, decay and destruction, for God cannot and vndoubtedly will not suffer for euer theyr abhominable lying, false doctrine, their hipocrisie, bloudthirst, whoredome, idlenes, their pestilent life pampred in all kinde of pleasure: their thrasonicall boasting, pride, their malicious, enuious, and poysoned stomackes which they beare towardes his poore and miserable Christians. Peter truely warneth that if iudgement beginneth in the house of God, what shal be the end of them that beleeue not the Gospell? If the righteous shall scant bee saued, where shall the vngodly and sinfull appeare? Marginalia1. Pet. 4.Some shall haue their punishment here in this world and in the worlde to come, and they that doe escape in this worlde, shall not escape euerlasting damnation. This shall be your sauce O ye wicked Papistes, make yee merye here as long as ye may.
[Back to Top]Furthermore, amongest other his wordes & sayinges, which may seeme prophetically to be spoken of hym, thys also may be added, and is notoriously to be marked, that he spake being then in prison, to the Printer of this presente booke,
CloseJohn Daye, who may be called the printer of the English Reformation. In the reign of Edward VI. he printed many writings of the Reformers.
MarginaliaA note touching Priestes cappes.Ouer and besides diuers other thinges touching M. Rogers,
CloseThis anecdote first appears in the appendix to the 1563 edition, which means that Foxe learned of it while that edition was being printed.