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Rowland Taylor was bred in Cambridge, became Dr. of Lawes, and Rector of Hadley in this County. He was a proper and comely person, a great Scholar, pain∣ful Preacher, charitable to the Poor, and cheerful in his Behaviour. The same Devotion had different looks
in several Martyrs, frowning in stern Hooper, weeping in meek Bradford, and smiling constantly in pleasant Taylor. Indeed some have censured his merry conceits as trespassing on the gravity of his calling, especially when just before death. But sure such Romanists who admire the temper of Sir Thomas More, jesting with the Axe of the Executioner will excuse our Taylor, for making himself merry with the Stake. But though it be ill jesting with edged Tools (whereof death is the sharpest) yet since our Saviour hath blunted it, his Ser∣vants may rather be delighted then dismayed with it. Not long after, Dr. Taylor set Arch-Bishop Cranmer (his Patron) a Copy of Patience, who indeed wrote af∣ter it, but not with so steady a hand, and so even a Character of Constancy. Taylor was Martyred at Had∣ley, Feb. 9. 1555.
Rob. Samuel, Minister of Barfold in this County, was tortured in Prison by the cruelty of Hopton Bishop of Norwich, and Downing his Chancellour, who allowed him every day but three Mouthfuls of Bread, and three Spoonfuls of Water. Fain would he have drunk his own Urine, but his Thirst-parched Body afforded none. I read how he saw a Vision of one all in White, com∣forting and telling him, that after that day, he never should be hungry or thirsty, which came to pass accord∣ingly, being within few hours after Martyred at Ips∣wich, August 31. 1555. There was a Report that his Body when burnt, did shine as bright as burnished Sil∣ver. Some may possibly impute his Vision, and this Appearance, the first to his own, and the latter to the Beholders Imaginations, or both to the forgery of those who were more remote and unconcerned. If to Ima∣gination; it is a plain Concession of the matter of Fact in both, and consequently, a granting of all such things which can be reasonably proved therein. The Argu∣ment I shall use to prove that his Vision was superna∣tural, shall be drawn from the Absurdity of the contra∣ry
Opinion; For since Samuel was reduced (as afore∣said) to extream weakness, his Body being parched, his Humours fixed, and his Spirits exhausted, it is im∣possible that his languishing Phantasie should either produce or receive so bright an Idaea, without the su∣pernatural Assistance of Divine Power. As for the appearance of his Body when burnt; I will suppose, (salvo jure Omnipotentiae,) that some good Christians who beheld his last Suffering, did by an Heroick act of Faith, antedate the glorious State of a Future Re∣surrection: And as Seaware or mud is sometimes found in the Net, or on the Line, after the Fish is catch'd, so they, having stretched out the hand of Faith for ap∣prehending of a Christian verity, might together with the same, receive an erroneous imagination, upon the (then) present occasion. After all, if both instances be charged with subsequent Forgery, as to the matter of Fact, I shall not insist any longer on them, as not being so proveable by others as they are probable in them∣selves.