Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶ Laurence Ghest.

* 1.1LAmentable it is to remember, & a thing almost infinite to comprehend the names, times, and persons of al thē which haue bene slaine by the rigour of the Popes Clear∣gie, for the true mainteining of Christes cause and of hys Sacraments. Whose memory being registred in the booke of life, albeit it neede not the cōmemoration of our stories, yet for the more confirmation of the Church, I thought it not unprofitable, the suffering and Martyrdome of them to be notified, which innocently haue geuen their bloud to be shed in Christes quarell.

In the Cathalogue of whom next in order cōmeth the memoriall of Laurence Ghest, who was burned in Salis∣bury for matter of the Sacrament, in the dayes of K. Den¦ry the 7. he was of a comely & tall personage, & otherwise (as appeareth) not vnfronded, for the which the Byshop & the close were the more lothe to burne him:* 1.2 but kept him in prison the space of ij. yeares. This Laurence had a wife and vij. children. Wherfore they thinkyng to expugne and perswade his mynde by y^e stirring his fatherly affectiō to∣ward his childrē, when the time came which they appoin∣ted for his burning,* 1.3 as he was at y^e stake, they brought be∣fore him his wife and his foresayd vij. children. At the sight wherof, although nature is cōmonly wont to worke in o∣ther, yet in him religiō ouercōming nature, made his con∣stancie to remaine vnmoueable: in such forte as when his wife began to exhort & desire him to fauour himselfe, he a∣gayn desired her to be cōtēt, & not to be a block to his way, for he was in a good course, runnyng toward the marke of his saluatiō:* 1.4 & so fire beyng put to him, he finished his life, renouncing not onely wife & children, but also him selfe to follow Christ. As he was in burning, one of the Byshops men threw a firebrand at his face: Whereat the brother of Laurence standing by, ranne at him with his dagger, and would haue slayne him, had he not bene otherwise stayd.

Testified & witnessed by the credible report of one Wil∣liā Russell an aged mā dwelling of late in Colmanstreet,* 1.5 who was there present the same tyme at the burnyng of Laurence, & was also himselfe burned in the cheke, & one of the persecuted flocke in those dayes, whose daughter is yet liuing: The same is confirmed also with the testimony of one Richard Web seruaunt sometyme to M. Latymer, who soiournyng in the house of the sayd William Russell, heard him many tymes declare the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Laurence Ghest. Martir.
• * 1.2

  Laurēce Ghest two yeares in prison at Salis∣bury.
• * 1.3

  Laurence would not be turned for wyfe nor childrē
• * 1.4

  Laurence died a Martir.
• * 1.5

  Witnes to the story.