Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 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.

¶George Carpenter of Emeryng Martyr, burned in the towne of Munchen in Bauaria.

THe viij. day of February in the yeare of our saluation .1527. there happened a rare and maruellous example & spectacle in the town of Munchen in Barauia. which was this.* 1.1 A certayne man named George Carpenter of Eme∣ryng was there burnt. When he was fette out of the pryson called Falken Tower, and led before the Councell, diuers Friers and Monkes followed him, to instructe and teach him. Whom he willed to tary at home, & not to folow him. When he came before the Councel, his offences were read, conteyned in foure Articles.

First that he did not beleue that a Priest could forgeue a mans sinnes.* 1.2

Secondly that he did not beleue, that a man could call God out of heauen.

Thyrdly that he did not beleue, that God was in the bread, which the Priest hangeth ouer the aultar, but that it was the bread of the Lord.

Fourthly, that he did not beleue, that the very element of the water it selfe in Baptisme, doth geue grace.

Which foure Articles, he vtterly refused to recant. Thē came vnto him a certayne Scholemaister of S. Peters in y^e towne of Munchen,* 1.3 saying: my frend George, doest thou not feare the death and punishmēt which thou must suffer? If thou were let go, wouldest thou return to thy wife and children? Wherunto he aunswered: If I were set at liber∣ty, whither should I rather go, then to my Wyfe and well beloued children? Then sayde the Schoolemayster, reuoke your former sentence and opinion,* 1.4 and you shal be set at li∣berty. Wherunto George answered: my wife and my chil∣dren are so dearely beloued vnto me, that they can not bee bought from me, for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bauaria: but for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them. When he was led vnto the place of execution, the scholemayster spake vnto him agayne, in the middest of the market place, saying: good George, beleue in the Sacrament of the aultar:* 1.5 do not affirme it to be onely a signe. Wherunto he aunswered: I beleue this Sacrament to be a signe of the body of Iesus Christ, offered vpon the Crosse for vs. Then sayde the Schoolemayster moreouer, what doest thou meane,* 1.6 that thou doest so litle esteme Bap¦tisme, knowing that Christ suffered himselfe to be Bapti∣sed in Iordane? Wherunto he answered, and shewed what was the true vse of Baptisme, and what was the end why Christ was Baptised in Iordane, & howe necessary it was that Christ should dye and suffer vpon the Crosse, wherin onely standeth our saluation. The same Christ (sayde he) will I confesse this daye before the whole world: for he is my Sauiour, and in him do I beleue.

After this came vnto him one Mayster Conrade Scheitter, the Uicare of the cathedrall Church of our La∣dy in Munchen a preacher, saying: George, if thou wilt not beleue the Sacrament, yet put al thy trust in God, and say: I trust my cause to be good and true: * 1.7 but if I should erre, truely I woulde be sory and repent. Whereunto George Carpenter aunswered: God suffer me not to erre I besech hym. Then sayd the Scholemayster vnto him, doe not put the matter in that hasarde, but chuse vnto you some good Christian brother, Mayster Conrade, or some other, vnto whom thou mayst reuele thy hart: not to confesse thy selfe, but to take some godly counsell of him. Wherunto he aun∣swered: Nay, not so, for it would be to long. Then maister Conrade began the Lordes Prayer, Our Father which art in heauen. Whereunto Carpenter aunswered, truely thou art our Father and no other: this day I trust to be with thee. Then Mayster Conrade went forwarde with the prayer, saying: Halowed be thy name. Carpenter aunswered: O my God, how little is thy name halowed in this world? Then sayde Mayster Conrade. Thy Kingdome come. Carpenter aunswered: let thy kingdome come this day vnto mee, that I also may come vnto thy kingdome. Then sayd Cō∣rade: Thy will be done in earth as it is heauen. Carpenter aun∣swered: For this cause O Father, am I now here, that thy will might be fulfilled and not mine. Then sayd Mayster Conrade: Geue vs this day our dayly bread. Carpenter aun∣sweared: the onely liuing breade Iesu Christ shall be my food. Then sayd Conrade: And forgeue vs our trespasses, as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs. Carpenter aunswered: with a willing mind do I forgeue all men, both my frends and aduersaryes. Then sayd Mayster Conrade: And leade vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from all euill: Wherunto Carpenter aunswered: O my Lord, without doubt thou shalt deliuer me, for vppon thee onely haue I layde all my hope. Then he began to rehearse the beliefe, saying: I beleue in God the Father almightye. Carpenter aunswered: O my God, in thee alone doe I trust: in thee onely is all my con∣fidence, and vpon no other creature, albeit they haue gone about to force me otherwise. In this maner he aunswered to euery word: which his aunsweres, if they shoulde be de∣scribed at length, would be to long. This prayer ended, the Scholemayster sayd vnto him: doest thou beleue so truely and cōstantly in thy Lord and God with thy hart, as thou doest chearefullye seeme to confesse him with thy mouth? Hereunto he aunswered:* 1.8 It were a very hard matter for me, if that I which am here ready to suffer death shoulde not beleue that with my hart, whiche I openlye professe with my mouth: For I knewe before, that I muste suffer persecutiō, if I would cleaue vnto Christ: who saith, where as thy hart is, there also is thy treasure, and whatsoeuer thing a man doth fixe in his hart to loue aboue God, that he ma∣keth his Idoll. Thē sayd mayster Conrade vnto him, Ge∣orge doest thou thinke it necessary after thy death, that any man should pray for thee, or say Masse for thee? He aun∣swered: so lōg as the soule is ioyned to the body, pray God for me, that he wil geue me grace and pacience, with al hu∣mility, to suffer the paynes of death with a true Christian fayth: but when the soule is separate from the body, then haue I no more need of your prayers. When as the hang∣man should bind him to the ladder, he preached much vnto the people. Then he was desired by certaine Christian bre∣thren,

that as soone as he was cast into the fire, he should geue some signe or token, what his faith or beliefe was. To whom he answered:* 1.9 this shall be my signe and token: that so long as I can opē my mouth, I wil not cease to call vp∣on the name of Iesus.

Behold (good reader) what an incredible cōstancy was in this godly man, such as lightly hath not bene sene in a∣ny man before. His face & countenaunce neuer chaūged co∣lour, but chearefully he went vnto the fire. In the middest (sayth he) of the towne, this day will I cōfesse my God be∣fore the whole world. When he was layd vpon the ladder, and that hangman put a bagge of gunnepouder about his necke, he sayd, let it so be, in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne,* 1.10 and of the holy Ghost. And when as the two hangmen lifted him vp vpon the ladder, smiling he bad a certayne Christian farewell, requiring forgeuenes of him. That done, the hangman thrust him into the fire. He wyth a loud voyce cryed out Iesus, Iesus. Then the hangman turned him ouer: and he agayne for a certayne space, cryed Iesus, Iesus, and so ioyfully yelded vp his spirite.

Notes

• * 1.1

  George Car∣penter, Martyr.
• * 1.2

  Articles layde a∣gainst George Carpenter.
• * 1.3

  George persua∣ded to recant.
• * 1.4

  The loue of God prefe∣red before wyfe, chyl∣dren, and li∣bertie.
• * 1.5

  The Sacra∣ment a signe of the Lords bodie.
• * 1.6

  Baptisme.
• * 1.7

  Mark here these subtile Serpentes, which whō they can not remoue thys good man from hys fayth, they goe about to bryng hym in doubt thereof. The aun∣sweres of George Carpenter to euerie particle of the Lordes prayer.
• * 1.8

  The hartie confession of George Carpenter. Luke 12. Whatsoeuer a man lo∣ueth aboue God, that he maketh his Idoll. George Carpenter Carpenter refuseth to be prayed for after his death.
• * 1.9

  The constāt behauiour of George Carpenter at his death.
• * 1.10

  The death and martyr∣dome of George Carpenter.