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THe 26. day of the sayde moneth of Marche, the yeare a∣foresayde, followed the Martyrdome of William Hun∣ter, a right godly young man of the age of xix. yeares, and borne of like godly parents: by whome hee was not onely instructed in true religion and godlinesse, but also confir∣med by them vnto death, after a rare and strange example,
worthy to be noted and had in admiration of all parentes. Wherein may appeare a singulare spectacle, not onely of a maruelous fortitude in the partie so young: but also in hys parents, to beholde nature in them striuing with religion, and ouercome of the same.* 1.1 Wherby Christian parents may learne what is to be done not only in their children, but al∣so in them selues, if neede at any time do require, or godly∣nesse should demaund the duetie of a christian man against naturall affection. Example whereof in the sequele of thys hystorie we haue here presēt before our eyes. Which hysto∣rie as it was faithfully drawen out by Robert Hunter hys owne brother (who being present with his brother Willi∣am, & neuer left him till his death, sent the true report vnto vs) we haue heere with like faithfulnesse placed and recor∣ded the same, as followeth.
* 1.2William Hunter being a prētise in London, in the first yeare of Queene Marie, was commaunded at the Easter next following, to receiue the Communion at a Masse, by the Priest of the Parish where hee dwelte, called Colman streete: whyche, because hee refused to doe, hee was verye much threatned that he shoulde be therefore brought before the Bishop of London. Wherefore William Hunters ma∣ster, one Thomas Tailour, a silke weauer, required Wil∣liam Hunter, to go and depart from him, lest that he shuld come in daunger, because of him, if hee continued in hys house. For the which causes, William Hunter tooke leaue of his said maister, and thence came to Burntwoode where his father dwelt, with whome he remained afterwarde, a∣bout the space of halfe a quarter of a yeare.
After this it happened, within 5. or 6. wekes, that Wil∣liam going into the chappell of Burntwoode, and fineding there a Bible lying on a deske, did reade therein. In the meane time there came in one father Atwell a Sumner, which hearing William read in ye Bible, said to him, what medlest thou with the Bible? Knowest thou what thou readest, and canst thou expound the Scriptures?
To whome William aunsweared and sayde: father At∣well,* 1.3 I take not vppon me to expounde the Scriptures, except I were dispensed withall, but I fineding the Bible here when I came, red in it to my comfort. To whome fa∣ther Atwell sayde: it was neuer mery since the Bible came abroad in English.
* 1.4To the which words William answeared, saying: Fa∣ther Atwell, say not so for Gods sake, for it is Gods booke, out of the which euery one that hathe grace, may learne to knowe what things both please God, & also what displea∣seth him. Then sayd father Atwel: could we not tell before this time, as well as now, how God was serued: William aunsweared: no father Atwel, nothing so wel, as we maye now, if that we might haue his blessed word amongste vs still as we haue had. It is true sayde father Atwell, if it be as you say.
Well sayd William Hunter, it liketh me very well, and I pray God that we may haue the blessed Bible amongest vs continually.* 1.5 To the which wordes father Atwell sayd, I perceiue your minde well enoughe, you are one of them that misliketh the Queenes lawes, and therefore you came frō London, I heare say. You learned these waies at Lon∣don, but for all that, sayde father Atwel, you must turne an other leafe, or els you and a great sorte moe heretickes wil broyle for this geare, I warrāt you. To the which wordes William sayd: God geue me grace that I may beleeue hys worde, & confesse his name, whatsoeuer come therof. Con∣fesse his name, quoth olde Atwell? no, no, ye will goe to the deuill all of you, and confesse his name.
What, sayde William? you say not well father Atwell. At the which woordes hee went oute of the Chappell in a great furie,* 1.6 saying: I am not able to reason with thee, but I will fetch one straight way which shall talke with thee, I warrant thee thou hereticke. And hee leauing William Hunter reading in the Bible, straight wayes brought one Thomas Wood, who was then vicar of Southweld, which was at an alehouse euen ouer against the sayde Chappell:* 1.7 who hearing ol••e Atwell say, that William Hunter was reading of the Bible in the chappel, came by and by to him, and finding him reading in the Bible, tooke the matter ve∣ry hainously, saying: Sirha, who gaue thee leaue to reade in the Bible and to expound it?
Then William aunswered: I expound not the Scrip∣tures Syr, but reade them for my comfort. What medlest thou with them at all, sayde the Uicar? It becommeth not thee, nor none suche to meddle with the Scriptures, But William aunswered: I wil read the Scriptures God wil∣ling, while I liue, and you ought (M. vicar) not to discou∣rage any mā for that matter, but rather exhort men diligēt∣ly to read the scriptures for your discharge and their own.
Unto the which the Uicare aunswered: It becommeth thee well to tell me what I haue to doe. I see thou arte an hereticke, by thy wordes, William sayd, I am no hereticke for speaking the truthe. But the Uicar sayde,* 1.8 it is a merye worlde when such as thou arte, shall teache vs what is the truthe, Thou art medling, father Atwel telles me with the 6. of Iohn, wherein thou maist perceiue, how Christ saith: Except that yee eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloude, yee haue no life in you. William sayd, I reade the 6. of Iohn, in deede: howbeit, I made no exposition on it.
Then said father Atwel, when you read it I saide, that you there might vnderstande howe that in the Sacrament of the aultar is Christes very natural body and bloud: vn∣to the which you answered, howe that you would take the scriptures as they are, & that you woulde meddle wyth no great exposition, except that ye were dispensed with all.
Ah, sayd the Uicar? what say you to the blessed (Sacra∣ment of the aultar) beleeuest thou not in it,* 1.9 & that the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the very body & bloude of Christ? William answered, I learne no such thing in the 6. of Iohn, as you speake of. Why sayde the Uicare, doest thou not beleue in the Sacrament of the aultare? I beleue sayde William Hunter, all that Gods word teacheth. Why sayd the Uicar thou mayest learne this which I say plain∣ly in the 6. of Iohn.
Then sayde William, you vnderstand Christe wordes muche like the carnall Capernaites,* 1.10 whych thoughte that Christe woulde haue geuen them his flesh to feede vppon, which opinion our sauiour Christ corrected, when he said. The wordes which I speake to you, are spirite and life.
Now, quoth the Uicar, I haue found you out: now I see that thou art an hereticke in deede, and that thou doest not beleeue in the sacrament of the aultar.
Then said William Hunter,* 1.11 wheras you doubt my be∣liefe, I would it were tried whether that you or I woulde stand faster in our faith. Yea thou hereticke, (sayde the Ui∣car) wouldest thou haue it so tried? William Hunter aun∣swered, that which you call heresie, I serue my Lorde God withall.
Then sayd the Uicar: canst thou serue God wyth here∣sie? But William answered, I would that you and I were euen now fast tied to a stake, to prooue whether that you or I would stand strongest to our faith. But the Uicare aun∣swered: it shal not so be tried. No quoth William, I thinke so: for if I might, I thinke I knowe who woulde soonest recant, for I durst sette my foote against yours euen to the death. That we shall see, quoth the Uicar, and so they de∣parted, the Uicar threatning William much, how that hee would complaine of him: with other much communicati∣on which they had together.
Immediately after, this Uicare of Weilde tolde maister Browne of the cōmunication which William Hunter and he had together. Which when M. Browne vnderstoode,* 1.12 immediatly he sent for Williams father and the Constable, one Robert Salmon. For immediatly after William Hū∣ter and the Uicar had reasoned together, he tooke hys leaue of his father and fled, because Woode the Uicare threatened him. Now when the Constable and Williams father were come, and were before M. Browne, he asked where Williā Hunter was. His father answered, saying:* 1.13 if it please you Syr, I knowe not where he is become. No, quoth maister Browne? I will make thee tel where he is, and fetche hym foorth also ere I haue done with thee. Sir saide Williams father, I know not where he is become, nor where to seke for hym.
Then sayde M. Browne, why diddest thou not bryng him whē thou haddest him?* 1.14 I promise thee if thou wilt not fetche him, I will send thee to prison till I shal gette hym. Wherefore see that thou promise me to fetch him, or els it is not best to looke me in the face any more, nor yet to rest in Burntwood. Wel, quoth M. Browne to Williams father, see that thou seeke him foorth, and bring him to me.
Williams father aunswered: Syr, would you haue me seeke out my sonne to be burned? If thou bring him to me, quoth M. Browne, I will deale wel enough for that mat∣ter: thou shalt not neede to care for the matter. Fetch hym, and thou shalt see what I will doe for him.
Moreouer, if thou lackest money, quoth he, thou shalte haue some, & bad the Constable M. Salmon to geue him a crowne, but Williams father tooke none of him. Howbeit M. Browne would neuer rest, till Williams father hadde promised him to seeke out his sonne. And thus M. Brown sent the Constable home againe, and Wi••liams father, cō∣maunding hym to seeke out William Hunter, and then to come againe and bring him to him.
After that olde father Hunter had ridden a two or three dayes iourneyes to satisfie maister Brownes expectation, it happened that William mette with his father in the high way as he trauailed, and first he seeing his father, came to hym, and spake to hym, and told him how that he thought
that hee sought for hym: and then hys father confessing it, wept sore and sayde, that maister Browne charged him to seeke him, and bring him to him: howbeit, sayde he, I will returne home agayne, and saye I can not finde you. But William saide:* 1.15 father, I will go home with you & saue you harmeles, what soeuer commeth of it.
And thus they came home together: but William as soone as he was come home, was taken by the sayde Con∣stable, and laid in the stockes till the day. Maister Browne hearing that William Hunter was come home, sente for him to the Constable, who broughte him immediately to maister Browne.
Now when William was come, maister Browne said to him, ah syrha, are yee come? and then by and by he com∣maunded the Bible to be brought,* 1.16 and opened it, and then began to reason wyth William on this maner, saying: I heare say you are a Scripture manne, you: and can reason much of the sixt of Iohn, and expound as pleaseth you, and turned the Bible to the sixt of S. Iohn, and then he laid to his charge, what an exposition hee made, when the Uicare and he talked together. And William sayde, he vrged me to say so much as I did.
Wel, quoth M. Browne, because you can expound that place so well, how say you to an other place, turning to the xxij. of S. Luke?* 1.17 and maister Browne sayde, looke heere (quoth he) for Christ sayth, that the bread is his body.
To the which William aunswered, the text sayth, howe Christ tooke bread, but not that he changed it, into an other substaunce, but gaue that which hee tooke, and brake that which he gaue, which was bread, as is euident by the text. For els he should haue had two bodies, which to affirm I see no reason, sayd William.
At the which answeare M. Browne was very angry, & tooke vp the Bible and turned the leaues, and then flong it downe againe in such a fury,* 1.18 that William could not wel finde the place againe wherof they reasoned.
Then M. Browne saide, thou naughty boye, wilt thou not take thyngs as they are, but expounde them as thou wilt? doth not Christ call the bread his body plainely, and thou wilt not beleeue that the breade is hys body after the consecration? thou goest about to make Christ a lier.
But William Hunter aunswered: I meane not so sir, but rather more earnestly to searche what the minde of Christ is in that holy Institution,* 1.19 wherin he commendeth vnto vs the remembraunce of his death, passion, resurrec∣tion and comming againe, saying: This d••e in the remem∣braunce of mee. And also though Christe call the breade hys body, as he doeth also say, that hee is a vine, a doore. &c. yet is not his body turned into breade, no more then he is tur∣ned into a doore, or vine. Wherefore Christ called the breade his body by a figure.
At that worde M. Browne sayde, thou art a villaine in dede. Wilt thou make Christ a lier yet stil? and was in such a furie with William, and so raged, that William could not speake a woorde,* 1.20 but hee crossed him, and scoffed at euerye woorde. Wherefore William seeing him in suche furie, desi∣red hym that he woulde either heare him quietly, and suffer hym to aunsweare for himselfe,* 1.21 or else send him away. To the which maister Browne aunsweared: in deede I will sende thee to morrowe to my Lorde of London, and hee shall haue thee vnder examination, and thus lefte of the talke, and made a letter immediately, and sente William Hunter with the Constable to Boner Bishop of London, who receiued William.
After that hee had read the letter, and the Constable re∣turned home againe, the Bishoppe caused William to bee brought into a chamber, where he begā to reason with him in this maner: I vnderstād William Hunter (quoth he) by M. Brownes letter, how that you haue had certaine com∣munication with the vicare of Wielde,* 1.22 about the blessed sa∣cramēt of the aultar, & how that ye could not agree, wher∣upon M. Browne sent for thee to bring thee to the Catho∣licke faith, from the which he sayth, that thou art gon. How¦beit, if thou wilt be ruled by me, thou shalt haue no harme, for any thing that thou hast said or done in this matter.
William aunsweared, saying: I am not fallen from the Catholicke faith of Christ, I am sure, but do beleue it, and confesse it with all my heart.* 1.23
Why, quoth the Byshop, how sayest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the aultar? wilt thou not recant thy saying, which thou confessedst before maister Browne, howe that Christes bodye is not in the Sacrament of the aultare, the same that was borne of the virgine Marie?
To the which William answered, saying? my Lorde I vnderstande, yt M. Browne hath certified you of the talke, which he and I had together, and thereby ye knowe what I saide to him, the which I wil not recant by Gods helpe. Then said the Bishop, I thinke thou art ashamed to beare a fagot and recant openly, but if thou wilt recante thy say¦inges, I will promise thee,* 1.24 that thou shalt not be putte to open shame: but speake the worde here nowe betwene me and thee, and I wil promise thee, it shal go no further, and thou shalt goe home againe without any hurt.
William answeared and sayd, my Lord: if you wil lette me alone and leaue me to my conscience, I will goe to my father and dwell with him, or els with my maister againe,* 1.25 and so if no body will disquiet nor trouble my conscience, I will keepe my conscience to my selfe.
Then sayd the Byshop, I am content, so that thou wilt goe to the Church and receiue and be shriuen, and so conti∣nue a good Catholicke Christian. No, quoth William, I▪ will not do so for all the good in the world.
Then, quoth the Byshop, if you will not do so, I will make you sure enough, I warrant you. Wel, quoth Willi∣am, you can doe no more then God will permitte you.* 1.26 Wel quoth the bishop, wilt thou not recant in deede by no mea∣nes? No, quoth Williā, neuer while I liue, God willing.
Then the Bishop (this talke ended) commaunded hys men to put William in the stockes in his gatehouse,* 1.27 where he sate two daies and nights, onely with a crust of browne bread and a cuppe of water.
At the two daies end the bishop came to him, and fin∣ding the cup of water and the crust of bread stil by him vp∣on the stocks, sayd to his men: take hym oute of the stocks, and let him breake his fast with you. Then they lette hym forth of the stockes, but would not suffer hym to eate wyth them, but called him hereticke. And he said he was as lothe to be in their companie, as they were, to be in his.
After breakefaste the Bishop sent for William, and de∣maunded whether he woulde recante or no. But William made him aunsweare, howe that he woulde neuer recante that which he had confessed before men, as concerning hys faith in Christ.
Then the B. sayd that he wys no Christian, but denied the faith in which he was Baptised. But W. aunsweared: I was baptised in the faith of the holy Trinitie, the which I will not goe from, God assisting me with his grace.
Then the Bishop sent hym to the conuicte prisone,* 1.28 and commaunded the keeper to lay yrons on him as manye as he coulde beare, and moreouer asked him, how old he was: and William sayd, that he was 19. yeare olde.
Well sayd the Bishop, you wilbe burned ere you be 20. yere old, if you will not yeld your selfe better then you haue done yet. William aunsweared, God strengthen me in his truth: and then he parted,* 1.29 the Bishop allowing him a half∣penie a day to liue on in bread, or drinke.
Thus he continued in prison 3. quarters of a yeare. In the which time he had beene before the bishop 5. times, be∣sides the time when he was condemned in the Consistorie in Paules, the 9. day of Februarie: at the which time I hys brother Robert Hunter was present,* 1.30 when and where I heard the bishop condemne him, and fiue other more.
And then the Bishop calling William, asked him if hee would not recant, and so red to hym his examination and confession, as is aboue rehearsed, and then rehearsed howe that William confessed that he did beleeue that he receaued Christes body spiritually, when he did receiue the commu∣nion. Doest thou meane, quoth the Byshop, that the bread is Christes body spiritually?
William answered: I meane not so, but rather when I receiue the holy Communion rightly and woorthely, I do feede vppon Christ spiritually throughe ••aith in my soule, and made partaker of all the benefites which Christ hathe brought vnto all faithfull beleeuers through hys precious death, passion, and resurrection,* 1.31 and not that the breade is his body, either spiritually or corporally.
Then said the Bish. to William, doest thou not thinke (holding vp his cap) that for example heere of my cap, thou mayest see the squarenes and colour of it, and yet not to be the substance, which thou iudgest by the accidences.
William aunswered: if you can separate the accidences from the substaunce, and shewe me the substaunce wythout the accidences, I could beleue. Then said the Bishop: thou wilt not beleue that God can do any thing aboue mannes capacitie. Yes, said William, I must needes beleue that: for daily experience teacheth all men that thing plainely: but our question is not what God can doe, but what hee will haue vs to learne in his holy Supper.
Then the Bishop saide, I alwaies haue founde thee at this poynt, & I see no hope in thee to reclaim thee vnto the Catholicke faith, but thou wilt cōtinue a corrupt member, & then pronounced sentence vpon him, how that he should goe from that place to newgate for a time, & so from thence to Burntwood, where, sayd he, thou shalt be burned.
Then the Byshop called for an other, and so when hee had condemned them al, he called for William Hunter, and
perswaded with him,* 1.32 saying: if thou wilt yet recant, I wil make thee a free man in the Citie, & geue thee 40. pound in good money to sette vp thine occupation withall: or I will make thee Steward of my house and set thee in office, for I like thee well,* 1.33 thou hast witte inough, and I will preferre thee, if thou recant.
But William aunswered, I thanke you for your great offers: notwithstanding, my Lorde, sayd he, if you can not perswade my conscience with Scriptures, I can not finde in my hart to turne from God for the loue of the worlde:* 1.34 for I count all things worldly, but losse and donge, in respect of the loue of Christ.
Then sayd the Byshop, if thou diest in this minde, thou art condemned for euer. William aunsweared: God iud∣geth righteously, and iustifieth them whom man condem∣neth vniustly.
Thus William and the Byshoppe departed, William and the rest to Newgate, where they remained aboute a moneth,* 1.35 which afterwarde were sent downe, William to Burntwoode, and the others into diuers places of ye coun∣trey. Now, when Williā was come downe to Burntwood which was the Saterdaye before the Annunciation of the virgin Mary that folowed on the Monday after, William remained till the Tuesday after, because they woulde not put him to death, then for the holinesse of the day.
In the meane time Williams father and mother came to him,* 1.36 and desired hartly of God that he might continue to the ende in that good way which God had begon, and hys mother sayd to him, that she was glad that euer she was so happy to beare such a childe, which could finde in his heart to ••oo••e his life for Christes names sake.
Then William sayde to his mother: for my little paine whych I shall suffer, whych is but a shorte brayde, Christe hath promised me,* 1.37 mother sayd he, a crown of ioy: may you not be glad of that mother? With that, hys mother kneeled downe on her knees, saying: I pray God strengthen thee my sonne, to the ende. Yea, I thinke thee as wel bestowed as any childe that euer I bare.
At the which woordes maister Higbed tooke her in hys armes, saying: I reioyce (and so sayd the others) to see you in thys minde, and you haue a good cause to reioyce. And his father and mother both said, that they were neuer of o∣ther minde, but praied for him, that as he had begon to con∣fesse Christ before men, he likewise might so continue to the ende. Williams father saide: I was afraide of nothing, but that my sonne should haue ben killed in the prison for hun∣ger and cold, the Bishop was so hard to him. But William confessed,* 1.38 after a moneth that his father was charged wyth his boorde, that he lacked nothing, but had meat & clothing inough, yea euē out of ye court, both money, meat, cloathes, woode and coales, and all things necessary.
Thus they continued in their Inne, beinge the Swan in Burntwoode, in a Parlor, whether resorted many peo∣ple of the countrey to see those good men which were there: and many of Williams acquaintaunce came to hym, and reasoned with hym, and hee with them, exhorting them to come away from the abhomination of Popish superstition and idolatrie.
Thus passing away saterday, Sonday, and Monday, on monday at night it hapned that William had a dreame about 2. of the clocke in the morning,* 1.39 which was this: how yt he was at the place where the stake was pight, where he shuld be burned, which (as he thought in his dreame) was at the townes ende where the buts stoode: which was so in deede. And also he dreamed that he met with his father as he went to the stake, and also that there was a priest at the stake, which went about to haue him recant.
To whom he sayd (as he thought in his dreame) howe that he bad him away false prophet, and how that he exhor∣ted the people to beware of him, and such as he was: which things came to passe in deede. It happened that William made a noise to hym selfe in his dreame, which caused M. Higbed and the others to awake hym out of his sleepe, to knowe what he lacked. When he awaked, he told them his dreame in order, as is sayd.
Nowe when it was day, the shiriffe M. Brocket called on to set forward to the burning of William Hūter. Then came the Sheriffes sonne to William Hunter,* 1.40 and embra∣ced him in his right arme, saying: William, be not afraid of these men which are here present with bowes, bils, & wea∣pons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned. To whom William aunswered: I thanke God I am not afraide, for I haue cast my coumpt what it wil cost me already. Then the sheriffes sonne could speake no more to him for weeping.
Then William Hunter plucked vp his gowne, & step∣ped ouer the Parlour grounsel, and went forward cheare∣fully, the sheriffes seruaunt taking him by the arme, and I his brother by an other, and thus going in the way, met wt his father according to his dreame, & he spake to his sonne,* 1.41 weeping and saying, God be with thee sonne William, and William sayd, God be with you father, & be of a good com∣fort, for I hope we shall meete againe when we shalbe me∣ry. His father said, I hope so William and so departed.* 1.42 So W. went to the place where the stake stoode, euen according to hys dreame, whereas all thinges were very vnready. Then William tooke a wet broome fagot, & kneeled downe thereon, and red the 51. Psalme, till he came to these words, the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite, a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Then sayd M. Tirrel of the Beaches, called W. Tirel, thou lyest (sayd he) thou readest false,* 1.43 for the wordes are an humble spirit. But W. said, the translation sayth a contrite heart. Yea, quoth M. Tirel, the translation is fals, ye trans∣late bokes as ye list your selues, like hereticks. Wel, quoth William, there is no great difference in those words. Then sayd the sheriffe, heere is a letter from the Queene. If thou wilt recant thou shalt liue, if not thou shalt be burned. No,* 1.44 quoth W. I will not recante, God willing. Then W. roase and went to the stake, and stoode vpright to it. Then came one Richard Ponde a Bailiffe, and made fast the chaine a∣bout William.
Then sayde M. Browne, here is not woode enough to burne a legge of him. Then said William: good people pray for me: and make speede and dispatch quickly: and pray for me while ye see me aliue, good people, and I praye for you likewise.
Now quoth M. Browne, pray for thee?* 1.46 I will pray no more for thee, then I wil pray for a dogge. To whom Wil∣liam aunsweared M. Browne: now you haue that whych you sought for, & I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day: howbeit I forgeue you. Then sayde maister Browne, I aske no forgeuenes of thee. Wel sayd William, if God forgeue you not, I shall require my bloude at your handes.
Then sayd William: Sonne of God shine vppon mee, and immediately the sunne in the element shone oute of a darke cloude, so full in his face, that he was constrayned to looke an other way: whereat the people mused, because it was so darke a little time afore.* 1.47 Then William tooke vppe a fagot of broome, and embraced it in his armes.
Then this Priest which William dreamed of, came to his brother Robert with a popish booke to carye to Willi∣am, that he might recant, which booke his brother woulde not meddle withall.
Then William seeing the priest, and perceiuing how he woulde haue shewed hym the booke, sayd: away,* 1.48 thou false prophet. Beware of them good people, & come awaye from their abominatiōs, lest yt you be partakers of their plagues. Then, quoth the Priest, looke howe thou burnest heere, so shalt thou burne in hel. William answered, thou liest, thou false prophet: away thou false prophet, away.
Then was there a Gentleman whiche sayde, I praye God haue mercy vpon his soule. The people sayd: Amen, Amen, Immediatly fire was made.
Then William cast his Psalter right into his brothers hande,* 1.49 who sayde: William thinke on the holy Passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death.
And William aunsweared: I am not afraid. Then lifte he vp his handes to heauen, and sayd, Lorde, Lorde, Lord, receiue my spirit, and casting downe hys head againe into the smothering smoke, he yeelded vp his life for the truthe, sealing it with hys bloud, to the praise of God.
Nowe, by and by after, M. Browne commaunded one old Hunt to take his brother Robert Hunter, & lay him in the stockes till he returned from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the hill,* 1.50 the same day. Which thing olde Hunt did. Then maister Browne (when Robert Hunter came before him) asked if he would doe as his brother had done. But Robert Hunter answered: if I do as my brother hath done, I shall haue as he hath had. Mary (quoth M. Bro∣wne) thou mayest be sure of it.
Then M. Browne sayde, I maruell, that thy brother stoode so to hys tackling: and moreouer, asked Robert if Williams Maister of London were not at hys burnynge.* 1.51 But Roberte sayde that hee was not there: but Mayster Browne bare hym in hande that his master was there, and howe that he did see him there, but Robert denied it. Then master Browne commaunded the Constable and Robert Hunter to goe theyr wayes home, and so had no further talke wyth them.
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W. Hunter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Col••an ••••••eete with Thomas Ta••lour. W. Hunter threatned for not re∣ceiuing at a 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
W. Hunter w••••led of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Maister to depart. W. Hunter c••••meth to his fa∣ther to Burnt∣woode.
Father At∣wel •• Sum∣ner of Pro∣motor.
Talke be∣twene At∣well & W. Hunter concerning the Bible.
The Ca∣tholic••es cannot a∣bide the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Atwell not able to rea∣son, but he is able to accuse the innocent.
The vicar of Southweld angry with W. Hunter for reading in the Bible.
The Catholicks in no wyse will be controled.
W. Hunter exa∣mined of the sa∣crament.
The Catholick•• lyke to the Ca∣pernaites.
Heresy mistaken with the Pa∣pistes.
The vicar com∣playneth to Iustice Browne of W. Hunter.
Iustice Browne sendeth for Hū∣ters father.
The fruite of the Popes doc∣trine to set the father agaynst the sonne. An vnreasona∣ble request of Iustice Browne. The father pre∣tended to seeke the sonne.
The sonne mee∣teth with him in the way.
The working of nature betwene the father & the sonne.
William Hunter broughte before Iustice Browne.
Talke betweene W. Hunter, and Iustice Browne about the Sa∣crament.
Bread broken but not chaun∣ged.
M. Browne in a pelting chafe.
How Christ called bread his body.
M Browne in a rage.
M. Browne sen∣deth vp William Hunter to B. Boner.
Boners wordes to W. Hunter.
Talke betweene W. Hunter and the Bish. about the Sacrament.
Boner▪ fayre pro••mise to W. Hunter.
W. Hun•••••• not suffer•••• to haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 conscienc•• free.
W. Hunt•••• denyeth t•• recant.
Boner co••••maundeth W. Hun•••••• to the stockes. W. Hunt•••• 2. dayes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 2. nightes the stock•••• with a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of bread, a cuppe of water. Hunter a∣gayne refu••seth to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his fayth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ.
W. Hunter ••ayd in the conuict pri••son with a•• many yro•••• as he could beare.
Hunter al∣lowed an halfe peny a day to li•••• on.
These fiue were ••om∣kins, Pigot▪ Knight, Haukes, & Laurence.
The bread is Christes body ney∣ther spiri∣tually nor bodely, but in receiuing the Com∣munion we feede on Christ spi∣ritually in our soule. The questi∣on is not what God can doe, but what he would haue vs to beleue in his holy Supper. A Sentence pronounced agaynst W. Hunter.
The large 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of B. Boner to W. Hunter.
Anno 1555. Februa¦ry.
W. Hunter 〈…〉〈…〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 world.
William Hunter sent ••owne to ••urntwood 〈…〉〈…〉.
His father and mother come to cō∣fort him.
His father & mother ex∣hort him to be constant.
Marke here wheth••r Boner did nothing but by the law.
A notable thing con∣cerning W. Hunters dreame.
W. Hunter led to the place of Matirdome. The Shriffes sonne ge∣ueth com∣fortable wordes to W. Hunter.
W. Hunters dreame verefi∣ed.
His wordes to his father.
M. William Ty∣rell of the Bea∣ches carpeth where he hath no cause.
W. Hunter re∣fuseth the Quenes pardon.
The end and martirdome of W. Hunter. Anno. 1555. March▪ ••6.
A dogged say∣ing of M. Browne.
An externall shew of Chri••••s ••auour vpon W. Hunter. William•• dream•• verified.
Hunters wordes to a Popish Priest.
Hunter com∣forted by his brother Ro∣bert.
Rob. Hunter set ••n ••he stocks. Rob. Hunter had before M. Browne.
Rob. Hunter by Gods prouidēce deliuered.