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.

¶The last and finall appearaunce of George Marsh before the Bishop.

* 1.1WIthin three weekes after this, or thereaboutes, in y^e sayd Chappell and in like sort as before, the said Bi∣shop and others before named there being assembled, the sayd George Marshe was brought by the keeper and o∣thers with bils and diuers weapons, before them, where first the sayd Chauncellour by way of an Oration declared vnto the people present, the sayde Byshoppes charge and burning charitie, who euen like as a good shepheard doth see to his flocke, that none of his sheepe hath the scabbe or ••ther disease for infecting other cleane sheepe, but wyll saue & cure the said scabbed sheep: so his Lordship had sent for the sayd George Marshe there present, as a scabbed sheep, and had weeded him out for corrupting others, and had done what he could in shewing his charitable disposi∣tion towards y^e sayd Marsh, to reduce him frō his naugh∣ty heresies: but all that he could do, would not help: so that he was now determined, if the sayd Marsh would not re∣lent & abiure, to pronounce and geue sentence definitiue agaynst him. Wherfore he bad the sayd George Marshe to be now well aduised, what he would do: for it stode vpon his life: and if he would not at that present forsake his he∣retical opinions, it would be after the Sentence geuen, to late, though he would neuer so gladly desire it.

Then the sayd Chauncellour first asked him whether he were not one of the Bishoppes Dioces?* 1.2 To the whiche he aunswered, that he knewe not how large his Diocesse was, for his continuaunce was at Cambridge. But then they replyed and asked, whether he had not lately bene at Deane Parish in Lancashyre, and there abode? And he an∣swered yea.

Then the Chauncellour read all his former answeres that he made in that place at his former examination▪* 1.3 & at euery one he asked him whether he would sticke to y^e same or no? To the which he answered agayne, yea, yea▪

How say you then to this, quoth the Chauncellor? In your last examinatiō, amōgst many other dānable & schis∣maticall heresies, you sayd, that the Church and doctrine taugh and set forth in king Edwardes time, was the true Church, & the doctrine, the doctrine of the true Churche & that the Church of Rome is not y^e true & catholick church.

I so sayd in deede, quoth Marshe, and I beleeue it to be true. Here also others tooke occasion to aske hym (for that he denyed the Byshop of Romes authoritie in Eng∣land) whether Linus, Anacletus, and Clement, that were Byshops of Rome, were not good men, and he answered yes, and diuers others: but (sayd he) they claimed no more authoritie in England, then the Byshop of Caunterbury doth at Rome: and I striue not, (quoth he) with the place neyther speake I agaynst the person of the Byshop, but a¦gaynst his doctrine, which in most poyntes is repugnant to the doctrine of Christ.

Thou art an arrogant fellow in deede then, sayde the Byshop. In what article is the doctrine of the Churche of Rome repugnant to the doctrine of Christ?

To whome George Marshe answered & sayd: Oh my Lord: I pray you iudge not so of me:* 1.4 I stand nowe vppon the point of my life and death: & a man in my case hathe no cause to be arrogant, neither am I, God is my record. And as concerning the disagreement of y^e doctrine, among ma∣ny other things the Church of Rome erreth in the Sacra∣ment. For where Christ in y^e institution therof, did as well deliuer the cup, as the bread: saying Drinke ye all of this, & Marke reporteth that they did drinke of it: in like manner S. Paul deliuered it vnto the Corinthians. And in y^e same sort also was it vsed in the primitiue church by the space of many hundreth yeares. Now the Churche of Rome both taketh away one parre of the Sacrament from the Laity. Wherefore, if I coulde be perswaded in my conscience by Gods worde, that it were well done, I could gladly yeld in thys poynt.

Then sayd the Bishop. Non disputandum est cum haere∣tico That is, There is no disputing with an heretick.* 1.5 And therfore when all his answeres were read, hee asked hym whether he would stand to the same, beyng as they were (sayd he) full of heresie, or els forsake them and come vnto the catholicke Churche?

To whom he made this full aunswere, and sayde: that he held no hereticall opinion, but vtterly abhorred at kynd of heresie,* 1.6 although they most vntruely so did sclaunder him. And hee desired all the people present to beare hym wi••nesse (if hereafter anye would sclaunder him and say y^t he held any greuous heresie) that in all Articles of Religi∣on, he he held none other opinion, then was by law most godly established and publickely taught in England at the death of king Edward the vi. and in the same pure Reli∣gion and doctrine he would (by Gods grace) stand, liue,* 1.7 & dye. And here the Chaūcellour spake to one Leache, which ••tode neare vnto Marshe, and bad him stand farther from him, for hys presence did him no good.

This being done, the Bishop tooke out a writing of his bosome, & begā to read the sentence of condēnatiō:* 1.8 but when the bishop had read almost halfe therof, the Chaun∣cellour called to him and sayd: good my Lord, stay, stay, for if ye proceede any further, it will be to late to call it agayne and so the B. stayed. Then his popish Priestes and many other of the ignorant people called vpon Marsh,* 1.9 with ma∣ny earnest wordes to recant, and amongst other one Pul∣leyn a Shomaker sayd to hym: for shame man remember thy selfe and recant. They bad him kneele downe and pray and they would pray for him: So they kneeled down, and he desired them to pray for him, and he would pray for thē.

The Bishoppe then asked hym agayne, whether hee would not haue the Queenes mercy in time:* 1.10 and he aun∣swered hee did gladly desire the same, & did loue her grace as faythfully as any of them: but yet he durst not deny his Sauiour Christ, for loosing his mercy euerlasting, and so winne euerlasting death.

Then the Bishop put his spectacles agayne vpon his nose, & read forward his sentēce, about v. or vi. lyues, and there againe the Chauncellour with a glauering and smi∣ling countenance, called to the B. and sayde:* 1.11 Yet good my Lord once againe stay, for if that word be spoken, al is past no relentyng will then serue: and the Byshop (pulling of his spectacles) sayd: I would stay and if it would be.

How sayst thou (quoth he) wilt thou recant? Many of the Priestes and ignoraunt people bad him so do,* 1.12 and call to God for grace: and pulled him by y^e sleeue and bad him recant and saue his life. To whom he answered: I would as fayne to liue as you, if in so doyng, I shoulde not deny my mayster Christ, and agayne he should denye me before his father in heauen.

So the bishop read out hys sentence vnto the end and straight after sayd vnto him.* 1.13 Nowe will I no more praye for thee, then I will for a dogge. And Marshe answered, y^t notwithstanding, he would pray for his Lordship: & after this the bishop deliuered him vnto the Sheriffes of the ci∣ty. Then hys late keeper bad him fare well good George, w^t weeping teares, whiche caused y^e officers to cary him to a prisō at the Northgate, where he was very straitly kept vntill the tyme he went to hys death, during which tyme he had small comfort or reliefe of any worldly creature.

For being in y^e dongeon or darke prison, none y^t would hym good, could speake w^t hym, or at least durst enterprise so to doe for feare of accusation: and some of the Cittizens which loued him in God for the gospell sake (wherof there were but a fewe) although they were neuer acquaynted with him, would sometime in the euening at a hoale vpon the wall of the City (that went into the sayd darcke prisō)

call to him, and aske him how he did. He would answere them most chearefully, that he did well, and thanked God most highly that he woulde vouchsafe of his mercy to ap∣poynt him to be a witnes of his truth, and to suffer for the same, wherein he did most reioyce, beseeching him that he would geue him grace not to faynt vnder the Crosse, but patiently beare the same to his glorye and comfort of hys Churche:* 1.14 with many other like godly sayinges at sondrye tymes, as one that most desired to be with Christ. Once or twise he had money cast him in at the same hole, about ten pence at one tyme, & 2. shillings at an other time: for which he gaue God thankes, and vsed the same to his necessitie.

* 1.15When the time and day appointed came that he should suffer: the Sheriffes of y^e Cittie (whose names were Amry & Couper) with their Officers and a great nūber of poore simple Barbers, with rousty Billes & Polaxes, went to the Northgate, & there tooke out the said George Marsh, who came with them most humbly & meekly,* 1.16 with a lock vpon his feete. And as he came vpon the waye towardes y^e place of execution, some folkes proferd him money, & loo∣ked that he should haue gone with a litle purse in his hand (as the maner of felons was,* 1.17 accustomed in that Cittye in times past, at their goyng to execution) to y^e end to gather money to geue vnto a priest to say Trentals of Masses for thē after their death, wherby they might (as they thought) be saued:* 1.18 but Marsh sayd he would not as thē be troubled w^t medling with mony, but willed some good man to take the mony, if y^e people were disposed to geue any, & to geue it vnto the prisoners or poore people. So hee went all the way vnto his death, w^t his booke in his hand, looking vpō the same, & many of y^e people sayd: this mā goeth not vn∣to his death as a theefe, or as one that deserueth to dye.

Now when he came to the place of execution w^tout the Citie,* 1.19 neare vnto Spittle boughton, one Uawdrey, being then deputie chamberleine of Chester, shewed Marshe a writyng vnder a great seale, saying, that it was a pardon for him if he would recant. Wherat Marsh answered, that he would gladly accept the same (and sayd farther, that he loued the Queene) but for asmuch as it tended to plucke him frō God, he would not receiue it vpon that condition.

After that, hee began to speake to the people shewing the cause of his death,* 1.20 and woulde haue exhorted them to sticke vnto Christ. Whereupon one of the Sheriffes sayd: George Marshe, we must haue no sermoning nowe. To whom he sayd, Mayster, I cry you mercy: and so kneeling downe made his prayers, and then put of his clothes vnto his shirt, and then was he chayned vnto the post, hauyng o number of Fagottes vnder him, and a thing made like a firkin, with pitch and tarre in the same ouer his head: & by reason the fire was vnskilfully made, and that the winde dyd dryue the flame to and fro, he suffered great extremitie in his death, whiche notwithstanding he abode very paciently.

[illustration]

¶The cruell burning of George Marsh, Martyr.

* 1.21

Wherein this in him is to be noted, that when as hee had bene a long time tormented in y^e fire without mouing hauing his fleshe so broyled and puft vp that they whiche stoode before him vnneth could see the chayne wherewith he was fastened, and therfore supposed no lesse but he had bene dead, notwithstanding sodenly he spread abroad hys armes, saying: father of heauen haue mercy vpon me, & so yelded his spirite into the handes of the Lord.

Upon this, many of y^e people sayd that he was a mar∣tyr, and died maruelous patiently and godly.* 1.22 Which thing caused the Bishop shortly after to make a Sermon in the Cathedrall Church, and therein affirmed, that the sayde Marshe was an hereticke, burnt like an hereticke, & was a firebrand in hell.

In recompence of this hys good and charitable sermō within short time after, the iust iudgement of God appea∣red vppon the sayde Byshop:* 1.23 recompensing hym in suche wise, that not long after he turned vp his heeles and dyed. Upon what cause his death was gendred. I haue not here precisely to pronounce, because the rumour and voyce of y^e people is not alwayes to be followed. Notwithstanding such a report went in all mens mouthes, that he was bur∣ned of an harlot. Whereupon whether he dyed or no, I am not certayne, neyther dare leane to much vppon publicke speach. Albeit this is certayn, that whē he was afterward searched being dead, by some of hys secret frends & certain Aldermen for stoppyng the rumour of y^e people, this may∣denly Priest and Byshop was foūd not to be free frō cer∣tayne appearaunce, which declared but small virginitie in him, & that the rumour was not raysed vp altogether vpō naught, amongest the people. But of this I will stay, and proceed no further, not because more cā not be said, but be∣cause I will not be so vncharitable in defacing these men, as they are cruel in condemning Gods seruants to death.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The last ap∣pearance of G. Marsh before the Byshop. The Chaū∣cellours o∣ration.
• * 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉 George Marsh.
• * 1.3

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.4

  Wherein the doctrine of the Church of Rome ••••••eth.
• * 1.5

  So sayth the Turke in his Alcaron that no man must dispute of his lawe.
• * 1.6

  G. Marsh clea∣reth himselfe of heresie.
• * 1.7

  Leach bidde to stand from Marsh.
• * 1.8

  Sentence of condemnation read agaynst Marsh.
• * 1.9

  The Bishop stayeth in his sentence.
• * 1.10

  Gods mercy preferred before the Queenes mercy.
• * 1.11

  The B. proce••••deth in his sen∣tence.
• * 1.12

  An other stay in reading the sen∣tence.
• * 1.13

  G. Marsh. ex∣horted to recāt but could not be turned.

  The B. readeth out the sentence▪ A dogged say∣ing of the Bi∣shop.

  G. Marsh deli∣uered to the Shiriffes.

  The strayt kee∣ping of Marsh in prison.
• * 1.14

  The brotherly zeale of good men in comfor∣ting G. Marsh.
• * 1.15

  Am••y, & Cou∣per Shiriffes of Ches••er.
• * 1.16

  Marsh led to his Martyrdōe.
• * 1.17

  The old vse in Lancashyre to geue money to bye Tr••ntalls.
• * 1.18

  G. Marsh refu∣seth to receaue money going to his death.
• * 1.19

  G. Marsh refu∣seth the Quenes pardon.
• * 1.20

  G. Marsh not suffred to speake to the people.
• * 1.21

  The Martyrdōe of G. Marsh, at Westchester. Anno. 1555. Aprill. 24.
• * 1.22

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of G. Mar•••• the blesse•• Martyr.
• * 1.23

  Gods iust reuenging hand vpō persecuti•••• Bishop.