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 history of Thomas VVattes, examined, tried, and burnt for the truth of the Gospell.

THomas Wattes of Billerica,* 1.1 within the county of Es∣sex, and of the Dioces of London, was by his occupa∣tion a linnen Draper, who before he was apprehēded, had sold and made away his cloth in his shop, and disposed his things being set in order to his wyfe and children, & gaue away much of his cloth vnto the poore:* 1.2 For he looked al∣ways to be taken by gods aduersaries and his, as shortly after came in deed to passe: so that vpon the 26. day of A∣pril, he was apprehended and brought before the L. Rich, and other Commissioners at Chelmesford, and the••e be∣yng accused for not commyng to the church, was vpon the same examined before the L. Rich, Henry Tyrel, Sir An∣thony Browne, Edmund Tyrell, Tho. Mildman, Iohn Wiseman, Rog. Appleton, Rich. Weston, Iustice Gaudy. &c. The summe and principall effect of which examination here vnder followeth briefly expressed

¶The examination of Tho. VVattes, before the Lord Rich and others.

WHen this Tho. Wattes came before the L. Rich and other the Iustices,* 1.3 whose names are specified in the letter followyng (which they sent vnto the B. of London agaynst him) at the sessions at Chelmesford, the Lord Rich sayd these words or the lyke in effect vnto hym.

Wattes, ye be brought hither (as I vnderstand) be∣cause of disobedience to the Kyng and Queens lawes. Ye will not come to the Church, ye will not heare Masse, &c. but haue your conuenticles a sort of you in corners, con∣trary to the K. and Queenes proceedings. Unto whiche hys words Wattes answered and sayd.

My L. if I haue offended a lawe,* 1.4 I am subiect here to the lawe. Then Anth. Browne Iustice, sayd vnto hym: Wats, I pray thee tell me who hath bene thy schoole mai∣ster, to teach thee this geare,* 1.5 or where didst thou first learn this religion? Forsooth (quoth Wattes) euen of you Sir: you taught it me, and none more then you. For in K. Ed∣wards dayes in open sessions you spake against this Re∣ligion now vsed, no preacher more. You then sayd, y^e masse was abhominable, & all their trumpery besides, wishing and earnestly exhorting that none should beleeue therin, & that our beliefe should be onely in Christ: and you said thē whosoeuer should bryng in any strange natiō to rule here it were treason, and not to be suffred.

Then said Browne to my Lord Rich, he belies me my Lord. What a knaue is this? he wil soone belye me behind my backe, when he doth it before my face, and my L. Rich sayd againe, I dare say he doth so.

After these wordes, Wattes tooke occasion to speake somewhat of King Phillip and of hys commyng in, but what it was, I coulde not iustly learne. But this muche was heard, that after those wordes spoken, the Benche a∣mong themselues stood vp, and sayd one to another: trea∣son, sauyng one good man called Iustice Gawdy,* 1.6 who a little before was about to speake: but when he heard them cry treason, he helde downe his head as one grieued and troubled at their doyngs.

In conclusion, the Commissioners being wery of him or els not willing to meddle further in such high matters, sent him vp to the B. of London, with their letter withal, importing the cause of his sending vp as by the contentes thereof here vnder followeth to be seene.

¶A letter sent by certaine Iustices in Essex to Boner B. of London.

AFter our most harty cōmendations to your good lord∣ship, these shall be to aduertise you,* 2.1 that at our Sessi∣ons of Oyer & Terminer holden at Chelmesford the 26. day of April last past, there came before vs in open Courte one Thomas Wattes of Billerica within your dioces, by ordinary proces, and then and there being examined why he refused to come to his parish Church, and there to re∣ceiue the sacrament of the aultar and heare diuine seruice, according to the institution of holy church, he openly there answered generally that like as the seruice of the Churche set out in the dayes of late King Edward the 6. was sayd by vs now to be abominable, hereticall, schismaticall,* 2.2 & all naught, so he sayd that all that is nowe vsed & done in the Church is abhominable, hereticall, schismaticall, and all naught, with diuers other erroneous & arrogant words: and therefore we haue thought good to send hym to your

Lordship, to be further examined by you of his perticular opinions, as to your pastorall office shall seeme conueni∣ent, certifieng you further, that in our opinion he is one of the most arrogant heretikes that hath bene heard speake, or euer came before you, & not meet to be kept here in any Gaole, as well for feare of corrupting others, as for diuers & sundry other speciall causes hereafter to be more decla∣red. Thus leauing to molest your good Lordship, we com∣mit you to the holy ghost.

Geuen at Chelmesford the 27. of Aprill. An. 1555.

Your good Lordships most assured,

• ...R. Rich.
• ...Henry Tirrell.
• ...* 2.3Anthony Browne.
• ...Edmund Tirrell.
• ...T. Myldman.
• ...Iohn Wiseman.
• ...Rog. Appleton.
• ...Rich. Weston.

Now when the B. had receiued him, how he vsed him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is easie (by his common practises with others) to iudge. What his priuate conferēces were, I know not, but what was publikely done in the Consistory at Paules (the com∣mon stage for these tragedies) you shall here see.

The first appearance of Thomas Wattes in the bishops Consistorie.

FIrst vppon Thursday, beyng the second day of May, Thomas Wattes was brought thether before the Bi∣shop of London,* 2.4 & there being examined vpon his words had before the L. Rich and others (as is conteined in their letters) he did earnestly affirme the same to be true. Wher∣upon the Bishop obiected, and examined him vpon these Articles following, to the which he aunswered, as vnder may appeare.

¶Articles obiected agaynst Thomas VVattes of Byllerica in the Countie of Essex, within the Dio∣cesse of London, by Boner Bish. there, as ensueth.

1. FIrst that the said Tho. Wattes was of Billerica, & so of the iurisdiction of the B. of London.* 2.5

2. Item, that he beleeued not in the Sacraments of the the holy and Catholike church, as the Catholike church of Rome, and all other Churches members of the same, euer hetherto hath beleued, & is taught of al good & faithful peo∣ple, nor hath allowed the said sacraments, rites, vsages, or ceremonies of the said church,* 2.6 but hath despised the same.

3. Item, that he beleeueth, & also hath taught others, that the substaunce of materiall bread and wyne do remaine in the Sacrament of the aultar after the consecration,* 2.7 & that the sayd materiall bread and wyne are the signes & tokens of Christes body hanged vpon the crosse, and of hys bloud there shed, and that in the sayd Sacrament there is only a memory or remembraunce of Christes body & bloud, and nothyng els.

4. Item, that he beleueth, and doth precisely affirme, that the very true presence of Christes body and bloud in sub∣staunce,* 2.8 is not in the Sacrament of the aultar, but only in heauen, and no where els.

5. Item, that he beleeueth, affirmeth, and sayth, that the Masse now vsed in the church of Rome here in England, and other places is full of Idolatry,* 2.9 abhomination & wic∣kednes, and that Christ did neuer institute it, nor ordayne it, nor yet allow it as a good and laudable thyng to be vsed in his Church.

6. Item, that he beleeueth and affirmeth that auricular confession to be made vnto the Priest, is not necessary, but superfluous: and that it is enough for a man to beleeue onely, & to confesse hymselfe vnto God, without any priest or minister at any tyme, though he may haue the Priest to confesse hym vnto.

7. Item, that he beleueth that Luther, Wickliffe, Doctor Barnes,* 2.10 and all others that haue holden against the Sa∣crament of the aultar, & suffred death by fire or otherwise, for the maintenaunce of the said opinion, were good men, and faithfull seruaunts and Martyrs of Christ, in so belee∣uyng and dieng.

8. Item, that he hath and doth beleue, that to fast, pray, or to do almes deeds,* 2.11 is a thyng vtterly vnprofitable: for if a man shal be saued, he shalbe saued without doing of them: and if he shall be damned, they shall not helpe him, or doe hym any good at all.

9. Item, that the said Wattes of late comming into open Court at the Sessions before the Lord Riche, Sir Henry Tirell Knight, Anthony Browne Esquier, and others, & beyng then and there examined,* 2.12 did openly confesse, that hee had refused to come to the Church, and to heare there the diuine seruice, and to receiue the sacrament of the aul∣tar, according to the order of the Church: because that like as the seruice of the Church set out in the dayes of the late king Edward the 6. was said and alledged to be abhomi∣nable, hereticall, schismaticall, and all naught: so hee the said Thomas Wattes thē and there said openly before the said Commissioners, that all that is now vsed and done in the Church, is abhominable, hereticall, schismaticall, and altogether naught: And that he did also then vtter before the sayd Commissioners, other erroneous and arrogant words, to the hurt of his soule, and to the euill example of the people there present.

10 Item,* 2.13 that he the said Thomas by reason of the pre∣misses, was and is to be takē, had, reputed, and iudged as a manifest & open heretike, and for the same, by the order of ecclesiasticall lawes is to be declared, accursed: and beyng obstinate and incorrigible, is to be deliuered to the secular power, there to be punished as an heretike.

11 Item, that he ouer and besides all these offences, and trespasses aforesaid, had also added this trespasse, that is to wit: that he had beleued and deliberately spoken,* 2.14 that the Church of Rome in her rites, ceremonies, Sacramentes, constitutions, and traditions, is the Synagoge of Satan, and therefore that he had consented and agreed in opinion & beliefe, with one Iohn Tooly, of late hanged at Charing crosse, who at the tyme of his executing, desired the people to pray, to be deliuered from the tiranny of the Bishop of Rome, with all his enormities: as who should say, that his authoritie and doings were tiranny, and had all enor∣mities and iniquities in them.

12 Item, that the premisses and euery part thereof, bee true, notorious, manifest, and openly spoken, & talked of amongst the honest & credible persons in great multitude, and that of all & singular the same within Billerica afore∣sayd, and other places there about, beyng of the diocesse of London, there is a common voyce and fame thereof.

¶The aunswer of the sayd Thomas VVattes to the foresayd Articles.

TO the first he sayd and confessed the same to bee true in euery part thereof.* 2.15

To the 2. Article he answered that he beleueth in al the Sacraments according to Christes institution, & the Ca∣tholike church: but not according to the Bish. of Romes church: and further said, that he doth not beleeue now as he had done in tymes past: for in tyme past he beleeued as the church then beleeued, but now he doth not so beleeue: for the church of Rome had deceiued vs, and therefore hee sayd he did not beleue as the church of Rome beleueth, but as Christ hath taught him: And further said,* 2.16 that hee was so taught to beleue by preachyng of one M. Aluey, & other whose names he remembred not: which Aluey he said did preach the word of God truly and sincerely.

To the 3. he aunswered, that he hath and doth beleeue, that Christes body is in heauen, and no where els: & fur∣ther, that he will neuer beleue that Christes body is in the Sacrament.

To the 4. he aunswered, confessing and firmely belee∣uing the same to be true.

To the 5. that he did beleue, that the Masse is abhomi∣nable, and that he will not go one iot from that his belief.

To the 6. that he neither did, nor yet doth beleeue that the priest can absolue him of his sinnes: howbeit, he deni∣eth not but it is good to aske councell at the priests mouth.

To the 7. he sayd, that he knoweth not what the opi∣nions of the sayd persons named in the sayd article were: and in case the said persones did beleeue that the body and bloud of Christ were reall and in very deed in the Sacra∣ment of the altar, then that they were not good men. But in case they did beleue that the body & bloud of Christ was not in the Sacrament of the aultar really and truely, then he beleued that they were good christian men.

To the 8. that he had not spokē as is conteined in this article, but said, that he hath and doth beleue that fastyng, prayers and almes deeds be works of a liuely faith.

To the 9. he confessed, that he did vtter and speake, as in this article is conteyned, and further desired God that he might dye in that fayth and beliefe, wherein he now is.

To the x. he answered and said, that he wil submit him selfe herein to the order of the law: and further said that he trusteth that with God he shall be blessed, although wyth men he be accursed.

To the xi. he sayd,* 2.17 that he beleued that the B. of Rome is a mortall enemy to Christ and hys Church. And as for Tooly he sayd, he dyd neuer see or know hym: but in case the sayd Tooly dyd wish and pray as is conteyned in the Article, then he dyd likewyse wish and consent with hym therein.

To the 12. he answered, that al which before he confes∣sed to be true, is also true: and all that he hath denied to be true, he denieth againe to be true, and beleueth the same to be according to such things as he hath confessed.

By me Tho. Wattes.

An other appearance of Thomas Wattes in the Consistorie.

THese Articles thus propounded and answeared, the bishop commaunded him to appeare again in the same place at 3. of the clocke in the after noone,* 2.18 vppon the same day. At which houre being brought thither by his keeper, the Bishop beganne with him in this wise: Wattes, you know what I said vnto you to day, and what I appoyn∣ted vnto you at this time. The time is nowe come: waigh and consider with your selfe, that you are but a man: and allbeit that yee will wilfully cast away your body, yet cast not so away your soule, but while yee haue time, retourne and confesse the truth.

* 2.19Whereunto Thomas Wattes answered and sayde: I am weary to liue in such idolatry as ye would haue me to l••ue in. Upon which aunswere the bishop caused his arti∣cles againe to be read. He thereto answered as before, and farther subscribed the same with his owne hand.

An other appearance before D. Harpsfield.

THe bishop, after many perswasions to cause him to re∣cant, willed him to depart as then, and to come againe on Saterday at 8. of the clocke in the morning.* 2.20 Where (the Bishop being absent) D. Nicholas Harpesfielde, as then being his deputie, did sit and earnestly exhorted him to de∣ny his opinions. To whome in the ende he answeared.

Wel, ye haue a law to condemne me, and I submit my selfe to the law: but not to the lawes of the Church (as you call it.) And farther I doe affirme, and will stande to mine answeres that I haue made.

Wherupon D. Harpsfield willed him to appeare there againe vpon friday, being the 10. day of the same month of May. Uppon which day the bishop priuately sent for the sayd Thomas Wattes into his chamber, and there wyth many faire promises, tempted and tried him, whether hee would reuoke hys errours (as he then termed them.) But Wattes aunsweared hym in this sorte: I will not beleeue your Church, neither the Romish Churche, and therefore you doe but labour in vaine thus to trauaile with me. He was here vpon againe dismissed for that time,* 2.21 vntil friday the 17. day of May, and then commaunded to appeare in the Consistorie: whych commandement he obeyed, & ha∣uing the accustomed former Articles ministred vnto him, made then such answeres as before.

Thomas Wattes brought againe to the consistorie.

THus being tost to and fro, from day to day, and houre to houre: he was at the last, the 18. day of the month of May,* 2.22 brought into the consistorie, where firste was made a briefe recitall of all the former processe: and there the sayd Wattes being (by the byshop and others) willed to deny his profession, made this final answer: God kepe me from the doctrine that ye wold haue me to come vnto, which ye haue now declared. And I beseech God y^t I may perseuer in that that I haue done, for I wil stand to mine answers.

The Byshop perceiuing his faire flattering promises nothing to preuaile (& hauing no great store of other rea∣sons to perswade with) put forth his last and strongest ar∣gument of condemnation.* 2.23 Which being ended, he was de∣liuered to the sheriffes of London, & by them was sent to Newgate, where he remained vntil the 9. day of Iune, or as some record, to the 22. of May: at what time he was ca∣ried vnto Chelmesforde, and there was brought to Scots house, keeping then an Inne at Chelmesforde, where, as they were eating meat with Hauks and the rest that came downe to their burning, they prayed together both afore and after their meate.

Then Wats went and praied priuately to himself, and afterward came to his wife and his 6. childrē being there, and said these words in effect: Wife, and my good children, I must now depart from you.* 2.24 Therfore hence forth know I you no more, but as the Lord hath geuen you vnto me, so I geue you againe vnto the Lord, whom I charge you see you do obey, and feare him: and beware yee turne not to this abhominable papistrie, against the which I shall anone (by Gods grace) geue my bloude. Let not the mur∣thering of Gods Saintes cause you to relent, but take oc∣casion thereby to be the stronger in the Lords quarel, and I doubt not but he wil be a mercifull father vnto you. All these and suche like woordes spake he vnto them, and they vnto him, of whome two (as it is sayd) offered to be burnt wyth him. In the ende he badde them farewell, and kissed them all, and was caried to the fire.

[illustration]

The burning of Thomas Wattes, Martyr.

* 2.25

At the stake, after he had kissed it, he spake to my Lord Rich, these or the like words: My Lord sayth he, beware,* 2.26 beware, for you doe against your owne conscience herein, and without you repent, the Lord wil reuenge it: For you are the cause of this my death.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iune. 10. The st••••y of Thomas Wattes Martyr.
• * 1.2

  Thomas Wattes disposeth his goodes before he should be apprehended.
• * 1.3

  The examinatiō of Thomas Wattes before the Lord Rich and other the Queenes com∣missioners. The wordes of the Lord Rich to Tho. Wattes.
• * 1.4

  Wattes wordes to the L. Rich.
• * 1.5

  Syr Anthony Browne a Gos∣peller in K. Ed∣wardes dayes & a persecuter in Queene Maryes dayes.
• * 1.6

  Iustice Gaudy •• good man.
• * 2.1

  A letter of the Lord Rich, Henry Tyrell & other Iustices to Boner.
• * 2.2

  Tho Wattes sent vp by the Iusti∣ces of Essex to Byshop Boner.
• * 2.3

  The names of the Iustices.
• * 2.4

  The first appea∣rance of Tho∣mas Wattes in the Bishops Consistory.
• * 2.5

  Articles agaynst Tho. Wattes. The Sacraments of the Church of Rome.
• * 2.6

  The substance of the sacramēt.
• * 2.7

  The presence in the sacrament.
• * 2.8

  The Masse ab∣hominable.
• * 2.9

  Confession to God.
• * 2.10

  Defence of Martyrs.
• * 2.11

  Fasting, praying, & almes deedes.
• * 2.12

  Q. Maryes ser∣uice reproued.
• * 2.13

  Wattes r••••puted by the lawe•• for an he••••••ticke.
• * 2.14

  The chur•••• of Rome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sinagoge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sathan.
• * 2.15

  His aun∣sweres to the articl••▪
• * 2.16

  Tho. Watt•••• first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Go••••pell by M. Aluey.
• * 2.17

  The Byshop of Rome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enemy to Christ.
• * 2.18

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 2.19

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 2.20

  〈…〉〈…〉 the Popes lawe.

  Thomas Wattes pri∣••••tely ap¦peareth a∣gaine before the Byshop.
• * 2.21

  Wattes aun∣swere to the Byshop.
• * 2.22

  The 〈…〉〈…〉 of Thomas Wattes.
• * 2.23

  Sentence of condemna∣tion agaynst Thomas Wattes.
• * 2.24

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Thomas Wattes to his wife & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 children
• * 2.25

  The Martyr∣dome of Tho. Wattes, at Chelmi••ford. Anno. 1555. Iune. 10.
• * 2.26

  The wordes of Thomas Wattes to the L. Rich.