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.

Concerning the childebed of Queene Mary, as it was rumoured among the people.

LOng perswasion had bene in England with great ex∣pectation, for the space of halfe a yeare or more,* 1.1 that the Queene was conceiued w^t childe. This report was made by the Queenes Phisitions, & other nie about the Court: so that diuers were punished for saying the contrary. And commaundement was geuen, that in all churches suppli∣cation and prayers should be made for the Queenes good deliuerie: the certificate whereof ye may read before in the letter of the Counsel sent to Boner, pag. 1405. And also the same moreouer may appeare by prouision made before in the Act of Parliament for the childe. pag. 1410.

And now for somuch as in y^e beginning of this month of Iune about Whitsontide,* 1.2 the time was thought to be nie, that this young Maister should come into the world, and that midwiues, rockers, nurses, with the cradle & all, were prepared and in a readines, sodēly vpon what cause or occasion it is vncertaine, a certaine vaine rumour was blowne in London of the prosperous deliuerance of the Queene, and the birth of the childe: In so muche that the Bels were rong, Bonfiers and processions made, not on∣ly in the Citie of London,* 1.3 and in most other partes of the realme, but also in the towne of Antwarpe, gunnes were shot off vppon the riuer, by the English shippes, and the Mariners thereof rewarded wyth an hundred pistolettes or Italian crownes by the Ladie Regent, who was the Queene of Hungarie.* 1.4 Such great reioysing and triumph was for the Queenes deliuerie, & that there was a Prince borne. Yea, diuers Preachers, namely one, the Parson of S. Anne within Aldergate, after Procession and Te Deum song, tooke vpon him to describe the proportion of y^e child, how faire, howe beautifull, and great a Prince it was, as the like had not bene seene.

In the middest of this great adoe, there was a simple man (this I speake but vppon information) dwelling w^t∣in 4. miles of Barwicke, that neuer had bene before halfe way to London, whiche sayde concerning the Bonfiers made for Queene Maries childe: Here is a ioyful triūph, but at length al wil not proue worth a messe of potage,* 1.5 as in dede it came to passe: For in y^e end al proued clean cōtra∣ry, & the ioy and expectations of mē were much deceiued. For the people were certified, y^t the Queene neither was as then deliuered, nor after was in hope to haue any child.

At thys time many talked diuersly: some sayd thys ru∣mour of the Queenes conception was spread for a po••icie: some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympa∣nie or some other like disease, to thinke her selfe with child, and was not:* 1.6 some thought she was with childe, and that it did by some chaunce miscarie, or els that she was bewit∣ched: but what was the truth therof, the Lord knoweth, to whome nothing is secrete. One thing of mine owne hea∣ring, and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed.

There came to me, whom I did both heare and see, one Isabell Malt, a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley, not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed, who before witnes made this decla∣ration vnto vs, that she beyng deliuered of a māchild vpō Whitsonday in the mornyng, whiche was the xi. day of Iune. an. 1555. there came to her the Lord North, and an other Lord to her vnknowē, dwellyng thē about old Fish streete, demaūdyng of her if she would part with her child, and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child. Whiche if she would, her sonne (they sayd) should be well prouided for, she should take no care for it, with many fayre offers if she would part with the child.

After that came other womē also, of whō one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker, but she in no wise would let go her sonne, who at y^e writyng hereof being aliue & called Timothe Malt, was of the age of xiij. yeares & vpward.

* 1.7Thus much (I say) I heard of the woman her selfe. What credite is to bee geuen to her relation, I deale not withall, but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader, to beleue it they that list: to them that list not, I haue no further warrant to assure them.

* 1.8Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe, there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed, vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed, these Uerses were written, both in Latin and English.

Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti, Anglis inc••lumem redde, tuere, rege.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Childbirth of Q. Mary.
• * 1.2

  Rockers and Nurses proui∣ded for Queene Maryes childe.
• * 1.3

  Processions and bonfiers in Lon∣dō for ioy of the young Prince.
• * 1.4

  Triumph at Antwarpe for the same.
• * 1.5

  Q. Maryes childe would not come.
• * 1.6

  What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell.
• * 1.7

  Ex testimonio e∣iusdam puerpe∣rae Londinensis.
• * 1.8

  The young Princes cradle.