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 story of M. Symon Fish.

BEfore the time of M. Bilney, and the fall of the Cardi∣nall,* 1.1 I should haue placed the story of Simō Fish with the booke called the Supplication of Beggars, declaring how and by what meanes it came to the kynges hand, and what effect therof folowed after, in the reformation of ma∣ny thinges, especially of the Clergy. But the missing of a few yeares in this matter, breaketh no great square in our story, though it be now entred here which shold haue come in sixe yeares before. The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this:

After that the light of the gospell working mightely in Germany, began to spread his beames here also in Eng∣land, great styrre & alteration folowed in the harts of ma∣ny: so that colored hipocrisy, and false doctrine, & paynted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the reading of Gods word. The authority of the Bishop of Rome, and y^e glory of his Cardinals was not so high, but such as had

fresh wits sparcled with Gods grace, began to espy Christ from Antichrist, that is, true sincerity, from counterfait re∣ligion. In the number of whom, was the sayd M. Simon Fish, a gentleman of Brayes Inne. It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to Londō to dwel, which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. that there was a certayne play or interlude made by one M. Roo of the same Inne gentlemā, in which play partly was matter agaynst the Cardinall Wolsey. And where none durst take vpō thē to play that part, which touched the sayd Cardinall, thys foresayd M. Fish tooke vpon him to do it, wherupon great displeasure ensued agaynst him, vpon the Cardinals part: In so much as he being pursued by the sayd Cardinall,* 1.2 the same night that this Tragedy was playd, was compelled of force to voyd his owne house, & so fled ouer the Sea vn∣to Tindall: vpon occasion wherof the next yeare folowing this booke was made (being about the yeare .1527.) and so not long after in the yeare (as I suppose) 1528. was sent ouer to the Lady Anne Buileyne, who then lay at a place not farre from the Court. Which book her brother seing in her hand, tooke it and read it, & gaue it her agayne, willing her earnestly to geue it to the king, which thing she so dyd.

This was (as I gather) about the yeare of our Lord. 1528.* 1.3 The king after he had receiued the booke, demaun∣ded of her who made it. Wherunto she aunswered and said, a certayne subiect of his, one Fish, who was fled out of the Realme for feare of the Cardinall. After the king had kept the booke in his bosome 3. or 4. dayes, as is credibly repor∣ted, such knowledge was geuen by the kinges seruaunts, to the wife of the sayd Simon Fish, that she might boldely send for her husband, without all perill or daunger. Wher∣vpon she therby being incouraged, came first & made sute to the king for the safe returne of her husband. Who vnder∣standing whose wife she was, shewed a maruellous gētle & chearefull countenance towardes her, asking where her husband was. She answered, if it like your grace, not farre of. Then sayth he, fetch him, and he shall come and goe safe without perill, & no man shal do him harme, saying more∣ouer that he had much wrong that he was from her so lōg: who had bene absent now the space of two yeares and a halfe. In the which meane time, the Cardinall was depo∣sed, as is aforeshewed, and M. More set in his place of the Chauncellorship.

Thus Fishes wife being emboldened by the kinges words,* 1.4 went immediatly to her husband being lately come ouer, and lying priuily within a myle of the Courte, and brought him to the king: which appeareth to be about the yeare of our Lord 1530. When the king saw him, and vn∣derstood he was the author of the booke, he came and em∣braced him with louing countenance: who after long talke: for the space of 3. or 4. houres, as they were riding toge∣ther on hunting, at length dimitted him and bad him take home his wife, for she had takē great paynes for him. Who aunswered the king agayne and said, he durst not so do, for ••••are of Syr Thomas More then Chauncellour, & Stoks∣ley then Bishop of London. This seemeth to be about the yeare of our Lord. 1530.

The king taking his signet of his finger, wylled hym to haue him recommended to the Lord Chauncellor,* 1.5 char∣ging him not to be so hardy to worke him any harme, M. Fish receiuing the kinges signet, went and declared hys message to the Lord Chauncellour, who tooke it as suffici∣ent for his owne discharge, but he asked him if he had any thing for the discharge of his wife: for she a litle before had by chaunce displeased the Friers, for not suffering them to say theyr Gospels in Latine in her house, as they did in o∣thers vnlesse they would say it in English. Whereupon the Lord Chauncellor, though he had discharged the man, yet leauing not his grudge towardes the wife,* 1.6 the next mor∣ning sent his man for her to appeare before him: who, had it not bene for her young daughter, which then lay sicke of the plague, had bene like to come to much trouble. Of the which plague her husband, the sayd M. Fish deceasing w^t in halfe a yeare,* 1.7 she afterward maryed to one M. Iames Baynham, Syr Alexander Baynhams sonne, a worshyp∣full knight of glostershyre. The which foresaid M. Iames Baynham, not long after was burned, as incontinently af¦ter in the processe of this story, shall appeare.

And thus much concerning Symon Fishe the author of the booke of beggars,* 1.8 who also translated a booke called the Summe of the Scripture, out of the Dutch.

Now commeth an other note of one Edmund Mod∣dys the kinges footman, touching the same matter.

This M. Moddys being with the king in talke of re∣ligion, and of the new bookes that were come from beyond the seas, sayd if it might please his grace to pardon hym, & such as he would bring to his grace,* 1.9 he shoulde see such a booke, as was maruell to heare of. The king demaunded what they were. He sayd, two of your Marchauntes, Ge∣orge Elyot, & George Robinsō.* 1.10 The king poynted a time to speake with them. Whē they came afore his presence in a priuy closet, he demaūded what they had to say, or to shew him. One of thē said y^t there was a book come to their h••••s, which they had there to shew his grace. When he saw it, he demaunded if any of them could read it. Yea sayd George Elyot, if it please your grace to heare it. I thought so, sayd the king, for if need were thou canst say it without booke.

The whole booke being read out,* 1.11 the king made a long pause, & then sayd, if a man should pull downe an old stone wall and begin at the lower part, the vpper part thereof might chaunce to fall vpon his head: and then he tooke the book and ••ut it into his deske, and commaunded them vp∣on theyr allegiance, that they should not tell to any man, that he had seene the booke. &c. The Copy of the foresayde booke, intituled of the Beggars, here ensueth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M Symon Fishe, author of the booke, called the supplication of Beggars.
• * 1.2

  Ex certa relatio∣ne, 〈…〉〈…〉 propriae ipsius coniugis.
• * 1.3

  The booke of the supplication of beggars geuē to the king.
• * 1.4

  M. Fi••he brought, and gently entertay∣ned of the king.
• * 1.5

  M. Fishe rescued by the king.
• * 1.6

  Syr Thomas More persecu∣teth M. Fishes. w••••e.
• * 1.7

  M. Fishe dyeth o•• the Plague.
• * 1.8

  The summe of the Scripture tra••••lated by M. Fyshe.
• * 1.9

  M. Moddys the kinges ••oo••man
• * 1.10

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.11

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉