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.

¶Thomas Man Martyr.

NExt to Iohn Stilman aboue mentioned, followeth in this blessed order of Martyrs, the persecution and cō∣demnation of Thomas Man. Who the 29. day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was burned in Smithfield. This Tho. Man had likewise bene apprehended for y^e pro¦fession of Christes Gospell, about 6. yeares before, the 14. day of August. an. 1511. and being at that time brought be∣fore D. Smith B. of Lincolne, was by him examined vp∣on dyuers and sundry articles: the effect wherof are these.

1. First, that he had spoken against auricular confession, and denyed the corporall presence of Christes body in the sacrament of the altar.

2. Item, that he beleued that al holy men of his sect were onely priestes.

3. Item, that he had affirmed that the father of heauen was the altar, and the second person the sacrament, & that vppon the Ascension day the sacrament ascended vnto the altar, and there abideth still.

4. Item, that he beleued not aright in the sacrament of extreme vnction.

5. Item that he had called certaine priestes meanely ar∣rayed, pyld knaues.

6. Item, that he had sayd that pulpits were priestes ly∣ing stooles.

7. Item, that he had beleued that images ought not to be worshipped: and that he neyther beleeued in the Cruci∣fixe, nor yet would worship it.

8. Item, that he had affirmed that he heard say, the word of God and God to be al one, and that he worthily recei∣ueth the word of God, receiueth God.

9. Item, that he had sayd, that the popish Churche was

not the church of God, but a sinagogue: and that holy men of his sect, where the true church of God.

For these and suche like matters was he a long time, emprisoned, and at last through frailtie and feare of death, was contented to abiure & yeld himselfe vnto the iudge∣ment of the Romish Church, and thereupon was enioy∣ned, not only to make hys open recantation, but also from thencef••rth to remayne as prisoner within the monastery of Osney besides Oxford, and so to beare a fagot before the first crosse at the next generall Procession within the Uniuersitie. Howbeit not long after, the Bishop hauing neede of the poore mans helpe in hys housholde busines, tooke him out of the said Monastery, and placed him with in his owne house, vntill his busines was ended, and then (hys turne once serued) hee appoynted D. Wilcockes his vicar generall, that in hys next iudicial Session within the sayd Priorie of Frideswide at Oxforde, he shoulde assigne him to remayne within the sayd Priorie, and not to depart thence without licence of the Prior for the tyme being, vp∣on payne o•• relapse: and vpon lyke payne he also enioyned him to weare the signe of a Fagot vnder his vppermost garment, vntill he were dispensed withall for the same. Al which notwithstanding, he (beyng belike both sory for hys offence in denying the trueth, and also weary of his seruile and prisonlike bondage) bethought hymself how he might best escape their cruell handes, and therefore after a while, seyng good opportunitie offered him, he fled the dioces and iurisdiction of Lincolne: and secking abroad in other coū∣tryes for worke (thereby to susteine his poore lyfe) he most commonly abode, sometime in Essexe, sometime in Suf∣folke: where also he associated and ioyned himselfe vnto such godly professors of Christes Gospel, as he there could heare of. But within fewe yeares after (such is the cruell rage of Sathan and hys wicked members, whiche neuer suffer the godly long to continue vntroubled) he was a∣gaine accursed of relapse, by the inquest of the inquisition of London, and therupon was apprehended & brought vn¦to Rich. Fitziames then Bish. of Lond. & the 9. day of Fe∣bruary. an. 1518. he was examined by D. Hed the Bishops vicar generall within his pallace at Lond. where the sayde Hed iudicially assisted with diuers of his complices, decla∣red first vnto man, that for as much as he was since hys first abiuring againe detected and accused by certayne cre∣dible and honest persons, of the same heresies which he had once before recanted: and further (contrary to the order of penaunce enioyned hym by the late Byshop of Lincolne) he had departed the Priorie of Sainct Frideswide, and the Dioces of Lincolne without leaue, eyther of the Byshop or Prior: and was now also found within y^e dioces of Lō∣don; and that without hys badge assigned hym by y^e sayde bishops vicar generall: he therefore as Chauncellour and vicar generall vnto the bish. of Lond. deputed for that pur¦pose, did then meane to proceede agaynst hym as a relapse by order of Ecclesiasticall lawes in that behalfe prouided: Wherfore he appoynted hym to appeare agayne in the cō∣sistory of Pauls, the 12. day of February next after, there to answere vnto such articles as then should be propounded agaynst him. At which day and place the Chauncellor (first reciting the causes before mentioned, why he did then pro∣ceede against him) obiected vnto him these articles folow∣ing.

1. First, that he was of the Dioces of London.

2. Itē, that he was a Christen man & professed Christes Fayth, and the determinatiōs of holy Church concernyng the seuen Sacramentes, and other articles of the Catho∣licke fayth.

3. Item, that it was not lawfull for any man (especially a lay man) erroneously and obstinatly to hold, teach, or de∣fend any opinion contrary vnto the determinations of the sayd church, and that the person so doing is an hereticke.

4. Item, that within one of the 12. monthes of the yeare of our Lord. 1511. he had bene detected before the Bishop of Lincolne that then was, of diuers poyntes of heresie: as that he had affirmed that the very body and bloud of christ was not in the sacrament of the altar, but materiall bread and wine, and that he had receiued it at Easter as holye bread, and likewise had affirmed that the crucifixe & other Images in the Church were not to be worshipped, and al∣so that confession made vnto a priest, was of none effect, with diuers other like opinions and heresies.

5. Item, that for these and such like poyntes of heresie he had bene abiured in S. Mary church at Oxford before D. Wilcockes Chauncellour vnto the sayde Byshop of Lin∣colne, in the month of October, in the yeare last abouesayd and there dyd renounce them and all other, promising no more to fal into the like.

6. Item, that there also he had taken a solemne oth, to do such pennaunce as should be enioyned him by the authori∣tie of the sayd Bishop.

7. Item, that then he was enioyned to abide within the monastery of Osney by Oxforde: and also there to beare a fagot before the first Crosse in the generall Procession.

8. Item, that after a certayn tyme that he had bene with∣in the monastery of Osney the Byshop of Lincolne (for certayne causes) tooke him into his owne house and ser∣uice, respiting his pennaunce for a time.

9. Item, that afterwardes, which was the 9. day of Oc∣tober. anno, 1512. the sayd Bishops Chauncellour iudici∣ally sitting in the Chapter house of the Priorie of S. Fri∣deswide in Oxford, did enioyne him that he should tary w^t∣in the sayd Priory, and not to goe out of the gates thereof without licence of the Prior for the tyme beyng, vntill he had other commaundement from the Byshop, vpon payn of relapse: and further that he should from thenceforth (vp on the lyke payne) weare a signe of a Fagot vnder his vp∣permost garment.

10. Item, y^t after hys abiuration, and sithens the promi∣ses thus done, he was yet agayne detected to the B. of Lō∣don by open fame, and denounced by worshipfull and cre∣dible persons, y^t he had vsed like false errours and heresies & had spoken and taught certaine conclusions of heresie a∣gainst the Christen fayth, and determinations of holye Church: and that he had fallen into the like heresies, as be∣fore his abiuration, both against the sacrament of the altar agaynst pilgrimages and worshipping of Images: and had blasphemed our blessed Lady, calling her Mably.

11. Item that when he wrought with one Iohn Bates in Stratford Langthorne in Rogation weeke, then 3. yeares past, and beyng bidden by the sayd Bates wife to goe and heare the gospell, he aunswered, and sayd vnto her, I wyll not come there, go you if ye list, ye shal haue as much meed for it as to put your finger in the fire, and to burne it.

12. Item, that in times past for feare of abiuration, he had fled from Colchester to Newbery, and after that vnto Ha∣mersham, and had there damnably accompanyed with he∣tiques and had taught heresies among them: & also since y^e tyme of hys abiuration he had sayd, that he and hys wyfe had turned sixe or seuen hundreth people vnto those opini∣ons which he was abiured of, and others also, contrary to Christes fayth, and determinations of holy Church.

Hys aunswere vnto these Articles was, that as tou∣ching the first nine, hee graunted in part to be true, confes∣sing to the seconde, that hee was a true Christian, and did professe the true Christian faith: but the contentes of the last thrée he vtterly denied to be true, affirming for certaine aunswere vnto the 11. article, that at the time mentioned in the same, he did not worke in the towne of Stratford. Up∣on which answere the Chauncelour called foorth two wit∣nesses to be sworne and examined against hym, willyng hym that if he had any iust matter against any of them, hee should refuse them. But to what purpose this his faire of∣fer and trim shewe of vpright iustice serued, I can not see. For notw^tstanding that hee charged the one of the witnes∣ses with theft and adulterie (for that hauing a wife of hys owne, he did yet runne away wyth an other mannes wife and goodes) and also alleged that the other was too young to be a sworne witnesse in case of life and death: yet were they both still retained & allowed by the Chauncelour, and sworn not to depart away or hide themselues, but to be al∣waies ready to iustifye that which they had to say against the sayde Thomas Man: and so for that time as well they, as also all the rest were commanded to depart, and the pri∣soner sent againe to hys prison.

And here in the order of the othe ministred vnto these witnesses, I finde one note (me thinketh) worthy present remembrance, both for that it is mentioned in this proces, and also because it somewhat openeth y^e foolish, ridiculous, and fained figuratiue Ceremonies of the Papists, who do attribute a spirituall signification almost vnto all their do∣inges. The Register discoursing at large the manner of their othe hath these wordes: Ad sancta Dei Euangelia iurari feelt, tribus medris digitis erectis, & super librum positis in sig∣num Trinitatis, & fidei Catholicae: & duobus (videl. police & auriculari) suppositis & suppressis, & sub libro positis, in signum damnationis corporis & animae, si non deposuerint veritatem in hac parte. That is to say, he caused them to sweare vpō the holy Euangelistes, with their three middle fingers stret∣ched out right, and laide vpon the booke in signe of y^e Tri∣nitie and Catholique faith: and the other two (to wyt, the thombe and the litle finger) put downewardes vnder the booke, in token of damnation of body and soule, if they did not depose the truth in the matter. This Ceremoniall or∣der and exposition of theirs as it is of their owne fonde in∣uention, without any ground or example of the scriptures

of God so minde I to leaue it still vnto thēselues, w^t other their apish toies & ridicles, as things worthy to be laught at, and will now further proceed with the rest of this pro∣cesse, which I haue in hand.

The xv. day of February, D. Hed the Chauncellour, againe iudicially sitting in the consistory at Paules, com∣maunded Thomas Man to be brought before him, and there causing the articles obiected against him by the By∣shop of Lincolne with his order of abiuration & penaunce and also his owne articles last propounded to be first read he called forth a third witnes to be sworne and examined vpon the same. But because he would seeme to do all thin∣ges by order of iustice, and nothing against law, he there∣fore appoynted vnto the sayd Thomas Man, certain Do∣ctours and aduocates of the Arches, as his counsellers, to plead in his behalfe: Which was euen like as if the lambe should be committed to the defence and protection of the woolfe, or the hare to the hounde. For what good helpe could he looke for at their handes, whiche were both most wicked haters and abhorrers of his Christian profession, and also stout vpholders and maintainers of that Anti∣christian law, by the which he was for the same cōdemned? And that full well appeared by the good aduice and profi∣table councell which they gaue him against his next exami∣nations. For aswell vppon the 20. and also the 23. dayes of the same month of February, in theyr seuerall Sessions he seing his owne negations to their obiections, to take no place against their sworne witnesses, had no other thinge to allege for himselfe, but that through his xx. weekes of hard imprisonment vnder the byshop of Lincolne, he was forced to recant and abiure: whiche was a poore shifte of counsell, God knoweth: And yet D. Raynes beyng one of his chiefe assigned aduocates (in steede of aduice) coulde by his subtle questioning, then make him to confesse, that cer∣taine talke, whereof one of the witnesses had accused hym, was spoken about fiue yeares before past: which because it was since his recantatiō, was rather an accusation of hym selfe, then an excusing: and therefore it is easie to iudge to how fauourable and vprightfull hartes they tooke vppon them to be his aduocates and defenders. The Chauncel∣lour likewise charged him vpon the same xxiij. daye y^t since his last imprisonment he had said vnto Robert Cluny the Bishops Sumner, and his keeper, that as far foorth as he could see or perceiue for his parte in this his matter, the lawes of the Church were grounded vpon Pilate & Cay∣phas. Which obiection he graunting to be true, the Chaū∣cellour did for that time dismisse the Courte, vntill the first daye of Marche nexte following. Uppon whiche daye (minding to make quicke dispatche) he in fewe wordes as∣ked Man, what matter he had to alledge for himselfe, why he shoulde not then (considering the premisses) bee pro∣nounced a relapsed heretique, and receiue suche punishe∣ment by the seculare power, as to suche was due by order of lawe. But he hauing no other allegations then before whiche might take place with them, was finally condem∣ned as an heretique. And notwithstanding that, as the re∣gister noteth (but howe truely, God onely knoweth) he did agayne forsake his former renewed profession of Chri∣stes Gospell, and yelded himselfe vnto the Bish. of Rome requiring to be absolued from his curse of excommunica∣tion, and contented to doe such penaunce, as they should enioyne him, he was yet the xxix. day of Marche deliuered by Doctour Hed vnto the Sheriffe of London, to be then presently burned, with this protestation made before, that he might not consent to the death of any, and therefore he desired the Sheriffe that he woulde receiue this person as relapsed and condemned, and yet to punishe him other∣wise then by rigorous rigour. The wordes to be marked in their sentence be these Rogamus attentè in visceribus Iesu Christi, vt huiusmodi dignae seueritatis vltio & executio de te & contra te in hac parte fienda taliter moderetur, vt non sit rigor ri∣gidus, ne{que} mansuetudo dissoluta, sed as salutē & sanitatem animae tuae &c. That is, We desire in the bowels of our lord Iesus Christ, that the punishment and execution of due seueritie of thee, & against thee in this part, may so be moderate, that there be no rigorous rigour, nor yet no dissolute mansue∣tude, but to the health and wealth of thy soule. &c. Wherein these Catholique Churchmen doe well declare, accordyng to the wordes of Thomas Man before expressed, that the lawes of their church be grounded vpō Pilate & Caiphas. For like as Caiphas with his court of Phariseis, cried a∣gainst Christ vnto Pilate: It is not lawfull for vs to put anye man to death: But if thou let hym go, thou art not Caesars friend. Euen so they, first condemning the saints of God to death and then deliuering them vnto the secular Magistrate, to be thereupon executed, woulde yet couer their malignant hartes with the cloke of hipocriticall holines, and vnwil∣lingnes to shedde bloude. But God be thanked, whiche bringeth all thinges to light in his due time, & vncouereth her hipocrisie, at last that she may be seene and knowne in right colours.

[illustration]

*The burning of Thomas Man.

Thus Thomas man, the manly martyr of Iesu christ, being condemned by the vniust sentence of Hed the Chaū∣cellour, was deliuered to the Sheriffe of London sitting on horsebacke, in Pater noster rowe, before the Byshops doore, an. 1518. protesting to the sayde Sheriffe, that he had no power to put him to deathe, and therefore desired the Sheriffe to take him as a relapse and cōdemned to see him punished, Et tamen citra Mortem, that is, without death, as the wordes stand in the Register. The Sheriffe receiuing neither articles to be read at his burning, nor any Inden∣tures of that his deliuerye, immediately caryed him to Smithfielde, and there in the same day in the foorenoone caused him to be put into Gods Aungell, according to the wordes of the sayd Thomas Man before, saying that if he were taken againe of the pilled knaue priestes, as he called them, he wist well he should goe to the holy Aungell, and then be an angell in heauen.

In the deposition of one Thomas Risby, weauer of Stratford Langthorn, against y^e forenamed Martyr Tho. Man, it appeareth by the Registers, that he had bene in diuers places and countryes in England, and had instru∣cted very many, as at Amersham, at London at Billerica, Chemsford, at Stratford Langford, at Oxbrige, at Burn∣ham, at Henley vpon Thamis, in Suffolke, and North∣folke, at Newbery, and diuers places moe: where he him∣selfe testifieth, that as he went Westward, he found a great company of well disposed persons, being of the same iudge¦ment touching the sacrament of the Lordes supper, that he was of, and especially at Newbery, where was (as he confessed) a glorious and sweete societie of faythfull fauou∣rers, who had continued the space of xv. yeares together, till at last by a certaine lewd person, whome they trusted and made of their counsell, they were bewrayed, and then many of them, to the number of sixe or seuen score were ab∣iured, and three or foure of them burnt. From thence he came then (as he confessed) to the forest of Windsore, where he hearing of the brethren which were at Hamersham, re∣moued thither, where he found a godly and a great compa¦ny, which had continued in that doctrine and teaching 23. yeares: whiche was from this present time 70. yeares a∣gone. And this congregation of Buckingham shyre men remayned till the time of Iohn Longham Bishop of Lin∣colne, whereof we shal (Christ willing) heare more anone. Against these faythfull Christiās of Amersham, was great troble and persecution in the time of W. Smyth Byshop of Lincolne, about the yeare of our Lord 1057. at whiche time diuers and many were abiured, and it was called

Abiuratio Magna, the great abiuration, and they whiche were noted of that doctrine and profession, were called by the name of knowne men or iust fast men. &c. In this con∣gregatiō of the faithful brethren, were 4. principall readers or instructers. Wherof one was Tilesworth called thē D. Tilesworth, who was burnt at Amersham, mentioned in our history before, by the name of William Tilseley: whō I suppose rather to be called Tilseworth, pag. 774. An o∣ther was Thomas Chase, called amongst them, Doctour Chase, whom we declared before to be murdered and han∣ged in the Bishop of Lincolnes prison at Woborne, called Little ease, pag. 774. The third was this Tho. Man, cal∣led Doctor Man, burned as is here mentioned in Smith∣field, an. 1518. who, as by his owne confession, and no lesse also by his trauaile appeareth, was Gods champion and suffered muche trouble by the priestes, for the cause and lawe of God. Hee confesseth himselfe in the same Regi∣ster, that he had turned seuen hundreth people to his Reli∣gion and doctrine, for the which he thanked God. He con∣ueyed also fiue couples of men and women from Amershā, Oxbrige, Burnham, and Henley vppon Thamis, where they dwelt vnto Suffolke and Northfolke, that they mought be brought (as he then termed it) out of the deuils mouth. The fourth was Robert Cosin, named likewise a∣mong them, Doctor Cosin.

Notes

• Tho. Man, Mar∣tyr.
• The articles of Thomas Man.
• Thomas Man sent to the mo∣nastery of Os∣ney.
• Thomas Man sent to the mo∣nastery of Fri∣deswyde.
• Thomas Man fledde out of the monastery.
• Thomas Man the second time apprehended.
• The cause of hys martyrdome.
• Articles againe obiected against Thomas Man.
• Against the re∣all presence in the Sacrament.
• He ment some Image or picture of the virgine▪ set vp in some blinde place to be worshipped
• False wit∣nes.
• False witnes receiued a∣gainst Tho∣mas Man.
• The cere∣moniall ma∣ner of the popish mi∣nistring of their othe.
• Tho. Man a∣gaine called by D. Hed Chancelour
• Agnus Lu∣po commis∣sus.
• The subtile practise of the Romish churchmen.
• The lawes of the church of Rome groū∣ded vpon Pilate and Cayphas.
• The popish chauncelour would not seeme to cō∣sent to his death: but yet could send him to the Sham∣bles to be kilde.
• Thomas Man burned of the Sheriffe with∣out any warrāt. An. 1518. Mens. Mart. 29. Ex Regist.
• Ex Regist. Rich. Fitziames. Pag. 798. Vj. score abiu∣red, and 3. or 4. burnt about Newbery 60. yeares agoe.
• Abiuratio mag∣na. Knowen men, or Iust fast men of Amersham. W. Tilseley or rather Tylse∣worth, martyr. Vid. supra. Pag. 774.
• Thomas Chase Martyr. Vide. supra. pag. 774.
• Thomas Man a great reader a∣mong the bre∣thren of Amer∣sham.