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 second examination of Marbecke, be∣fore the Bishops Gentleman in the Marshalsey.

ON the next day (which was Tuesday) by 8. of the clock in the morning,* 1.1 there came one of the B. of Winche∣sters Gentlemen into the Marshalsey, whose mā brought after him two great books vnder his arme, & finding Mar¦becke walking vp and downe in the Chappell, demanded of the keeper why he was not in irons. I had no such cō∣maundement quoth he: for the messenger, which brought hym yesternight from the Counsaile, sayd: It was theyr pleasure he should he gētly vsed. My Lord quoth the gen∣tleman will not be content with you, and so takyng the bookes of his man, called for a chamber,* 1.2 vp to the which he caried the prisoner, and casting the bookes from him vpon a bed, sate him downe and said: Marbecke, my Lord doth fauour thee well for certaine good qualities thou hast, and hath sent me hither to admonish thee to beware and take heed least thou cast away thy selfe wilfully. If thou wylt be plaine, thou shalt doe thy selfe much good: if not, thou shalt do thy selfe much harme. I assure thee, my Lord la∣menteth thy case, for as much as he hath alwayes hearde good report of thee: wherfore now see to thy selfe, and play the wise man.* 1.3 Thou art acquainted with a great sort of he∣retikes (as Hobby and Heynes, with other mo) & know∣est much of their secrets: if thou wilt nowe open them at my Lords request, he will procure thy deliueraunce out of hand, and preferre thee to better liuing.

Alas sir, quoth he, what secretes doe I knowe? I am but a poore man, and was neuer worthy to be so conuer∣sant eyther with M. Hobby, or M. Heynes, to know any part of their myndes. Wel, quoth the Gentleman, make it not so strange, for my lord doth know wel inough in what estimation they had both thee and Anth. Person, for your religion. Of Anth. Person, quoth he, I can say nothyng, for I neuer saw him with them in all my lyfe. And as for my selfe, I can not denye, but that they haue alwayes (I

thanke them) taken me for an honest poore man, and shew∣ed me much kindnes: but as for their secrets, they were to wise to commit them to any such as I am.

Peraduenture quoth the Gentleman, thou fearest to vtter any thing of them,* 1.4 because they were thy frends, lest they hearing therof, might hereafter withdraw their frend¦ship from thee, which thou nedest not to feare, I warrant thee, for they are sure enough, and neuer like to pleasure thee more, ner no man els.

With that the water stoode in Marbeckes eyes. Why weepest thou quoth the Gentleman? Oh sir, quoth he, I pray you pardon me, these men haue done me good, wher∣fore I beseech the liuing God to comfort them as I would be comforted my selfe.

Well quoth the Gentleman, I perceiue thou wilt play the foole: and then he opened one of the bookes, and asked him if he vnderstood any Latine. But a little sir, quoth he. How is it then, quoth the gentleman, that thou hast tran∣slated thy booke out of the latin Concordance, & yet vnder∣standest not the tongue? I will tell you quoth he. In my youth I learned the principles of my Grammar, wherby I haue some vnderstāding therin, though it be very smal. Then the gentleman began to try him in the latin Concor¦dance & English Bible which he had brought: and when he had so done, & was satisfied, he called vp his man to fet away the bookes, & so departed, leauing Marbecke alone in the chamber, the dore fast shut vnto him.

About two houres after, the Gentleman came againe, with a sheet of paper folded in his hand,* 1.5 & sate him down vpon the beds side (as before) & sayd: by my troth Mar∣becke, my lord seeth so much wilfulnes in thee, that he saith it is pity to do thee good. When wast thou last w^t Haynes? Forsooth, quoth he, about a three weekes agoe, I was at dinner with him. And what talke, quoth the Gentleman, had he at his boord? I cā not tel now, quoth he. No, quoth y^e gentleman, thou art not so dull witted, to forget a thyng in so short space. Yes sir, quoth he, such familiar talk as mē do vse at their boordes, is most commonly by the next day forgotten,* 1.6 and so it was with me. Didst thou neuer, quoth the Gentleman talke with him, nor with none of thy fel∣lowes, of the Masse, or of the blessed Sacrament? No, for∣sooth, quoth he. Now forsooth, quoth the Gentleman, thou liest, for thou hast bene sene to talke with Testwood, and other of thy fellowes, an houre together in the church, whē honest men haue walked vp and downe beside you, & as euer they haue drawen neare you, ye haue staied your talk till they haue bene past you, because they should not heare wherof you talked. I deny not, quoth he, but I haue tal∣ked with Testwood and other of my felowes, I cannot tel how oft, which maketh not that we talked eyther of the Masse, or of the sacrament: for men may common & talke of many matters, that they would not y^t euery man should heare, and yet far from any such thyng: therefore it is good to iudge the best. Well quoth the Gentleman, thou must be playner with my Lord then this, or els it wyll bee wrong with thee, and that sooner then thou weenest. How playne will his Lordship haue me to be Sir, quoth he? There is nothing that I can do and say with a safe consciēce, but I am ready to do it at his Lordships pleasure. What tellest thou me quoth the gentleman of thy consciēce? Thou maist with a sate conscience vtter those that be heretikes, and so doyng thou canst do God and the king no greater seruice. If I knew sir, quoth he, who were an heretike in deede, it were a thing:* 1.7 but if I should accuse him to be an heretike that is none, what a worme would that be in my consciēce so long as I liued: yea it were a great deale better for me to be out of this lyfe, then to lyue in such torment. In faith quoth the Gentleman, thou knowst as well who be here∣tikes of thy fellowes at home, and who be none, as I doo know this paper to be in my hand: but it maketh no mat∣ter, for they shall al be sent for and examined: and thinkest thou that they will not vtter and tell of thee all that they can? yes I warrant thee. And what a folish dolt art thou, that wilt not vtter aforehand what they be, seeyng it stan∣deth vpon thy deliueraunce to tell the truth? Whatsoeuer quoth he, they shall say of me, let thē doe it in the name of God,* 1.8 for I will say no more of thē, nor of no man els, then I know. Mary quoth the Gentleman if thou wilt doe so, my L. requireth no more. And for as much as now perad∣uenture, thy wits are troubled, so that thou canst not call things euen by & by to remembrance, I haue brought thee inke & paper, that thou mayest excogitate with thy selfe, & write such things as shal come to thy mynd.* 1.9 O lord, quoth Marbecke, what will my L. do? Will his lordship compell me to accuse men, and wot not whereof? No, quoth the Gentleman, my L. compelleth thee not, but gently entrea∣ted thee to say the truth. Therfore make no more adoe, but write, for my Lord will haue it so, and so layd downe the ynke and paper and went his way.

Now was Marbecke so full of heauines and wo, that he wyst not what to do, nor how to set the pen to the booke to satisfie the Byshops mynd,* 1.10 vnlesse he did accuse men to the woundyng of his owne soule. And thus beyng com∣passed about with nothing but sorrow and care, he cryed out to God in his hart, fallyng downe with weping tears and sayd:

O most mercifull father of heauen, thou that knowest the se∣cret doyngs of all men,* 1.11 haue mercy vppon thy poore prisoner which is destitute of all helpe and comfort. Assist me (O Lorde) with thy speciall grace, that to saue this frayle and vile bodye, which shall turne to corruption at his tyme, I haue no power to say or to write any thing, that may be to the casting awaye of my christen brother: but rather (O Lord) let this vile flesh suffer at thy will and pleasure. Grant this, O most mercifull father, for thy deare sonne Iesus Christes sake.

Then he rose vp and beganne to search his conscience what he might write, and at last framed out these wordes: Where as your Lordship will haue me write such thyngs as I knowe of my fellowes at home:* 1.12 pleaseth it your lord¦ship to vnderstand, that I cannot call to remembraunce a∣ny maner of thing whereby I might iustly accuse any one of them, vnlesse it be that the readyng of the new testament (which is common to all men) be an offence: more thē this I know not.

Now the Gentleman about his houre appointed, came agayne, and found Marbecke walking vp and downe the chamber. How now, quoth he, hast thou written nothing?* 1.13 yes Sir, quoth he, as much as I know. Well sayd, quoth the Gentleman, and tooke vp the paper. Which when hee had read, he cast it from him in a great fume, swearyng by our lordes body, that he would not for xx. pound, cary it to his L. and maister. Therfore quoth he, go to it againe, and aduise thy selfe better, or els thou wilt set my Lord against thee, and then art thou vtterly vndone. By my troth Sir,* 1.14 quoth Marbecke, if hys Lordshyppe shall keepe me here these seuen yeares, I can say no more then I haue sayde. Then wilt thou repent it, quoth the Gentleman, and so putting vp hys penner and inkehorne, departed wyth the paper in hys hand.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.2

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.3

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.4

  Marbecke cannot be perswaded to 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  Another talke be∣tweene Winchesters gentleman and Mar∣becke.
• * 1.6

  How Win∣chester h••••∣teth for D. Haynes.
• * 1.7

  Conscience ••ittle passed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 among 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of ••••••chester.
• * 1.9

  ••a••beck 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to ac∣••••se his br••∣••••ren.
• * 1.10

  Marbecke brought to great distresse.
• * 1.11

  Marbeckes prai∣er vnto God.
• * 1.12

  Marbeckes wordes written in Winchesters paper.
• * 1.13

  Winchesters gentleman re∣turneth the third time to Marbecke.
• * 1.14

  Well sworne and like a right Papist.