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 order and fourme of processe vsed agaynst these fiue Martyrs aforesayd, and first of Wil∣liam Carder. Anno. 1511.

WIlliam Carder being conuēted before William War∣rhā Archbishop,* 1.1 and his Chancellour Cutbert Ton¦stal, Doctour Siluester, Doctor Welles, Clement Browē with other moe, the Notaries being William Potkyng and Dauid Cooper, the Articles and interrogatoryes a∣aboue specified were layd vnto him. Which articles he ther and then denied, affirming that he neuer did, nor doth hold any such opinions, otherwise then becommeth that euerye Christen man shoulde doe, ready to conforme hymselfe in all poyntes to their doctrine: & therfore to cleare himselfe y^e better gaynst those Interrogatories obiected against them he stood in denya••l of the same. The like also did euerye of the other foure martyrs after hym.

All whiche notwithstanding,* 1.2 the vncharitable Archby∣shop seeking all aduauntage agaynst him that he might, & more then right law would ge••e, brought in agaynst hym such witnesses, as before were abiured, whom he knew for feare of relapse, durst doe none other but disclose whatsoe∣uer they knew, to wit, Christopher Grebyll, William Rich Agnes Iue, Iohn Grebill, Robert Hils,* 1.3 & Stephen Ca∣stelyn. Whose depositions being taken, and the sayd Car∣der being asked what he could lay for hymselfe, hee had no∣thing, he sayd, to produce agaynst theyr attestations, but submitted him vnto theyr mercye, saying moreouer, that if he had euer any misbeliefe of the sacrament of the Church, contrary to the common holding of the Catholickes, hee now was sory, & repented him therof. Which being done, y^e archb. this his submission notw^tstanding, & notwithstan∣ding that y^e Register maketh no mention of any relapse, cō¦trary to good law, at least contrary to all Christen charity proceeded to the reading of his blinde sentence, and so con∣demned him: who neyther stoode stubbernely to that whi∣che he did hold, neither yet did hold any thinge contrary to the mind of holy scripture, to the execution of burning.

Then after him was called for Agnes Grebill, and ex∣amined of the sayd xii. articles aboue recited, whiche she in like maner denyed, as the other had done before, puttyng her aduersaries to ther proof. Then the archbishop calling for Iohn Grebyll her husband, and Christopher and Ioh. Grebyll her two sonnes (who before had bene abiu∣red) caused them vppon theyr othe to depose agaynst theyr owne naturall mother, and so they did.

First Iohn Grebell the elder her husband, examined by vertue of hys othe, to say how Agnes his wife hath and doth beleue of the sacrament of the aultar, of going in pil∣grimage, offeringes, and worshipping of Sayntes, Ima∣ges &c. and how long she hath so holdē, thus deposed: that first about the end of king Edwardes dayes the fourth, in

his house, by the teaching of Iohn Iue, she was brought to that beliefe, and so forth from thence dayly, till this time of detection, she hath continued.

And besides that (sayd he) when my children Christofer and Iohn, being about seauen yeares of age, were then taught of me in my house the said errour of the Sacrament of the aultar, and by the sayd Agnes my wife diuers times, she was alwayes of one mind in the said misbeliefe against the Sacrament of the aultar,* 1.4 that it was not Christes bo∣dy, flesh and bloud, but only bread. Furthermore, being ex∣amined how he knew that she was stedfast in the sayd er∣rour, he sayd that she alwaies without contradiction affir∣med this teaching, and sayde, the sayd opinion was good, and was well contented that her children aforesaid,* 1.5 were of the same opinions againste the Sacramente of the aul∣tar, &c. Ex verbis Registri.

The Byshop with his Catholicke Doctours, not yet contented with this, to set the husband agaynst the wyfe, proceeding further in their Catholicke zeale, caused her two children Christofer and Iohn to be produced,* 1.6 one of the age of xxij. the other of xix. against their owne naturall mother. Who likewise being pressed with their othe, wit∣nessed and sayd, that the foresaid Agnes their mother held, beleeued, taught, and defended, that the Sacrament of the aultar was but bread, and not the very body of Christ, fleshe, and bloud: That Baptisme was no better in the Fount, then out of the Fount: That confirmation was of no effect: That the solemnisation of Matrimony was no sacrament: That confession to God alone was sufficient: Also that going in pilgrimage and worshipping of Saints and Images was of none effect, &c. Item, that their fa∣ther and the sayd Agnes their mother helde, taught, and communed of the sayd errours within their house diuers times, by the space of those three yeares past, as well on holy dayes, as working dayes, affirming and teaching that the saide opinions were good and lawfull, and to be holden and maintained, and agreemente was made a∣mongst them, that none of them should discouer or bewray eyther of these beliefes in any wise. Finally, that they ne∣uer heard their sayd father and mother, holding nor rea∣ching any other opinions, then be the said errours against the Sacrament of the altar, and pilgrimages, offerings, worshipping of Saints and Images, as farre as they could remember, &c. Ex verbis Regist.

Heere hast thou (Christian reader) before thine eyes, an horrible spectacle of a singular, yea of a double impietie, first of an vnnaturall husband,* 1.7 witnessing against his own wife: and of as vnnaturall children, accusing and witnes∣sing against their owne naturall mother. Which although they had so done, the cause being of it selfe iust and true (as it was not) yet had they done more then nature woulde haue led them to do. Now the case being such, as which by Gods word standeth firme, sound, and perfect, what im∣pietie were it for men to accuse a poore innocent in case of heresie, which is no heresie? Now besides all this, the hus∣band to come in against his owne wife, and the children to bring in the knife wherewith to cut the throate of theyr owne naturall mother that bare them, that nourished thē, that brought them vp, what is this, but impietie vpon im∣pietie,* 1.8 prodigious and horrible for all Christian eares to heare? And yet the greatest impietie of all resteth in these pretensed Catholickes and Clergiemen, which weare the authors and causers of all this mischiefe.

The cause why this good woman so stood (as she dyd) in the deniall of these foresaid articles obiected,* 1.9 was thys, for that she neuer thought that her husband and her owne children, who onely were priuie of her Religion, would testifie agaynst her. Whom notwithstanding after she per∣ceaued to come in, and to depose this agaynst her, deny∣ing stil as she did before) that she did euer hold such maner of errours,* 1.10 and being now destitute of all frends and com∣fort, brast out in these woordes openly (as the register re∣porteth) that she repented the time that euer she bare those children of her body. And thus the Archb. with his Doc∣tours hauing now the thing that they sought for, albeit she was ready to deny all errours,* 1.11 and to conforme her selfe to theyr religion, yet notwithstanding, they refusing her rea∣dines and conformitie, proceeded to theyr sentence, and so condemned her to death.

* 1.12After whose condemnation, next was brought to exa∣mination Rob. Harrison, whom in like maner, because, he stoode in his deniall, contrary witnesses agaynst him were produced: to wit, Christofer Grebyll. W. Rich, W. Olberd Agnes Iue, who a litle before had bene abiured, and ther∣fore were so much the more apt and appliable to serue the Bishops humour for daunger of relapse. After the deposi∣tion & conuiction of which witnesses, although he submit∣ted himselfe to repentaunce and conformitie, yet notwyth∣standing it would not be receaued, but sentence was read & he condemned with the other two aforesayd, vnto y^e fire.

And thus these three were condemned and burned,* 1.13 & certificate geuen vp of them together to the king frō War∣rham the Archbishop vpon the same. An. 1511. Maij. 2. Ex Regist. Cant.

Ouer and besides these three godly martyrs aboue re∣cited. I finde in the foresayd Registers of W. Warrham,* 1.14 ij. other godly like martirs also in the same yeare, and for the same xij. articles aboue specified, to be condemned vpon y^e depositions of certayne witnesses brought in agaynst thē, to wyt. Tho. Harwod, Phillip Harwod,* 1.15 Stephen Caste∣lyn, W. Baker, Rob. Reynold, Ioh. Bāpton, Rob. Bright W. Rich. &c. whereupon they were adiudged likewise for heretickes to be burned, the yeare aforesayd. 1511. y^e names of which two martyrs were Iohn Brown, and Edward Walker. Ex Regist. W. Warrh. fol. 179.

Nowe as you haue heard the names of these blessed Martyrs, with their articles recited, let vs also heare the tenor of the Bishops sentence, by the which they were con∣demned one after an other. Their sentence contayneth one vniforme maner of wordes in forme as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The processe of iudgement a∣gaynst W. Car∣der Martyr.
• * 1.2

  The straight dealing of W. Warham Arch∣byshop of Can∣terbury.
• * 1.3

  Witnesses a∣gaynst W. Carder.
• * 1.4

  The Catholicke Clergie of the Papistes set the husband agaynst the wife.
• * 1.5

  The Catholicke Papistes set the Children to ac∣cuse their owne mother.
• * 1.6

  Christopher Grebill and Iohn Grebill, witnes agaynst Agnes Grebill theyr mother.
• * 1.7

  Example of an vnnaturall hus∣band, and of vn∣naturall chil∣dren.
• * 1.8

  Great impiety of the husband toward the wife.
• * 1.9

  Greater impiety in the children against the mo∣ther.
• * 1.10

  Greatest impiety of all in the Clergy men the authors hereof.
• * 1.11

  Ex Regist. W. Warrham. Fol. 177.
• * 1.12

  Agnes Grebell condemned by the sentence of the Archb. Robert Harri∣son examined. W. Carder. Agnes Grebyll, Robert Harison Martyrs.
• * 1.13

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.14

  Io. Brow•••• Edward Walker Martyrs.
• * 1.15

  Witnesses agaynst these two Martyrs.