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.

Iohn Browne a blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus burned at Ashford by Archbishop Warrham, and Doct. Fisher Bish. of Rochester, about the 2. yeare of king Henry the 8. An. 1511.

Persecuters.	Martir.	The cause.
...W. Warrh. Archb. of Cant. ...Fisher by∣shop of Rochester. ...A chaūtry priest. ...Walter More Gen∣tleman. ...William More hys brother. ...Children of Wye, Baily arrāt. ...Beare of Wilbo∣rough. ...Two ser∣uauntes of Wil. War∣ham.	I. Browne of Ashford At Ashe∣ford. Ann. 1511.	The first occasion of the trouble of this I. Brown the blessed seruaunt of God,* 1.1 was by a certayne Prieste: who passing downe to Gra∣ues end in the cōmon Barge (where the sayd Ioh. Brown was amongest diuers other passingers moe) and disday∣ning yt hee so saucely shoulde sit so neare vnto him in the Barge (who belyke seemed not muche to passe vppon the Priest) began to swell in sto∣macke agaynst him. At len∣gth bursting forth in his prie∣stly voyce and disdaynefull countenaunce, hee asked hym in this maner: Doest yu know (sayd he) who I am? thou sit∣test to neare me and fittest on my clothes. No sir (sayde the other) I know not what you are. I tell thee (quoth hee) I am a priest. What sir, are you a parson or vicar,* 1.2 or some la∣dies chapleine? No (quoth he agayne) I am a soule Priest: I sing for a soule. Doe you so sir (quoth the other?) that is well done, I pray you sir (sayd he) where find you the soule when you go to Masse? I cannot tel thee (sayd the Priest.) I pray you, where doe you leaue it sir when the Masse is done? I cannot tell thee (sayde the priest) Neither can you tell where to find it when you goe to Masse, nor where you leaue it when the Masse is done, howe can you then saue the soule, sayd he? Go thy wayes said the priest, I perceiue thou art an hereticke, and I will be euen with thee.

So at the landing,* 1.3 the priest taking with him Walter More and W. More two Gentlemen and brethren, rode straightwayes to the archbishop, who thē was Wil. War∣ham. Wherupon the sayd Iohn Browne, within 3. dayes after, was sēt for by the archbishop. His bringers vp were Chilten of Wye baily arraunt, and one Beare of Wilsebo∣rough, with two of the bishops seruantes. Who with cer∣tayn other being appoynted for the same, came sodenly in∣to his house vppon him,* 1.4 the same day when his wife was churched, as hee was bringing in a messe of pottage to the bourd seruing his gestes: and so laying hands vpon hym, set him vpon his owne horse, and binding his feete vnder the horses belly, caryed him away to Canterbury, neither he nor his wife, nor any of his friendes knowing whether he went, nor whether he should, and there continuing the space of 40. dayes, frō Lowsōday, till Friday before Whit∣sonday through the cruell handling of the sayd Archb. and y^e B. of Rochest. D. Fisher, hee was so piteously intreated,* 1.5 that his bare feete were set vpon the hote burning coales, to make him deny his fayth, whiche notwithstanding hee would not doe, but paciently abiding y^e payne continued in the Lordes quarrell vnremoueable. At length after al this crueltie susteined his wife yet not knowing where he was become, on Friday before Whitsonday he was sent to Ash∣ford where he dwelt the next day there to be burned.

In the meane time,* 1.6 as he was brought to the town o∣uer night, there to be set in the stockes, it happened as God would, that a young mayde of his house comming by and seeing her mayster, ran home and told her mistres.

Then she comming to him, and finding him in y^e stocks appoynted to be burned the next morow,* 1.7 sat by him all the night long. To whome then he declared the whole story or rather tragedy how he was hādled and how his feet were burned to the bones, that he could not set them vppon the ground, by the two Bishops aforesayde (he thanked God therfore) and all to make me (sayd hee) to deny my Lorde, which I will neuer doe, for if I should deny him sayde he in this world he would deny me hereafter. And therfore I pray thee (sayd he) good Elizabeth, continue as y^u hast be∣gon, & bring vp thy childrē vertuously in the feare of God.

And so the next day which was on Whitson euen, thys godly martyr was burned, where he standing at the stake sayd this prayer holding vp his handes as followeth.

The prayer of Browne at his death.

O Lord I yeeld me to thy grace, Graunt me mercy for my trespace, Let neuer the fiend my soule chace, * 1.8Lord I will bow and thou shalt beate▪ Let neuer my soule come in hell heate.

Into thy handes I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me O Lord of truth.

And so this blessed Martyr ended his life in peace, anno. 1511.

This story the sayd Elizabeth Browne his wife did oft times repeate to Alice her daughter, who dwelling yet in the parish of S. Pulchers, testified the narration heereof vnto me and certayne other, vppon whose credible infor∣mation I haue recorded the same.* 1.9

Furthermore, it is to be noted, that the sayde Iohn Browne bare a fagot seauen yeares before this, in the dayes of King Henry the seauenth. Whose sonne also na∣med Richard Browne for the like cause of Religion, was imprisoned at Caunterbury,* 1.10 likewise in the latter tyme of Queene Mary, and should haue bene burned with two mo besides himselfe, the next day after the death of Queene Mary, but that by the proclaiming of Queene Elizabeth they escaped.

Amongst other iniunctions and letters of king Hen∣ry the eight, written and set forth for reformation of religi∣on, he wrate one letter to Edmund Bonner for abolishing of Images, pilgrimages, shrines, and other monuments of Idolatry. Which letter being before expressed pag. 1229, we should also haue annexed to the same the letter or man∣date of Bonner, directed in latin to Richard Cloney hys Somner, appertayning to the due execution therof. Which letter because we haue omitted before the defect thereof, I thought heere in this vacant space to supply. The letter written to Cloney in latin thus beginneth.

Bonners letter to Cloney, keeper of the Cole∣house, for the abolishing of Images.

EDmundus permissione Diuina Lond. Episc. Dilecto nobis in Christo Richardo Cloney literato, Apparitori, nostro gene∣rali salut. grat. & benedictionem.* 2.1 Cum nos 13. die mensi•• instan∣tis Octob. circa noctem, literas serenissimi, &c.

The same in English.

FOr asmuch as the 13. day of this present, we haue receyued the letters of our soueraigne Lord, by the grace of God King of England, &c. to vs di••ected and conteyning in them the com∣maundement of his Maiestie, by vs to be executed in tenour of words which heere I send vnto you: we therefore willing and desiring according as our duty bindeth vs, to put the same in ex∣ecution with all diligence possible according to the effect and tenour thereof,* 2.2 do charge and straightly commaund you by the tenour heereof, in the Kings behalfe, and for the fidelitie whych we haue in you assuredly approued, that you incontinent vpon the receite heereof, do effectually warne all and singular Parsons and Vicars of this Citie of London, and of all our dioces, that they immediately vpon the sight and intimation of these present Articles and interrogatories heere vnder written, do cause di∣ligent and effectuall inquisition thereof to be made, to witte:

Whether there be vsed or continued any superstition, hypo∣crisie or abuse within any their parishes or Cures, contrary to a∣nye ordinaunce, iniunction, or commaundement geuen or set foorth by the Kings Maiestie or by his authoritie.

Item, whether they haue in their Churches, or within theyr parishes, any shrines, couerings of shrines, tables of fayned my∣racles, pilgrimages, Images and bones resorted and offered vnto and other monuments and things wherewith the people haue bene illuded, or any offering or setting vp of lights, or candles, o∣ther then be permitted by the Kings Maiesties Iniunctions, or whether the said Iniunctions be duely obserued and kept in their Parishes or Cures, or else transgressed and broken, and in what part. And further, after the sayd Inquisition thus by them and euery of them respectiuely being made, that you do certifie vs, or our Vicare generall, what is done in the premisses, vpon the euen of Simon and Iude, or thereabout, vnder the perill thereof following. Dat. 14. die Octob. an. 1541. & nostrae translat. 2.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The story of Iohn Browne Martyr.
• * 1.2

  Talke betwee•• Iohn Browne & a proud Priest 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Graues end 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Barge.
• * 1.3

  Walter More, William More, Chilten and Beare persecu∣ters.
• * 1.4

  Iohn Browne sodeinly taken and caryed a∣way.
• * 1.5

  His bare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 set vpon the hote coales to make him deny the truth.
• * 1.6

  Brown brought to Ashford to be burned.
• * 1.7

  Browne set in the stockes at Ashford.
• * 1.8

  The prayer of Iohn Browne at his death.
• * 1.9

  Witnes to thys story.
• * 1.10

  Rich. Browne escaped burning by the comming in of the Queene Eliza∣beth.
• * 2.1

  〈…〉〈…〉 Latine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 read 〈…〉〈…〉 yet here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 2.2

  Had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 none to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thinges but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the keepe•• of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 house.