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.

¶A letter of consolation sent from M. Hooper to the godly brethren taken in Bow churchyard, in prayer, and layd in the Counter in Breadstreat.

THe grace, fauor, consolation, and ayd of the holy ghost, be with you now and euer, So be it.

Dearely beloued in the Lord, euer sithens your impri∣sonment,* 1.1 I haue bene maruelously mooued with great af∣fections and passions, as well of myrth and gladnes, as of heauines & sorrow. Of gladnes in this, that I perceyued how ye be bent & geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke & wicked proceedings of men agaynst Gods glory. I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of men to be so cruel, diuelish, & tyrannicall, to persecute the people of God for seruyng of God, saying & hearing of the holy Psalmes, and the word of eternall life. These cruell doings do declare, that the Papistes Church is more bloudy and tyrannicall, then euer was the sword of the Ethnikes and Gentiles.

When I heard of your taking, and what ye were doing wherfore, and by whom ye were takē, I remembred how the Christians in the Primatiue Church were vsed by the crueltie of vnchristened heathens, in the tyme of Traiane the Emperour about 77. yeares after Christes ascension into heauen:* 1.2 and how the Christians were persecuted ve∣ry sore, as though they had bene traytors and moouers of sedition. Wherupon the gentle Emperor Traiane requi∣red to know the true cause of Christian mens trouble. A great learned man called Plinius, wrote vnto him & said, it was because the Christians said certaine psalmes before day,* 1.3 vnto one called Christ, whō they worshipped for god. When Traiane the Emperour vnderstood it was for no∣thyng but for conscience & religion, he caused by hys com∣maundements euery where, that no man should be perse∣cuted for seruing of God. But the Pope & his church hath cast you into prison, beyng taken euen doyng the worke of God, and one of the excellents workes that is required of Christian men: that is, to wit, whiles ye were in praier, & not in such wicked & superstitious prayers as the papists vse, but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray. And in his name onely ye gaue God thanks for that ye haue receiued, and for his sake ye asked for such thyngs as ye want. O glad may ye be that euer ye were borne, to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied. Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnesse sake. For if God had suffred them that tooke your bodies, then to haue taken your life also, now had ye bene following the Lamb in perpetual ioyes, away from the company and assembly of wicked men. But the Lord would not haue you sodain∣ly so to depart, but reserueth you, gloriously to speake and maintaine his truth to the world.

Be ye not careful what ye shall say, for God will go out & in with you, and will be present in your harts, & in your mouthes to speake his wisedome, although it seemeth foo∣lishnes to the world. He that hath begun this good worke in you, continue you in the same vnto the end: & pray vn∣to him, that ye may feare him only, that hath power to kill both body & soule, and to cast them into hel fire. Be of good comfort. All the haires of your hed are numbred, and there is not one of them can perish,* 1.4 except your heauenly father suffer it to perish. Now ye be in the field & placed in y^e fore∣front of Christs battel. Doubtles, it is a singuler fauour of God, & a special loue of him towards you, to geue you this foreward & preeminence, & a signe that he trusteth you be∣fore others of his people.* 1.5 Wherfore (deare brethren and si∣sters) continually fight this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most iust and godly, ye stand for the true Christ (who is after the flesh in heauen) & for his true religion and honor, which is amply, fully, sufficiently and abundantly contey∣ned in the holy Testament, sealed with Christes owne bloud. How much be ye bound to God, to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause.

Remember what lookers vpon you haue, to see & be∣hold you in your sight, God & all his Angels, who be rea∣dy alway to take you vp into heauen, if ye be slaine in his fight. Also you haue standing at your backes all the mul∣titude of the faithfull, who shal take courage, strength,* 1.6 and desire to follow such noble & valiant Christians as you be. Be not afraid of your aduersaries: for he that is in you, is stronger then he that is in them. Shrinke not although it be payne to you, your paynes be not now so great, as here after your ioyes shall be. Read the comfortable chapiters to the Romans. 8.10.15. Heb. 11.12.* 1.7 And vpon your knees thanke God that euer ye were accompted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake. Read the 2. chap. of s. Lukes gospell, & there you shal see how the shepeherds that wat∣ched vpon their sheep all night, as soone as they heard that Christ was borne at Bethlem,* 1.8 by and by they went to see him. They did not reason nor debate with thēselues, who should keepe the Wolfe from the sheep in the meane time, but did as they were commanded, & committed their sheep vnto him, whose pleasure they obeyed. So let vs do now we be called, commit all other thinges to him that calleth vs. He will take heed that all things shall be well. He wil helpe the husband, he will comfort the wyfe, he will guide the seruaunts, he will keepe the house,* 1.9 he will preserue the goods: yea, rather then it should be vndone, he will wash the dishes, and rocke the cradle. Cast therfore all your care vpon God, for he careth for you.

Besides this, you may perceiue by your imprisonment that your aduersaries weapons against you, be nothyng but flesh, bloud, and tyrannie. For if they were able,* 1.10 they would maintaine their wicked religion by Gods worde: but for lacke of that, they would violently compell such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade, because the holy word of God, and all Christes doyngs be contrary vnto them. I pray you pray for me, & I will pray for you. And although we be asunder after the world, yet in Christ (I trust) for euer ioyning in the spirite, and so shall meete in the pallace of the heauenly ioyes, after this short and tran∣sitorie lyfe is ended. Gods peace be with you. Amen. The 14, of Ianuary. 1554.

Upon the Friday after this following, being the 18. of Ianuary, all the Counsaile went vnto the Tower, & there the same day discharged and set at libertie all the prisoners of the Tower, or the most part of them, namely,* 1.11 the late duke of Northumberlands sonnes, Ambrose. Robert, and Henry, sir Andrew Dudley, sir Iohn Rogers, sir Iames Crofts, sir Nich. Throgmorton, sir Nicholas Arnall, sir George Harper, sir Edw. Warner, sir W. Sentlow, sir Gawen Carew, M. Gybbes, Cuthbert Uaughan, wyth many other.

Upon the Tuesday folowing,* 1.12 being the xxij. of Ianu∣ary, all the preachers that were in prison were called be∣fore the B. of Wincher, L. Chancellour and certain other, at the bishops house at S. Mary Oueries. From whence (after communication beyng asked whether they would conuert and enioy the Queenes pardon, or els stande to that they had taught: they all aunswered that they would stand to that they had taught) they were cōmitted to strai∣ter prison then before they were, with charge that none should speake with them.

Amongst the which number of prisoners, one Iames George the same tyme died in prison,* 1.13 being there in bands for religion & righteousnes sake: who therfore was exem∣pted to be buried in the popish churchyard, and was buri∣ed in the field.

Upon the Wednesday folowing beyng the 23. of Ia∣nuary, all the bishops with all the rest of the Conuocation house were before the cardinal at Lambeth,* 1.14 where he wil∣led them to repaire euery man where his cure and charge lay, exhorting them to intreat the people and their flocke with all gentlenes, and to endeuour themselues to winne the people rather by gentlenes then by extremity & rigor,

and so let them depart.

Upon the Friday following, being the 25. of Ianuary & the day of the Conuersion of S. Paule, there was gene∣rall and solemne procession through London to geue God thanks for their conuersion to y^e catholike church:* 1.15 Wherin (to set out their glorious pompe) there were fourescore & ten crosses, 160. priests and clerkes, who had euery one of them copes vpon their backs, singing very lustely. There followed also for the better estimation of the sight, 8. Bi∣shops, and last of all came Boner the B. of London, cary∣ing the popish pixe vnder a Canapy.

Besides, there was also present the Maior, Aldermen, and all the liuery of euery occupation. Moreouer, the king also himselfe, and the Cardinall came to Paules Churche the same day. From whence after Masse they returned to Westminster againe. As the king was entred the Church at the steps goyng vp to the Quiere, all the Gentlemen that of late were set at libertie out of the Tower, kneeled before the king and offred vnto him themselues and their seruices.

After the procession there was also commaundement giuen to make Bonefires at night. Whereupon did rise a∣mong the people a doubtful talke why all this was done. Some sayd it was that the Queene, beyng then (as they said) with child, might haue a safe deliuery. Others thoght that it was for ioy that the realme was ioyned agayne to the sea of Rome, which opinion of both, seemed most true.

Upon the Monday folowing being the 28. of Ianua∣ry,* 1.16 the B. of Winchester and the other bishops, had Com∣mission from the cardinall to sit vpon, and order according to the lawes, all such preachers and heretikes (as they ter∣med them) as were in prison, and according to this Com∣mission, the same day the B. of Winchester and the other bishops with certaine of the counsail, sate in S. Mary O∣ueries church, and called before them these three, M. Hoo∣per, M. Rogers, and M. Cardmaker, who were brought thether by the shriues, from whence after communication, they were committed to prison till the next day, but Card∣maker this day submitted himselfe vnto them.

* 1.17Upon the Tuesday beyng the 29. of Ianuary, Hooper, Rogers, D. Taylor, and Bradford were brought before them, where sentence of excommunication and iudgement ecclesiasticall was pronounced vpon M. Hooper, and M. Rogers by the Bish. of Winchester, who sate as Iudge in Caiphas seat, who droue them out of the church according to their law and order. D. Taylor and Bradford were cō∣mitted to prison till the next day.

Upon the Wednesday being the 30. of Ianuary, Doct. Taylor, D. Crome, M. Bradford, M. Saunders, and D. Ferrar sometyme B. of S. Dauids,* 1.18 were before the sayd bishops, where iij. of them, that is to say, D. Taylor, M. Sanders, and M. Bradford were likewise excommunica∣ted, & sentence pronounced vpon them, & so committed to the Shiriffes. D. Crome desired two months respite, and it was granted him, & M. Ferrar was againe committed to prison till another tyme. All these men shewed thēselues to be learned (as in deed they were no lesse) but what auai∣leth either learning, reason or truth it self, where will bea∣reth rule.

After the examination and condemnation of these good men and preachers aboue recited, Commissions and In∣quisitours were sent abrode likewise into all partes of the realme: by reason wherof a great number of most godly & true christians (out of all the quarters of the realme, but e∣specially Kent, Essex, Northfolke, and Suffolke) were ap∣prehended, brought vp to London, and cast in prison, and afterward (most of them) either consumed cruelly by fire, or els thorough euill handlyng died in the prisons, & were buried on dunghils abroad in the fields, or in some backe∣side of the prison. Of all which matters, cōcerning the tra∣gicall handling of these blessed Martyrs and witnesses of Iesus Christ, of all the bloudy persecution of this tyme, now followeth (the Lord so grantyng) seuerally and more particularly in this next booke in order to be declared: af∣ter that I shall first recite a generall supplication, giuen vp in the name of the preachers aforesayd lying in prison, vn∣to the King and Queene, during the tyme of the Parlia∣ment, as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A letter of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hooper 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of most ••eauenly ••onsolatiō.
• * 1.2

  Of this per∣secution, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 before.
• * 1.3

  The Pope 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then Traians the Hea∣•••••• Em∣perour.
• * 1.4

  Math. 10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 12.
• * 1.5

  The first onset of this persecu∣tion geuen in Bowchurch∣yarde.
• * 1.6

  1. Iohn 4.
• * 1.7

  Comfort taken out of Scrip∣tures.
• * 1.8

  True obedience putteth no doubtes.
• * 1.9

  All carefulnes to be cast vpon the Lorde.
• * 1.10

  All the strēgth of the Popes re∣ligiō standeth in outward force.
• * 1.11

  Ianuary. 18. Gentlemen de∣liuered out of the Tower by the Queens pardon.
• * 1.12

  Ianuary. 22. ••he Preachers called before the B. of Win∣chester at S. Mary Oueryes.
• * 1.13

  Iames George dyed in prison, and was buryed in the fieldes.
• * 1.14

  Ianuary. 25.
• * 1.15

  Ianuary. 25. Gener••ll pro∣cession for ioy of the Realmes cō∣uersion.
• * 1.16

  Ianuary. 28. Commission from the Cardi∣nall to sit vpon the persecuted Preachers for religion.
• * 1.17

  Ianuary. 29. M. Hooper and M. Rogers con∣demned.
• * 1.18

  Ianuary. 30. D. Ferrar, D. Taylor▪ and M. Saunders con∣demned.