Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 2] 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.

¶Persecution in Suffolke, Agnes Potten, and Ioane Trunchfield, Martyrs.

IN the story of Robert Samuel, mention was made be∣fore of two godly women in the same Towne of Ips∣wich, which shortly after hym suffered likewyse,* 1.1 and ob∣tained the crowne of Martyrdome: the names of whome was Agnes the wife of Robert Potten, and another wife of Michaell Trunchfield, a Shomaker, both dwellyng in one Towne: who about the same tyme that the Archbi∣shop aforesayd was burned at Oxford, suffered likewyse in the foresayd Towne of Ipswich, eyther in the same mo∣neth of March, or (as some say) in the ende of February the next moneth before.

Their opinion or perswasion was this,* 1.2 that in the sa∣crament was the memoriall onely of Christes death and passion: for sayd they, Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen, and is on the right hand of God the father, accor∣ding to the scriptures, and not in the sacrament, as he was borne of the Uirgin Mary.

For this they were burned. In whose sufferyng, their constancie worthily was to be wondered at, who beyng so simple women, so manfully stoode to the confession and testimony of Gods worde and veritie: In so much, that when they had prepared and vndressed themselues redy to the fire, with comfortable wordes of the Scripture,* 1.3 they earnestly required the people to credite and to lay hold on the word of God, and not vpon mans deuises and inuen∣tions, despising the ordinances and institutiōs of the Ro∣mish Antichrist, with all his superstitions and rotten re∣ligion: and so continuyng in the torment of fire, they held vp their handes and called vnto God constantly, so long as lyfe did endure.

This Pottens wife in a night a little before her death,* 1.4 beyng a sleepe in her bed, saw a bright burnyng fire, ryght vp as a pole, & on the side of the fire she thought there stood a nūber of Queene Maries friends lookyng on. Then be∣yng a sleepe, she seemed to muse with her selfe whether her fire should burne so bright or no: and in deed her suffryng was not farre vnlike to her dreame.

This also I thought further to note, how these two beyng always together in prison, the one which was Mi∣chaels wyfe, semed to be nothing so ardent and zealous as Pottens wyfe was,* 1.5 although (God be thanked) they dyd stoutly stand to the confession of the truth both: but when the said Michaels wife came to the stake and saw nothing but present death before her, she much exceeded the other in ioy & comfort. Albeit both of them did ioyfully suffer, as it

[illustration]

¶The burnyng of two Women.

* 1.6

was maruelled at of those that knew them,* 1.7 and did behold theyr end. And thus these two Martyrs ended their liues with great triumph: the Lord graunt we may do the like, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Agnes Pot∣ten, Ioane Trunchfield▪ Martyrs.
• * 1.2

  The opini∣ons of these two Ma∣trons and Martyrs.
• * 1.3

  The strēgth of God in weake ves∣sels.
• * 1.4

  The bur∣ning of Ag∣nes Potten reuealed to her before in her sleepe.
• * 1.5

  God ge∣ueth strēgth many times, where most weakenes is.
• * 1.6

  The Mar∣tyrdome of Agnes Po••∣tē, & Io••••e Trunchfeld at Ipswich. Anno. 1556. March.
• * 1.7

  Anno 1556. ••••rill.