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.

A Letter sent vnto Boner Bishop of London, from Sir Iohn Mordant Knight, and Edmund Tyrrell Esquire, Iustices of peace for the Countie of Essex.

OVr humble commendations to your Lordshippe: these shall be to aduertise you,* 1.1 that we haue sent vnto your good Lord¦ship, Ioane Potter, the wife of Hughe Potter, Iames Harrys, ser∣uaunt of William Harrys of Bromhill, & Margaret Ellys, for that they be not conformable to the orders of the Churche, nor to the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the Sacrament of the aultare, to vse your Lordships pleasure with them, as you thinke good, not doubting with the punishmēt of these and the other before sent to your Lordship, but that the parishe of great Burstede and Billerica shall bee broughte to good conformitye. Thus committing your good Lordship to the tuition of almigh∣tie God, wee take our leaue. From great Burstede this present se∣cond day of March. 1556.

Your Lordships to command, Iohn Mordant. Edmund Tyrrel.

After the receit of these Letters, Bishoppe Boner en∣tring to examination of these 4. women aboue named, laid and obiected the lyke Articles to them, as after his vsuall forme he vsed to minister, and are before expressed. Where∣unto the sayd women likewise agreeing in the same vni∣tie of spirite and doctrine, accorded in theyr aunsweares, much agreeing vnto the other before them.

As first, to the Article in the firste place obiected they, consented and graunted, beleeuing the sayde Article to be true in euery part thereof.

2. To the second, partly they answeared,* 1.2 they could not tel what a Sacrament is, Elizabeth Thackuell, and Kathe∣rin Hut, adding moreouer, that matrimonie & Baptisme, and the Lords supper, were Sacraments ordained in the churche: but whether the other specified in thys article, be sacraments (as they heard them called) ordained by God or not, they could not tell, Margaret Ellys being exami∣ned seuerally, as the other were, vpō the same, how many sacraments there were, answeared (as a yong mayde vn∣skilled, in her simple ignoraunce) that shee coulde not tell. Howbeit she had heard (she sayd) that there was one Sa∣crament, but what it was she could not tell. &c.

3 To the thirde likewyse they graunted, that they were baptised by their godfathers and godmothers, which god¦fathers and godmothers (sayde Margaret Ellys) did not then know so much, as shee now doth knowe: Katherine Hut adding wythall, and saying, that shee was baptised: but what her godfather & godmothers did then promise for her in her name, shee could not tell. &c.

4 To the fourth article, Margaret Ellys, and Elizabeth Thackuel did graunt therunto: Katherin Hut said more∣ouer, that shee beinge of the age of 14. yeares, was of the faith wherein shee was Christened, and yet neuerthelesse the said faith in that age (shee sayde) was but a deade faith, because shee did not then vnderstand what she did beleue. Ioane Hornes added that shee being 11. yeares of age, be∣gan to learne the faith set foorth in K. Edwards dayes, in the which faith and religion (she sayd) she hath hetherto, & yet doth, & so wil hereafter continue, God so assisting her.

5 To the fift article, they answeared and confessed, accor∣ding al in this effect, that as touching y^e Masse,* 1.3 they knew no goodnesse in it, and as touching the Sacramente of the altar, they beleeued y^t Christes natural body is in heauen, and not in the sacrament of the altar: And as concernyng the sea of Rome, they acknowledged no such supremacy in that sea, neither haue they any thing to do therewith.

6 In aunswearing the sixt article, they did all generally refu••e to be reconciled or vnited to the church of Rome: or anye other Churche contrary to that wherein they nowe stoode and did professe.

7 To the seuenth article they aunsweared lik••wyse that they had so done & sayde in all things, as is in thys article contained: Katherine Hutte adding moreouer the reason why: for that (sayd she) neither the seruice in Latin, Masse, Mattens, and Euensong, nor the Sacraments were vsed and ministred according to gods word: And furthermore, that the Masse is an idoll, neither is the true body & bloud of Christ in the Sacramente of the aultare, as they make men beleeue.

8 Their aunswere to the eight Article, declared that they were all and euery one sent vppe to Boner by syr Iohn Mordant knight,* 1.4 and iustice of peace in Essex (the Lord of his mercy send vs better Iustices I beseeche him) for that they coulde not affirme the presence of Christes bodye and bloude to be truely and really in the Sacramente, and for that they came not to theyr popish parish Church.

9 To the ninth article, they aunswered and confessed the premisses thereof to be true, and denied not the same: saue that Katherin Hut sayd, that she was of Bocking in Es∣sex of the peculiare iurisdiction of Canterbury, and not of the diocesse and iurisdiction of London.

After these their answeres receiued, they were produ∣ced againe about the 13. of Aprill to further examination, and so at length to their finall iudgement, where Kathe∣rin Hut widowe standing before the bishop boldly & con∣stantly stoode to that which she hadde sayde before,* 1.5 neither yeelding to his faire promises, nor ouerthrowne with his terrour. Who being required of the Sacrament to say her minde, and to reuoke her selfe vnto the fellowshyp of the Catholicke faith,* 1.6 openly protested, saying: I deny it to be God, because it is a dumme God and made wyth mans handes. Wherein the good and faithfull Martyr of Christe firmely persisting, so receiued her sentence, being condem∣ned of Boner to the fire: which shee wyth great constancie sustained by the grace and strength of the Lorde, and dyd abide for the cause and loue of Christ.

Ioane Hornes maid, producted likewise to her iudge∣ment and condemnation, wyth like firmnesse and Christi∣an fortitude,* 1.7 declared her selfe a true Martyr and folower of Christes Testament, geuing no place to the aduersary: but being charged that she did not beleeue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloude to be Christe himselfe, of the which Sacrament (contrary to y^e nature of a Sacrament) the aduersaries are woont to make an idoll seruice: to this shee protesting openly her minde, sayde as followeth: If you can make your God to shed bloud, or to shew any cō∣dition of a true liuely body, then will I beleeue you: but it is but bread (as touching the substaunce therof) meaning the matter whereof the Sacrament cōsisteth:* 1.8 and that you call heresie, I trust to serue my Lord God in. &c.

And as concerning the Romish sea, she said: my Lord (speaking to Boner) I forsake all his abhominatiōs, and from them good lord deliuer vs. From this her stable and constant assertion, when the Bishop was too weake to re∣mooue her, and too ignorant to conuince her, he knockt her downe wyth the butcherly axe of hys sentence.* 1.9 And so the holy Uirgine and Martyr committed to the shambles of the secular sword, was offered vp with her other felowes a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, In odorem bonae fragrantiae, in the sauour of a sweete and pleasant smell.

As touching Margaret Ellis, shee likewise perseue∣ring in her foresayde confession, and resisting the false Ca∣tholicke errours and heresies of the Papistes,* 1.10 was by the sayd Boner adiudged and condemned: but before the time of her burning came, preuented by death in Newgate pri∣son, departed and slept in the Lord.

No lesse strength in the grace of the Lorde appeared in the other maide Elizabeth Thackuell, whose hearte and minde the Lorde had so confirmed in hys truth,* 1.11 so armed with patience, that as her aduersaries could by no suffici∣ent knowledge of Scripture conuicte her affirmation, so by no forceable attempts, they could remooue her confessi∣on. Whereuppon shee standing to the death, being in lyke sorte condemned, by the sayd vnbyshoplyke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, gaue her life willingly and mildely for the confirmation & sea∣ling vp of the sincere truth of Gods woord.* 1.12

These iij. innocent and godly women, thus falsly and wrongfully by men condemned for the iust quarel & cause of Gods Gospell, were had to Smithfield, and there cru∣elly bounde to the stake, gaue their bodies to the tormen∣tours, their spirites they commended to God. For whose glorye they were willing and ready to suffer what soeuer the cruel handes of theyr enemies should woorke agaynst them, dying more ioyfully in the flaming fire, then some of

[illustration]

The Martyrdome of three women.

* 1.13 them that burned them, did peraduenture in theyr beds. Suthe a Lorde is God, glorious and woonderfull in all hys Saintes. The Martyrdome of these Saints of God, was the 16. of May.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A letter of cer∣tayne persecu∣ting Iustices to Boner.
• * 1.2

  The simple ig∣norance of these women had more neede to be instructed then they to be burned.
• * 1.3

  Agaynst the Masse and Sa∣crament of the Aultar.
• * 1.4

  Syr Iohn Mor∣dant Promoter.
• * 1.5

  Katherin Hutte.
• * 1.6

  The wordes of Katherin Hutte, of the Sacramēt.
• * 1.7

  Ioane Hornes mayde.
• * 1.8

  The wordes and profession of Ioane Hornes touching the Sacrament.
• * 1.9

  The Butcherly axe of Boner.
• * 1.10

  Ma••garet Ellys dy•••• in New∣gate
• * 1.11

  Elizabeth Thackuell, Mayde and Martyr.
• * 1.12

  i. A persecu∣tor.
• * 1.13

  The Mar∣tyrdome of Katherine Hutte, Ioane Hornes, Elizabeth Thackuell, in Smith∣field. Anno. 1556. May. 16.