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.

¶The martirdome and examination of Richard Crashfield of Wymoundham, condemned to death for the testimonye of Iesus Christ.

ABout this time suffered at Norwiche,* 1.1 a godly man & a constant martyr of Christ, called Richard Crashfield whose examination before the Chauncellor, named Dun∣nynges, as he penned them with hys owne hand, so haue we faythfully recorded the same.

How say you Syrha, sayd the Chancellor,* 1.2 to the cere∣monyes of the Church?

Then sayd I: what ceremonies?

He sayd vnto me: Do you not beleue that all the cere∣monies of the church were good and godly?

My aunswere was: I do beleue so many as are groū∣ded in the testament of Iesus Christ.

Tush, sayd he,* 1.3 do you beleeue in the Sacrament of the aultar?

I sayd, I knew not what it was.

Then sayd he: Do you not beleeue that Christe tooke bread, gaue thankes, brake it, and sayde: Take, eate, thys is my body.

Yes verily, sayd I, and euen as Christ did speake, so did he performe the worke.

Tush, sayd he, doe you not beleeue this, that after the wordes be spoken by the prieste, there is the substaunce of Christes body, flesh, and bloud? How say you, doe you not beleue this? Speake man.

I doe beleeue that Christes body was broken for me vppon the Crosse, and his bloud shed for my redemption, wherof the bread and the wyne is a perpetuall memory, y^e pledge of hys mercy, the ring and seale of hys promise, and a perpetuall memory for the faythfull, vnto the ende of the world. So then I was commaunded into prison vntil the next day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August. 5.
• * 1.2

  The examinatiō of Rich. Crash∣field before Dū∣ning Chauncel∣lor of Norwich.
• * 1.3

  Sacrament of the Aultar.