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 scourging of Thomas Greene.

IN the reygne of Queene Mary, I Thomas Greene be¦ing brought before D. Story,* 1.1 by my M. whose name is Iohn Wayland a Printer, for a booke called Antichrist, the whiche had bene distributed to certayne honest menne he asked me where I had the booke, and sayde I was a traytour. I told him I had y^e booke of a Frenchman. Thē he asked me more questions, but I told him I would tell hym no more, nor could not. Then he sayd: it was no he∣resie but treason, and that I should be hanged, drawne, & quartered, and so he called for Cluny the keeper of y^e Lol∣lardes tower, and bad him set me fast in the stockes.

* 1.2I was not in the Lollardes tower two houres, but Clauy came and tooke me out, and caryed me to y^e Cole∣house, and there I found a frenchman lying in the stocks, and he tooke him out, and put on my right legge a bolte & a fetter, & on my left hand an other, and so hee set me crosse fettered in the stockes, and tooke the Frenchman away w^t him, and there I lay a day and a night. On the morow af∣ter, he came and sayd: let vs shift your hand and legge, be∣cause you shall not be lame: and he made as though he pi¦tied me, and sayde, tell me the trueth, and I will be youre frend.

And I sayd, I had tolde the truth and would tell no o∣ther. Then he put no more but my legge in the stockes, & so went his way, and there I remayned 6. dayes, & could come to no answere.

Then Doctor Story sent for me, and asked whether I would tel him I truth, where I had the booke.* 1.3 I sayd I had told him, of a frenchmā, he asked me wher I came ac¦quainted w^t the Frenchman, & where he dwelt &, where he deliuered me the booke. I sayde, I came acquaynted w^t him in Newgate, I comming to my friendes which wer put in for Gods worde and truthes sake, and the French∣man comming to his friendes also: there we did talke to∣gether and became acquaynted one with an other, and dyd eate and drinke together there with our friends in y^e feare of God.

Then Story scoffed at me and sayde: then there was brother in Christ, and brother in Christ,* 1.4 and reuiled me & called me an hereticke, and asked me if I had the booke of him in Newgate. I sayd no, and I tolde him, as I went on my businesse in the streete I met him, and he asked me how I did, and I him also: so falling in communicatiō he shewed me that booke, and I desired him that hee woulde let me haue it.

In this examination Story sayd, it was a great booke and asked me whether I bought it, or had it geuen me. I tolde him I bought it. Then sayd he, I was a theefe, and had stollen my maysters money. And I sayd, a little mo∣ny serued, for I gaue hym but foure pence, but I promised him at our nexte meeting, I woulde geue twelue pence more. And he sayd: that was boldly done, for such a booke as spake both treason and heresie.

Then Story required me to bring him two sureties, & watche for him that I had the booke of, and I shuld haue no harme. I made him aunswere, I would bring no sure∣ties, nor I could not tell where to finde them. Then said he: this is but a lye, and so called for Cluny, and bad hym lay me fast in the Colehouse, saying, he would make me tel an other tale at my next cōming: and so I lay in y^e stockes day and night, but onely when I eate my meate, & there remayned x. dayes before I was called for agayne.

Then Doctor Story sent for me agayne, and asked if I would yet tell him the truth. I sayd,* 1.5 I could tell him no other truth then I had, nor would. And while I was ther standing, there were two brought, whiche I tooke to bee prisoners.

Then mistres Story fell in a rage, and sware a great othe,* 1.6 that it were a good deede to put a hundred or two of these hereticke knaues in a house, & I my selfe (sayth she) would set it on fire. So I was cōmitted to prison agayn, where I remayned 14. dayes and came to no aunswere.

Then Story sent for me againe, and called me into the gardē, and there I found with him my Lord of Windsors Chaplayne, and two Gentlemen more,* 1.7 and he told them all what they had sayd and done. They sayd, the book was a wonderous euill booke, and had both treason and here∣sie in it. Then they asked me what I said by the book. And I sayd: I know no euill by it.

At which wordes Story chafed, and sayd hee woulde hang me vp by the hands w^t a rope, and said also he would cut out my tonge, & mine eares also frō mine head. After this they alledged two or three thinges vnto me out of the book. And I aunswered, I had not read the book through out, and therfore I could geue no iudgement of the book.

Then my Lord of Windsores chaplayne and the other two Gentlemen tooke me aside, and entreated me verye gently, saying: tell vs where you had the booke, and of whō: wde will saue you harmelesse. I made them aun∣swere, I had told all that I could to Doct. Story, & began to tell it thē agayn: but they sayd, they knew y^t already: so they left that talke and went agayne to Story with me.

Then Story burdened me with my fayth▪ and sayd I was an hereticke.* 1.8 Whereupon the Chaplayne asked me how I did beleue. Then I began to rehearse the articles of my beliefe, but he bad me let that alone. Then hee asked me how I beleued in Christe. I made him aunswere that I beleued in Christ which dyed and rose agayne the thyrd day, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father.

Whereupon Story asked me mockingly, what is the right hand of God? I made him aunswere,* 1.9 I thought it was his glory. Then sayd he, so they say all. And he asked me whē he would ••e wery of sitting there. Then inferred

my Lord of Windsors Chaplayne, asking me what I said by the masse. I sayd: I neuer knew what it was, nor what it ment, for I vnderstoode it not, because I neuer learned any Latin, and since the time that I had any knowledge, I had bene brought vp in nothing but in reading of Eng¦lish, and with such men as haue taught y^e same: with ma∣ny moe questions, which I cannot rehearse.

Moreouer, he asked me if there were not the very bo∣dy of Christ,* 1.10 flesh, bloud and bone in the Masse, after the Priest had consecrated it. And I made him aunswere: as for the Masse I cannot vnderstand it, but in the new Te∣stament I read, that as the Apostles stoode looking after the Lord when he ascended vp into heauen, an Angel sayd to them: Euen as you see him ascend vp, so shal he come agayne. And I told them an other sentēce: where Christ saith: The poore shall you haue alwayes with you, but me shall you not haue alwayes.

Then M. Chaplaine put to me many questions more to the which I could make hym no aunswere. Among all other, he brought Chrisostome and S. Hierome for hys purpose. To whome I aunswered, that I neyther myn∣ded nor was able to answere their Doctors, neither knew whether they alledged them right, or no: but to that whi∣che is written in the new Testament I would aunswere. Here they laughed me to scorne and called me foole, & sayd they would reason no more with me.

Then Doctor Storye called for Cluny, and bad hym take me away,* 1.11 and set me fast, and let no man speak with me. So was I sent to the Colehouse: where I hadde not ben a week, but there came in xiiii. prisoners: but I was kept still alone without company, in a prison called the Salthouse, hauing vpon my legge a bolt and a fetter, and my handes manacled together with yrons,* 1.12 and there con∣tinued x. dayes, hauing nothing to lye on, but bare stones or a boorde.

On a time whiles I lay there in prison, the Byshop of London comming downe a payre of stayres on the back∣side vntrust, in his hose and doublet, looked in at y^e grate, and asked wherfore I was put in, and who put me in.

I made him aunswere, y^t I was put in for a booke cal∣led Antichrist,* 1.13 by Doctor Story And he sayde: you are not ashamed to declare wherefore you were put in, and said it was a very wicked booke, and bad me confesse the truth to Story. I sayd, I had told the truth to him already, & desi∣red him to be good vnto me, and helpe me out of prison, for they had kept me there long. And he sayd, he could not medle with it: Story hath begon it: and he must end it.

* 1.14Then I was remoued out of the Salthouse to geue place to two women, and caryed to the Lollardes Tower and put in the stockes: and there I founde two prisoners, one called Lyon, a Frenchman, and an other with hym: and so I was kept in the stockes more then a month both day and night, and no man to come to me, or to speake w^t me, but onely my keeper which brought me meate.

Thus we three being together, Lyon the Frenchman song a Psalme in the Frenche tongue, and wee sang with him, so y^t we were heard down into the street, and the kee∣per comming vp in a greate rage,* 1.15 sware that he would put vs all in the stockes, and so tooke the Frenchman and commaunded him to kneel downe vppon his knees, and put both his handes in the flockes, where hee remay∣ned all that night till the next day

After this I beyng in the Lollardes Tower 7. dayes, at my last being with Story hee sware a great othe that he would racke me,* 1.16 and make me tell the truth. Thē Sto∣ry sending for me, commaunded me for to bee brought to Walbroke, wher he & the Cōmissioners dyned: and by the way my keeper told me y^t I should go to the Tower & be racked. So when they had dyned, Story called for me in, and so there I stoode before thē, & some sayd I was wor∣thy to be hanged for hauing such hereticall books. After I had stayde a little while before them, Story called for the keeper, and commaunded him to cary me to the Lollards Tower agayne, and sayde: I haue other matters of the Queenes to do with the Commissioners:* 1.17 but I will finde an other time for him. Whilest I lay yet in the Lollardes Tower, the womā which brought the bookes ouer, being taken, and her bookes, was put in the Clinke in South∣warke by Hussy, one of the Arches: and I Tho. Greene testifie before God, now that I neyther descryed the man nor the woman, the whiche I had the bookes of.

Then I lying in the Lollardes Tower, being sent for before M. Hussy,* 1.18 he required of me, wherefore I was put into the Lollardes Tower, and by whome. To whome I made aunswere, that I was put there by Doctor Story for a booke called Antichrist. Then he made as though hee would be my friend, and sayd he knewe my friendes, and my father and mother, and bad me tel him of whom I had the booke, and sayd: come on, tell me the truth, I told hym as I had told Doctor Story before.

Then he was very angry and sayd: I loue thee well & therfore I sent for thee, and looked for a further truth: but I would tell him no other: whereupon he sent me agayne to the Lollardes Tower. At my going away he called me backe agayn, and sayd that Dixon gaue me the books be¦ing an old man, dwelling in Birchin lane: and I sayde he knew the matter better then I. So he sēt me away to the Lollardes Tower, where I remayned vij. dayes & more.

Then M. Hussy sent for me agayne and required of me to tell him the truth. I told him I could tell him no other truth then I had told Doctor Story before.

Then hee began to tell me of Dixon of whome I had the bookes, the which had made the matter manifest afore:* 1.19 and he told me of all thinges touching Dixon and y^e books more then I could my selfe, in so much y^t he told me howe many I had, and that he had a sacke full of the books in his house, and knew where the woman lay, better then I my selfe. Then I sawe the matter so open and manifest before my face, that it profited not me to stand in the matter. Hee asked me where I had done the books, and I told hym I had but one, & that Doct. Story had. He sayd I lyed, for I had three at one time, & hee required we to tell him of one.

Then I tolde hym of one that Iohn Beane had of me being prentise with Mayster Tottle.* 1.20 So he promised me before and after, and as he shuld be saued before God, that he should haue no harme. And I kneeling downe vppon my knees, desired him to take my bloud, and not to hurt the young man. Then sayd he: because you haue bene so stubburne, the matter being made manifest by other and not by you, being so long in prison, tell me if you wil stād to my iudgement. I sayd yea, take my bloud, and hurt not the young man.

Then he made me answere, I should be whipped like a theefe and a vacabond: and so I thanked him,* 1.21 and went my way with my keeper to the Lollardes tower: where I remayned two or three dayes, and so was brought by the keeper Cluny, by the commaundement of the Com∣missioners, to Christes hospitall, sometime the Gray Fri∣ers: and accordingly had there for the time the correction of theeues and vacabondes, and so was deliuered to Tri∣nian the Porter, and put into a stincking dungeon.

Then after a fewe dayes I finding frendship▪ was let out of the dungeon, and lay in a bed in the night, & walked in a yarde by the dungeon in the day time, and so remay∣ned prisoner a month and more.

Where at length Doctour Story came and two Gen∣tlemē with hym, and called for me,* 1.22 and so I was brought into a counting house before thē. Then he sayd to y^e gentle∣men: here commeth this hereticke, of whom I had y^e book called Antichrist, and began to tell them how many times I had bene before him, and sayde: I haue intreated hym very gently, and he would neuer tell me the truth till y^t it was found out by other. Then sayd he: it wer a good deed to cut out thy tongue and thy eares of thy head, to make thee an example to all other hereticke knaues. And y^e gen∣tlemen said: nay y^t were pitty. Then he asked if y^t I would not become an honest mā: & I sayd yes, for I haue offēded God many wayes. Whereupon he burdened me with my fayth. I told him I had made hym aunswere of my fayth before my Lord Windsors chaplaine, as much as I could.

So in the end he commaunded me to be stripped he stā∣ding by me, and called for two of the Beadels and the whippes to whippe me:* 1.23 and the two Beadels came wyth a cord, and bound my handes together, and the one end of the corde to a stone piller. Then one of my friendes, called Nicholas Priestman, hearing them call for whips, hurled in a bundell of rods, whiche seemed something to pacifie y^e minde of his crueltie: and so they scourged me with rods. But as they were whipping of me, Story asked me if I would go vnto my Mayster agayne, and I sayd nay. And he sayd: I perceiue now he wil be worse then euer he was before: but let me alone (quoth he): I will finde him out if he be in England. And so with many other things which I cannot rehearse, when they had done whipping of me, they bad me pay my fees and go my wayes.

¶Doctor Story commaunded that he should haue an hundred stripes, but the Gentlemen so intreated: that hee had not so many, Story saying: if I might haue my will, I would surely cut out his tongue.

Of the scourging of M. Bartlet Greene, also of Iohn Milles, & of Thomas Hinshaw, ye heard before. In like maner was ordered Ste. Cotton, burned before at Bram∣ford, who testifieth himselfe to be twise beaten by Boner, in a letter of hys written to his brother, as by the same here following for the more euidence may appeare.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The scour∣•••••••• of ••••••mas Gr••ene. The Master promoteth the ser∣••••••nt.
• * 1.2

  Thomas Greene put in the stockes.
• * 1.3

  Thomas Greene examined before Doctour Story.
• * 1.4

  D. Story scoffe•••• at Christes ser∣uauntes.
• * 1.5

  An other exa∣mination of Tho. Greene be¦fore D. Story.
• * 1.6

  Mistres Story sheweth her charitable hart.
• * 1.7

  Greene agayne examined before Doctour Story.
• * 1.8

  Greene xami∣ned of his belief.
• * 1.9

  D. Stories blas∣phemous scof¦fing in matter•• of our fayth.
• * 1.10

  The Masse.
• * 1.11

  Greene sent a∣gayne to the Colehouse.
• * 1.12

  The strayte hand¦ling of Greene in prison.
• * 1.13

  Talke betweene Thomas Greene and B. Boner.
• * 1.14

  Two prisoners brought to B. Boners Salt∣house.
• * 1.15

  Cruelty shew∣ed vpon priso∣ners for singing Psalmes.
• * 1.16

  Thomas Greene brought before D. Storye and the Commissio∣ners.
• * 1.17

  This woman was one Youngs wyfe.
• * 1.18

  Thomas Greene examined before M. Hussey.
• * 1.19

  Dixon in B••••chin Lane.
• * 1.20

  Iohn Bean•• Prentise with M. Tottle.
• * 1.21

  Thomas Greene ad∣iudged to be whipped. Thomas Greene brought to the Gray Fryers.
• * 1.22

  Thomas Greene a∣gayne ap∣peareth be∣fore D. Sto∣ry and two gentlem••n.
• * 1.23

  The scourg∣ing of Tho. Greene be∣fore Doct. Story.