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.

¶Iohn Dauis, of the age of twelue yeares and vnder.

AN Dom. 1546. and the last yeare of King Henry the 8. Iohn Dauis,* 1.1 a child of xij. yeares & vnder, who dwel∣lyng in the house of M. Iohnson Apothecarie, in y^e toune of Worcester, his vncle, vsing sometymes to read of the te∣stament and other good English bookes, was complained of by Alice Iohnson his maistresse, which Alice beyng an obstinate person, consulted with one Tho. Parton, & one Alice, wyfe to Nich. Brooke Organemaker, with certaine of the Canons, and M. Iohnson Chancellor to D. Heath their Bish. The meanes wherby he was entrapped, was wrought by the foresayd Alice Brooke, who procured O∣lyuer her sonne, schoolefellow with the sayd Iohn Dauis, to faine friendship with hym, and vnder pretence to be in∣structed, to see his English bookes, and especially to gette some thyng of his writyng against the vj. Articles. Which beyng had, was soone brought to the Canons of y^e church, and the Chauncellor. Wherupon, Tho. Parton, whether beyng sent, or of his owne mynd, came to apprehend him, and his Uncle was forced agaynst his will, to bynde the poore boyes armes behynd him: and so hee was brought to the Officers of the towne, where he lay from the 14. of August, till the last of September. Then was he commā∣ded to the Free mans prison, where one Rich. Howbo∣rough commyng to perswade him from burnyng, willed hym to prooue first with a candle, who then holdyng hys finger, and the other the candle vnder it a good space, yet (as the partie hymselfe to me assureth) felte no burnyng therof, neither would the other that held the candle beleue hym a great while, til he had looked, and saw no skorching of the candle at all appeared.

Then was the child remooued from thence to an inner prison called Peepehole, where the lowe Bailiffe called Rob. Yould, layd vpon hym a paire of bolts, so y^t he could not lift vp his small legs, but leanyng on a staffe, slipt thē forward vpon the ground, the coldnesse of which irons, he feeleth yet in his anckles, and shall so long as he lyueth, with these bolts, his lying was vpon the cold ground, ha∣uyng not one locke of strawe, nor cloth to couer him, saue onely two sheepe skins, neither durst father nor mother, or any of his friends come at hym. Besides this and many great threates of the papists, there was a mad man put to hym in the prison, with a knife about hym, wherewyth he oft tymes in his frantike rage, profered to thrust hym in.

After this came to him one Iolyfe, and N. Yewer, two Canons, which had his writings against the sixe Articles, and his Ballet called Come downe for all your shauen crowne: to see whether he would stād to that he had wri∣ten. Which done, with many great raging wordes, not long after sate M. Iohnson the Chancellour in the Guild hall vpon the poore lad. Where first were brought in hys accusers and sworne, then were sworn also 24. men which went on his Quest, and found hym guiltie, but hee neuer came before the Chancellor. Upon this he was sent to the common Gaole among thieues and murtherers, there to tary the commyng of the iudges, and so to be had straight to execution. But the mighty mercy of the Lord, who hel∣peth the desolate & miserable when all other helpe is past, so prouided for this silly condemned lad, that the purpose of all his hard harted enemies was disappointed. For be∣fore the Iudges came, God tooke away Henry the 8. out of this lyfe. By reason whereof, the force of the lawe was then staied, howbeit, he was neuerthelesse arraigned, be∣yng holden vp in a mans armes at the Barre before the Iudges, who were Portman and Maruen. Which when they perceiued that they could not burne him, would haue hym presently whipped. But M. Iohn Bourne Esquire declared to the Iudges how hee had whipping enough. After that hee had lyen a weeke more in prison, had hym home to hys house, his wyfe annoynted his legs her selfe with ointment, which then were stiffe and nummed with irons, till at length when M. Bourne and his wyfe sawe they could not winne hym to the beliefe of their Sacra∣ment, they put him away, least he should infect their sonne Anthony as they thought with heresie.

Thus Iohn Dauis of the age aforesayde, in what da∣mage he was for the Gospell ye see, and howe the Lorde preserued hym, ye vnderstand. He endured in prisone from the 14. day of August, till within seuen dayes of Easter, who is yet alyue, and a profitable Minister this day in the Church of Eng∣land: Blessed bee the Lord, qui facit mirabilia solus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn Dauis a childe vnder the age of 12. yeares cast to be burned ••or the 6. articles and yet by Gods prouidence preserued.