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 first examination of Thomas Rose before Winchester at saint Mary Oueryes.

ON Thursday being brought before the B. of Winche∣ster at S. Mary Oueries, the said Tho. Rose spake as followeth.

Rose.

It maketh me to maruayle (my Lord, quoth he) that I should be thus troubled for that which by the worde of God hath bene established, & by the lawes of this Realme allowed, & by your own writing so notably in your booke De vera obedientia, confirmed.

Bysh.

Ah sirha, hast thou gotten that?

Rose.

Yea, my Lord, I thanke God, and do confesse my self much thereby confirmed. For as touching the doctrine of the supremacie agaynst the B. of Romes vsurped autho∣ritie, no man hath sayde further. And as I remember you confesse in it, that when this truth was reuealed vnto you you thought the scales to fall from your eyes.

Bishop.

Thou lyest like a varlet, there is no such thinge in my booke, but I shall handle thee and suche as thou art well enough. I haue lōg looked for thee, & at length haue caught thee. I will knowe who be thy maynteiners, or els I will make thee a foote longer.

Rose.

My Lord, you shall doe as much as pleaseth God, & no more, yet the lawe is in our hand: but I haue God for my maynteiner▪ & none other. At these wordes one of his seruāts stepped forth and said: my lord, I heard this man preach by Norwich in sir Iohn Robsters house, & in hys praier he desired God to turne Q. Maries hart, or elles to take her out of the world: and this was in K. Edw. time.

Rose.

My Lord, I made no such prayer, but next after the king I prayed for her after this sort, saying: Ye shall pray for my Lady Maries grace, that God wil vouchsafe to in∣due her with his spirite, that she graciously may perceiue y^e misteries conteined within his holy lawes, and so render vnto him her hart purified w^t true fayth, & true & loyall o∣bedience to her soueraigne lord and king, to the good en∣sample of the inferiour subiects. And this, my Lord, is al∣ready aunswered in mine own hand writing to y^e counsel. Unto this he sayd little, but turning his face to certayne y^t were by him: This is he (quoth the Bishop) that my Lord of Norwich told me had begotten his mayd with chylde.

Rose.

This is no heresie, my Lord, although it be a lye. In deed certayn wicked persons raysed this report of me, for y^e hatred they bare to the doctrine whiche I preached: but for purgatiō of my self herein. I had no lesse then 6. of the counsails hands, y^t there might be due & dilligent examina¦tion for this matter in the country by men of worship ap∣pointed for that purpose, who can al testifie (I thank god) that I am most cleare frō such wickednes, & in deede they haue cleared me frō it, & therfore I doubt not but all good mē will espye y^e mischieuous deuise of mine aduersaryes, whych (when other wayes fayled) by such sinister means went about to draw me into discredite & hatred: but God which is the helper of y^e innocēt, & searcher of mens harts hath & doth defend me, & hath layd open thinges that wer hid, to their shame. One of y^e chief reporters of this, that I should so abuse my self, was one M. Clarke seruaunt & in some estimation w^t the old Lord Treasurer of England re¦puted & taken for a coniurer, who afterwards for his good demerites hanged himself in the Tower. Then the bishop commanded y^t I shoulde be caryed to the tower, & be kept safely, where I did lye til it was the weeke before Whitsō∣tide. Before which time I was twise called, when as the bish. came to the tower about other prisoners. Notwyth∣standing the B. had no great talk with me, but spake frēd∣ly. Howbeit, one sir Rich. Southwell knight still accused me for my prayer, & sayde, I did put a difference betwixte Lady Mary & Lady Elizabeth, for that I prayed in king Edwardes fayth, & prayed that he would confirme Lady Elizabeth in that which was well begō in her. Unto this the bish. sayde little: but in the weeke before Pentecost I was conueyed from the tower to Norwich, there to be ex∣amined by the bish. and his clergy, as concerning my faith the maner wherof here followeth.

Notes

• The 1. exa∣mination of Tho. Rose.
• Tho. Rose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Winchester,
• Tho. Rose 〈…〉〈…〉 Winchesters sclaunder.
• Tho Rose committed to the Tower.