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 aunsweres of the forenamed persons to the Articles aforesayde.* 1.1

1. TO the first article they aunsweared affirmatiuely, Roger Holland adding that hee came not to their Latine seruice these two yeares before.

Mathewe Ricarby added that he came not to churche since Latine seruice was renewed, because it is against the woorde of God, and Idolatrie committed in creeping to the crosse.

Henry Pond added, if hee had licence then to goe to church, he woulde.

2. To the 2. Article, they all aunsweared affirmatiuelye, Henrye Ponde adding as in the first Article. Iohn Floyd adde that the Latine seruice then vsed, was set vp by man, and not by God, & this he learned (he sayd) in king Edwardes daies, which he bele∣ued to be true. Robert Southam added, that he refused to come to churche, because it is furnished with idoles, and because the sacrament of the altar he beleeued to be an idoll.

3. To the 3. Article they all aunsweared affirmatiuely. For they sayd, that the customes, rites, and ceremonies of the church then vsed, are not agreeable to Gods woord.

4 5. To the 4 and 5. Articles, they all answeared affirmatiuely, adding that they beleeued no Priest hath power to remit sinne.

6. To the 6. Article Ihon Holiday, Henry Ponde, and Robert•• Southam aunsweared, that since the Queenes maiesties raigne, but Robert Southam added, not for 10. yeares before, he had re∣ceiued the Sacrament of the altar, either at their Curates hands or any other Priest. Ihon Floyde, Mathewe Ricarby, and Roger Holland answeared affirmatiuely, adding in effecte that the Sa∣crament of the altare is no Sacrament approoued by the worde of God. &c.

7. To the 7. Article they all confessed the contentes thereof to be true in euery part: Henry Ponde adding that he knoweth not nor beleeueth any such Sacrament, called the Sacrament of the altare, but confesseth the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper, and beleeueth that to be approoued. Iohn Floyde added that those that kneele and worship the Sacrament of the altare, committe i∣dolatrie. &c.

8.9.10. To the 8 9.10. Articles, they all confessed the contentes of those Articles to be true. But Iohn Holiday, Henry Pond and Iohn Floyd added, that they do allow the Latine seruice for thē that vnderstandeth the same, so farre as it agreeth with Gods word. For some parte thereof is not agreeable to Gods woorde (they sayd:) but to such as do not vnderstand the sayd seruice in Latine, they doe not allowe it, for it doeth not profite them▪ Ro∣bert Southam added and sayd, that it was a fond question to aske a simple man, whether the Latine seruice be good and lawfull. Mathew Ricarby and Roger Hollande denied the seruice in La∣tine to be good.

11. To the 11. Article, they all confessed the same to be true in euery part, sauing Henry Pond, and Mathew Ricarby, who aun∣sweared in effecte that they coulde not iudge thereof, but leaue them to be tried by the woorde of God.

12. To the 12. Article, they graunted and confessed the same to be true, and desired of God that the seruice were in the Eng∣lish againe.

13. To the 13. Article they all graunted and confessed the same to be true.

14. To the 14. Article they all graunted and confessed the same to be true in euery part.

Thus haue ye the aunsweres of these men to the fore∣sayde Articles, saue that Reginald Eastlande required to aunswere therunto, refused so to do, alleaging y^t he know¦eth that to ende a strife an othe is lawfull,* 1.2 but to beginne a strife an othe is not lawfull, and therefore he nowe refu∣seth to take his othe in y^e beginning of this matter against him. Whereupon being charged by the Bishoppe, he said: for his not aunswearing to the Articles, he was contente to stande vnto the order of the lawe for his punishment, whatsoeuer it should be.

The 17. day after of the sayd moneth of Iune, the sayd Eastland appeared againe before the bishop,* 1.3 who stāding firme in that he had sayd before, denied to make any aun∣swere in that case. &c. Wherupon the sayd Eastland wyth the other 6. his felow prisoners, were assigned by the Bi∣shop to repaire againe to y^e same place at afternoone, who being there present in the foresaid consistorie as they were commaunded, and standing altogether before the said Bi∣shop, he beginning thus with them, asked them, if hee had committed them to prisone. They sayde no, but Maister Cholmley and the Recorder of London committed them to Newgate.

Then being demaunded further by the Bishop, if hee had done any thing or acte to keepe them in prisone, or to hinder their libertie from prisone, to this they answeared, they could not tel. Then the foresaid articles being againe recited to them, all they answered and knowledged them to be the articles, & that they would stād to their answers made to the same. Wherupon the bish. disseuering them a part one frō an other, proceeded with them seuerally, first beginning with Reginald Eastlande, who there declared y^t he had bene vncharitably handled and talked w^tal•• since his first imprisonment in that behalfe. Then being requi∣red to reconcile him selfe againe to the catholike faith,* 1.4 and go from his opinions, he sayd, that he knew nothing why he should recant, and therefore woulde not conforme hym selfe in that behalf. &c. and so the sentence was red against him, and he geuen to the secular power. &c.

After him was called in Iohn Holiday, who likewise being aduertised to renounce hys heresies (as they called them) & to returne to the vnitie of their church, sayde, that

hee was no heretike, nor didde holde any heresie, neither any opinion contrary to the catholike faith, and so would offer him selfe to be iudged therein. Whereuppon hee like∣wise persisting in the same, the sentence was pronounced against him,* 1.5 condemning him to be burnt.

Next to hym was condemned wyth the like sentence, Henry Pond, because he would not submit him self to the Romish church, saying to Boner, that he had done or spo∣ken nothing wherof he was or would be sorie, but that he did holde the truth of God and no heresie. &c.

After whome next followed Iohn Floyde, who like∣wise denied to be of the popes church,* 1.6 and saide his minde of the Latine seruice, that the prayers made to Saintes is idolatrie, and that the Seruice in Latine is profitable to none, but only to such as vnderstand the Latine. Moreo∣uer, being charged by Boner of heresie, and sayinge, that what soeuer he and such other now a daies do, all is here∣sie: for this hee was condemned with the same butcherlye sentence, and so by the secular power was sent away.

* 1.7Then Robert Southam, after him Mathew Ricarby and last of all Roger Holland were seuerally produced.

Thus Roger Holland with his fellowes (as ye heard) standing to their answeres, and refusing to acknowledge the doctrine of the Romish church, who were alltogether condemned, the sentence being red against them, and so al vij. by secular magistrates being sent awaye to Newgate the 17. of Iune, not long after about the 27. day of the said moneth were hadde to Smithfield, and there ended theyr liues in the glorious cause of Christes gospel. Whose par∣ticular

[illustration]

The burning of vij. godly Martyrs in Smithfield.

* 1.8 examinations came not to our hands: sauing only the examinations of Roger Holland, whych here followe in order and maner as wee receiued them by the informa∣tion of certaine, who were present at the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.2

  An oth to ende a strife lawfull but to begin••e a strife it is vn∣lawfull.
• * 1.3

  The condemna∣tion of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ea••••land.
• * 1.4

  The wordes of Eastland to the Bishop at his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his con••emnation. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Iohn Holidaye. The word 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iohn ••ol••••aye.
• * 1.5

  The condemna∣tion of Henry Ponde.
• * 1.6

  The condemna∣tion of Iohn Floyd.
• * 1.7

  The condemna∣tion of Robert Southam, Ma∣thew Ricarby, and Roger Hol∣land.
• * 1.8

  The Martyr∣dome of Henry Ponde, Ray∣nold Eastland, Robert Sou∣tham, Mathew Ricarby, Iohn Floyd, Iohn Holyday, Roger Holland, in Smithfield. Anno. 1558. Iune. 27.