Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] 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.

¶Christopher Shoomaker Martyr.

TO these blessed saintes before past, we will also adioyne Christopher Shoomaker: of whom this I finde briefly in the Register of syr Iohn Longland: and that the sayde Christopher Shoomaker,* 1.1 a parishioner of great Missendē came to the house of one Iohn Say, and after other mat∣ters of talke, read to him out of a little booke, the woordes which Christ spake to his disciples. And thus comming to his house about foure times: at euery time read some∣thing out of the same booke vnto him: teaching him not to be deceiued in the priestes celebration at Masse, and decla∣ring that it was not the same very present body of Christ as the priestes did phantasie: but in substance bread, bea∣ring the remembraunce of Christ. And taught him moreo∣uer, that the Pilgrimage, worshipping and setting vp can¦dles to saintes were all vnprofitable. And thus the sayde Ioh. Say beyng taught by this Christopher, and also con∣firmed by Iohn Okendē, and Robert pope, was brought to the knowledge of the same doctrine. Thus much briefly I find in that Register concerning Christopher Shooma∣ker, declaring further that he was burned at Newbery a∣bout this time, which was an. 1518. And thus much out of Registers of London.

IN turning ouer the Registers and Recordes of Lincoln likewise, and comming to the yere of our Lord. 1520. and 1521. I finde that as the light of the Gospell began more to appeare, and the number of the professors to growe, so the vehemencie of persecution, and stirre of the bishops be∣gan also to encrease. Wherupon ensued great perturbatiō & greeuous affliction in diuers & sondry quarters of thys realm, especially about Buckingham shyre, and Amershā, Uxbrige, Henley, Newbery, in the dioces of London, in Essex, Colchester, Suffolke and Northfolke, and other partes moe. And this was before the name of Luther was heard of in these countryes among the people. Wher∣for for they are much begyled and misse informed, whiche con∣demne this kinde of doctrine now receaued, of noueltie, asking where was this churche and religion xl. yeares a∣goe, before Luthers time?* 1.2 To whome it may be aunswe∣red, that this Religion and forme of doctrine was planted by the Apostles, and taught by true Byshops, afterward decayd, and nowe reformed againe, although it was not receiued nor admitted to the Popes Clergye before Lu∣thers time, neyther yet is, yet it was receiued of other, in whose heartes it pleased the Lorde secretly to worke, and that of a great number, whiche both professed and suffered for the same, as in the former times of this history may ap¦peare. And if they thinke this doctrine be so newe, that it was not heard of before Luthers time how thē came such great persecution before Luthers time here in Englande? If these were of the same profession, whiche they were of, thē was their crueltie vnreasonable, so to persecute theyr

[illustration]

*The burning of Christopher Shoomaker.* 1.3

* 1.4 owne Catholicke fraternitie. And if they were otherwise how then is this doctrine of the Gospell so new, or the pro¦fessors thereof so late start vp, as they pretend them to be?* 1.5 But this commeth onely of ignoraunce, & for not knowing nor considering well the times & antiquities of the church which hath bene before vs. Which if they did, they shold see and say, that the church of England hath not lacked great multitudes, which tasted & folowed the sweetnes of Gods holy worde, almost in as ample maner, for the number of well disposed hartes as now. Although publique authori∣tie then lacked to mayntayne the open preaching of the gospel, yet y^e secret multitude of true professours,* 1.6 was not much vnequall: certes the feruent zeale of those Christian dayes seemed much superior to these our dayes and times: as manifestly may appeare by their sitting vp all night in reading and hearing, also by their expenses and charges in buying of bookes in Englishe: of whome some gaue fiue markes, some more, some lesse for a booke. Some gaue a lode of hay for a few chapters of S. Iames or of S. Paule in English. In whiche raritie of bookes, and want of tea∣chers this one thing I greatly maruel and muse at, to note in the Registers & to consider howe the worde of trueth notwithstanding did multiply so exceedingly as it dyd a∣mongest them. Wherein is to be seene no doubt y^e meruel∣lous working of Gods mighty power. For so I finde and obserue in considering the Registers, howe one neigh∣bour resorting and conferring with an other, eftsoones with a few wordes of the first or second talke, did win and turne their mindes to that wherein they desired to per∣swade them, touching the trueth of Gods worde and hys sacramentes. To see their trauailes,* 1.7 theyr earnest seeking their burning zeales, their readinges, their watchinges, their sweete assemblies, theyr loue and concord, their god∣ly liuing, their faythfull meaning with the faythfull, may make vs now in these our dayes of free profession to blush for shame.

Foure principall pointes they stood in against the Church of Rome, in pilgrimage, adoration of sainctes, in reading scripture bookes in English, and in the carnall presence of Christes body in the sacrament.

* 1.8After the great abiuration aforesayd, which was vnder William Smith Bishop of Lincolne: they were noted and termed among themselues by the name of knowne men, or iust fast men:* 1.9 as nowe they are called by the name of Prote∣stantes.

As they were simple, & yet not vncircumspect in theyr doings, so the crafty serpent being more wily then they, by fraudulent subtletie did so circumuent thē, that they caused the wife to detect the husband:* 1.10 the husband the wife, the fa∣ther the daughter, the daughter the father, the brother to disclose the brother, and neighbour the neighbor. Neither were there any assemblies nor readinges kept, but both y^e persons and also the bookes were knowne:* 1.11 Neither was any word so closely spoken, nor article mentioned, but it was discouered. So subtilly and sleightly these Catholicke prelates did vse their inquisitions and examinations, that nothing was done or sayd among these Knowne men, xv. or xx. yeares before so couertly, but it was brought at length to their intelligence. Such captious interrogatories, so many articles and suspicions they had, suche espyals and priuie scoutes they sent abroad, such authoritie and credite they had with the king, and in the kinges name: such dilli∣gence they shewed in that behalfe, so violently and impu∣dently they abused the booke, of y^e peaceable Euangelistes, wresting mens consciences vppon their othe, swearing them vpon the same to detect thēselues, their fathers & mo∣thers, & other of their kinred, with their friends & neigh∣bours, and that to death. All whiche thinges in the further processe of the table ensuing (Christ willing) whiche we haue collected out of some part of the Registers of Lin∣colne, shall appeare.

For the better declaration wherof, first here is to be pre¦monished by the way, touching the see of Lincoln, that af∣ter William Smith, succeded Iohn Longland. This Wil∣liam Smith,* 1.12 although he was somewhat eger & sharpe a∣gainst the poore simple flocke of Christes seruauntes vn∣der whome some were burned, many abiured, a great nū∣ber molested, as partly hath bene afore declared: yet was he nothing so bloudy or cruell,* 1.13 as was the sayd Longland, which afterward succeeded in that Dioces. For so I fynde of him, that in the time of the great abiuratiō and trouble∣some affliction of Buckinghamshyre men, wherein many were abiured, & certaine burned, yet diuers he sent quietly home without punishment: and pennaunce, bidding them go home, and liue as good Christen men should doe. And many which were enioyned penaunce before, he did release This Smith dyed about the yeare of our Lord. 1515. by whome was builded, as is aforesaid, the Colledge of Bra∣san nose in Oxford.* 1.14

Not long after him folowed Iohn Longland, a fierce & cruell vexer of y^e faythfull poore seruantes of Christ: who to renue again the old sparkles of persecutiō, whiche were not yet vtterly quenched first began w^t one or two of them which had bene abiured, whom he thought to be most no∣torious, causing them by force of their othe, to detect & be∣wray not onely their owne opinions touching poyntes of religiō: but also to discouer al other of their affinitie, which were either suspected or abiured before. And them likewise he put to their othe, most violently constrayning them to vtter and confesse both themselues, and whom els so euer they knew. By reason whereof, an incredible multitude of men, women, and maydens were brought forth to exami∣nation, and straightly handled. And such as were found in relapse, were burned.

The rest were so burdened with superstitious and ido∣latrous penaunce and iniunctions, that eyther through griefe of conscience they shortly dyed:* 1.15 or els with shame they liued. All which tragicall doyngs and proceedings of the byshop against these Knowen and Iuste faste men, in these tables here vnder following (Christ graunting) shall ap∣peare, both with with the accusers, and with the parties them selues accused, and also the crimes obiected.

But before we enter into the table, it shalbe requisite first to heare the order and copy of his captious and crafty interrogatoryes, whereby he constrayned the simple poore men to accuse and appeach one an other: which interroga∣toryes were these in order as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christoph. Shomaker burnt in Newbery mariir
• * 1.2

  The antiquitie of the t••ue doc∣trine of the Gos∣pell.
• * 1.3

  The death of Christopher Shomaker.
• * 1.4

  Anno. 1518.
• * 1.5

  Ignoraunce of antiquite.
• * 1.6

  Elder times of the Gospell with these latter times compared.
• * 1.7

  The earnest zeale of our for∣fathers in fol∣lowing Christs Gospell.
• * 1.8

  Abiuratio mag∣na.
• * 1.9

  Knowen men Iust fast men.
• * 1.10

  The practise of Romish prelats.
• * 1.11

  The practise of prelates.
• * 1.12

  W. Smith. Bish. of Lincolne.
• * 1.13

  Iohn Longland B. of Lincolne.
• * 1.14

  The College of Brasen nose in Oxford builded.
• * 1.15

  Bishop Longlād a greuous perse∣cutor of christes people. Accusers. The parties ac∣cused: The crimes ob∣iected