The history of England giving a true and impartial account of the most considerable transactions in church and state, in peace and war, during the reigns of all the kings and queens, from the coming of Julius Cæsar into Britain : with an account of all plots, conspiracies, insurrections, and rebellions ... : likewise, a relation of the wonderful prodigies ... to the year 1696 ... : together with a particular description of the rarities in the several counties of England and Wales, with exact maps of each county / by John Seller ...

A Brief Chronology of Martyrs, and famous Men and Women that have Suffered the Flames, and other Tor∣tures and Persecutions under Popery in England, be∣fore and since the happy Reformation: With the Ex∣hortations and Dying Words of the most Eminent of them.

ACcording to my Promise (tho' this History by reason of many things occuring, swells to more Sheets than my intended Bre∣very designed it) I shall in this place set down together, a Summary Account of the Persons who have Suffered in England for the sake of a good Conscience; and could think it no where more fitly to be placed, than after a Reign, wherein the Blood of those of the Re∣formed Church, was shed like Water; yet Dyed with such Constan∣cy as amazed and startled their cruel Persecutors. I have already spoke somthing of our English Martyrs, after the Kings Reigns where∣in they were Persecuted, but for Brevity having omitted many, I now come to place them closer together, that a better view may be taken, and the Method by its plainness, more easily understood.

Know then, That when the Purity of the Primitive Churches was Clouded, and almost Obscured by the Romish Traditions, Errors, and Superstitions, to make Godliness in the Litteral worldly sense, a Gain, by leading People into Ignorance and blind Devotion in keeping the Word of God from their Knowledge, and in its stead, imposing the Doctrine of Men, not agreeable with it, God in his great Mercy was pleased to raise up such Instruments, as laboured to re∣kindle that Light, wicked and designing Rome had near extinguished; who for the sake of Gods Holy Truth, exposed themselves to the fury of the Adversary; and as in other Nations there were many, so in England faithful Witnesses were not wanting, very early to lay down their Lives. I shall not look back so far as the Persecuti∣ons under the Heathen Roman Emperours, Saxons, and Danes, for tho' they were very grievous, yet more Cruel ensued under the Tyranny of that which calles it self Christian Rome, or the Roman Catholick Church. For after John Wickliff, William Wickham Bishop of Winchester, and many other Learned Men, had Lighted the Candle, as I may term it, and opened the Eyes of many in this and the Neighboring Nations, to discern Truth from Falshood (and of this we have just cause to Glory, since the Reformation in all Churches was grounded on it) True Religion soon raised her Head; and tho' Cruel Adversaries made her Proselites few for a time, their Constancy and Zeal was very great.

In the Year 1380 Ʋter Bolton and John Asherly were severly Per∣secuted; and soon after Walter Bruce, John Ashton, John Patescul, and divers more, some of which are mentioned in the History; but as yet it began not to grow up to Flames, but by degrees it did; for William Swinderly was Burnt in Smithfield; also William Thorp, and divers others, Stigmatized, Banished, Whipped, and Starved in Goals; the Popes in whose time they Lived, Inciting and Encou∣raging their Clergy here, to pursue them with all Violence and utmost Rigor. So that in the Year 1417, the Lord Cobham was Burnt Hanging on a Gallows, in St Gilse's Fields, and soon after William White, John Purrey and Richard White, confessing their Faith, and Dying with Courage and Christian bravery, for the sake of a good Conscience; and Peter Clark being forced to fly for maintain∣ing Wickliff's Doctrine, from Scripture and Fathers, was taken be∣yond the Seas and put to Death by exquisit Torments, viz. His Tongue cut out, then Hanged by the Heels, and a slow Fire made under him till he Dyed. Roger Overly, for speaking against the Mass, and other Superstitions, and offering to prove them not con∣sonant to the Word of God, was Executed. And to put a Scandal on the Professors of the Truth, they Nick-Named them Lollards,

and their common Prison was called the Lollards Tower. But Per∣secution rather encreased than diminished their Number, as appears by the largness of their Assemblies, some to Teach and others to Hear: For one of these Meetings being surprised in St. Gilses Fields, Anno 1415, by Armed Force, and wrongfully charged as a Riotous or Tumultuous Meeting, tending to Insurrection and Rebellion, it was by Popish Judges construed a Treasonable Act; and hereupon Roger Acton, John Beverly, John Brown, and about 36 more, were Drawn, Hanged and Quartered, in the Place where they met; and John Claydon and Benidict Ʋlman Burned; and about 100 others Languished in Prison, till most of them Dyed.

In Henry the Sixth's time, William Taylor, for embracing the Doctrine Wickliff had Taught, was Burnt in Smithfield; Henry Web and Henry Florence Scourged unmercifully, and 120 Imprisoned and Tortured divers ways; and some suffered the Flames, among whom William White and Richard Hovelden were Burnt. Soon af∣ter this, Thomas Baly and Richard Wiche, both Ministers, were burnt, one in Smithfield, and the other on Tower-Hill.

In Edward the Fourth's Reign, John Huss, or Goose, was burnt; and in Henry the Seventh's, Jane Boughton, a Woman of Fourscore Years of Age, was burnt in Norfolk, another in Smithfield, several Branded, and others did Pennance, going in their Shirts, with Ropes about their Necks, and carrying Faggots on their Backs; and Will. T••lsworth, being Condemned as a Heretick for owning the Scriptures for the true Rule of Faith and saving Knowlidge, and denying the Romish Traditions, and Image Worship, &c. to make the flaming Scene more dreadful, being bound to a Stake in Amersham, and the Wood placed about him, they compelled his own Daughter with a Torch to Light his Funeral Pile; whilst he was Singing and Rejoycing in his Martyrdom till the Flames stopped his Breath, and his Soul mounted on Firy Wings to Everlasting Rest. And about two Years after, in Buckinghamshire, were Burned John Melton, Tho. Bernard, and one Roberts, taking that cruel Death with admirable Patience and Cherfulness. Thomas Norrice Suffered in the like man∣ner at Norwich, and Tho. Guest at Salisbury; and a Woman at Chi∣ping Sudbury; and in this Reign several other Persons in divers Places, some against whom there were no colourable Accusations, after severe Rackings and Torturings, were found Murthered in Goals, and Hundreds fled into Germany, &c.

Cardinal Wolsey in the beginning of Henry the Eighth's Reign, do∣ing all under him, or rather above him, (for he did only what he pleased) to ingratiate himself with the Court of Rome, as aiming at the Pontificate, loosed the Reins of Persecution against those that

had separated themselves from the Romish Churches; for indeed about this time two things mainly encreased the Gospel Professors in England and other Nations, viz. One, The appearance of Martin Luther in Germany, who openly with all his might opposed it, and had gained some Princes to his side; and the other, the Noble Mystery of Printing, which began to be much used, whereby good Books were more easily Promulgated, and Dispersed through di∣vers Nations, in their proper Languages. These alarmed the Pope and his Clergy, fearful of their Diana, Profit, to raise dread∣ful Persecutions against the Professors of the Gospel, raging against them even to Madness; and of this England now had a smarting share. For in the Year 1511, John Brewster and William Sweeting were Burnt in Smithfield, and also Robert Harrison, William Carder, and Agnese Greble, the Husband and Daughter being forced in as Witnesses to take away the Life of the latter; and one Mr. Stye, for having the Book of Revelations in English, was Burnt with that and other good Books hanging about his Neck in a String, in the ••ashion of Popish Beads; and five Persons for Reading the four Evangelists in English, were Accused for having in their possession and Reading Heretical Books, containing many Damnable Opinions; and in the Year 1514, Richard Hun was found Murthered in the Lollards Castle, after many Torments and much Cruelty had been excercised to∣wards him. However, their Mallice extended to his dead Body, for it was committed to the Flames; and about this time John Stile, John Brown and Thomas Man, were Burnt in Smithfield; Robert Cousens at Buckingham, Christopher Shoomaker at Newbury, Robert and Richard Bartlet and John Scrivener likewise suffer'd the Flames after all ways had been in vain used to make them Renounce their Pro∣fession; and thinking to terrify the latter, his Children were com∣pelled to set Fire to the pile that burnt him.

In the Year 1519, Six Persons were Burnt at Coventry, and soon after them Thomas Harding and Robert Silkeb. And the Body of William Tracy Esq in Gloucestershire, because his Executors refused to Pay for Singing his Soul out of Purgatory, was dug up and burnt, being Charged (for the fore-mentioned reason) to have dyed a Heretick: One Richard Brayfield who had been a Monk at Bury in Suffolk, but left it, upon seeing the Debauched and Dissolute Lives of the other Monasticks, was accused of Heresy, hurry'd to a Dun∣geon, Bound, Gagg'd, and Whipt, and then standing to his Pro∣fession of that Truth Recorded in Holy Writ, opposite to the Romish Tenents, he was Degraded and Condemned; when being Burnt in London, the Fire was on purpose made so scanty that he continued in it half an Hour Alive, without Complaining; and his Left Arm

being burnt, he cherfully rubbed it with his Right Hand, so that it fell into the Fire; and so in Prayers, without moving his Body, he cherfully ended his days in a bed of flames.

Some that were Imprisoned they fed with Sawdust, some were kept continually in the Stocks with great Waights on their Leggs, some with Manacles and bars of Iron fixed about their Necks, and many Rack'd till they were Lamed and Distorted in Body. James Bainham, John Tewsbury, Valentine Sheaf, and his Wife, John Bent, and Mr. Trapnel suffered the Flames; three Persons were Hanged in Chains, and Starved to Death, for burning a Wooden Image called the Rood, at Dover Court; Andrew Honor, John Frith, Thomas Bennet, John Lambert, William Tindal, William Leighton and Mr. Collier, a Lawyer, suffered the Flames, accused for Lutherans; for so now they termed the Professors of the Gospel Truths. And a little while after, Dr. Barns, William Hieron, Thomas Garret, made their passage from this to a better World, through the Fire in Smithfield. Anthony Parker, Henry Filmer, and Robert Testwood, were Burnt at Windsor, and many Dyed in Prison, some Natural Deaths, others suspected to be Murthered. In the Year 1541, Kerby and Clarke were Burnt at Ipswich, and Bury, and Anno 1546 Mrs. Ann Askew (a Gentlewoman belonging to Queen Catharine Par, because she would not accuse the Queen and other great Ladies, of favouring the Lu∣theran Tenents) was put upon the Rack: Wriothsley the Chancellor playing the part of the Hangman, in Torturing and Stretching her Limbs; but tho' he Sweat at this barbarous Work, she bore it wi••••∣out a Sigh, or Groan, till the Bloodthirsty Wretch was weary with Tormenting her; yet being Condemned for Heresy, she was burnt in Smithfield; where she Dyed with such Constancy, Courage, and composedness of Mind, that by her Death many, who saw her suffer, were Converted; and at the same time and place suffered in the ••••ames Nicholas Bellerian, a Minister, John Addams a Taylor, and John Lassets, a Gentleman belonging to the Court; who were much encouraged to undergo their Sufferings, as having beheld the Con∣stancy and Patience of Mrs. Askew: And Sir. John Blage a Gentle∣man of the Kings Privy-Chamber, was by the Romish Bishops Con∣demned for Speaking against the Efficacy of the Mass; but by the Earl of Bedford's Intercession Pardoned; when the King soon after meeting him, said, Ah my Pigg how do'st thou? Truly, reply'd the Knight (feelingly) If your Majesty had not been kinder to mee than your Bishops, your Pigg had been Roasted long ere now.

Soon after this Bishop Gardener procured the King to put out a Proclamation for taking away the use of the Scriptures, and all o∣ther Books in English, that might Enlighten the People in the ways

of Truth, or that shewed them the Absurdities of the Romish Pra∣ctices; which much rejoyced the Popish Clergy, who supposed by this they had gained a main Point, to Exterpate those of the New upstart Religion, as they called them; tho' indeed what they sin∣cerely Professed, was as Antient as Christ and his Apostles being upon Earth; but God blasted this design, by putting an end to this King, in the expiration of his Life, when he had waded through a Sea (for the most part) of Innocent Blood, incited thereto by the cruel Principles and sinister Designs of the Popish Clergy. And so on King Edward the Sixth's coming to the Crown, a happy Refor∣mation ensued; but whether God was angry with us for not making a right use of his Favours and Indulgence so mercifully extended towards us, or intended to try the Faith, Constancy, and Patience of those he designed for Vessels of Honour, I determine not; but that Good Prince being taken to a better Life after a short Reign, Mary his Eldest Sister Succeeding him, set open again the flood-gates of Persecution, by restoring the Popes Supremacy, and by severe Lawes made by a Popish Parliament, strictly Prohibiting the excercise of the Protestant Religion; for so now it was called, from some Cities and Provinces in Germany, Protesting against the Romish Errors and Superstitions; yet so mightily were the Professors of it strengthened by the Divine assistance, that neither Flames nor o∣ther Tortures, could bring about her purposes. But after she had put divers of the Nobility to Death, who stood in the way to hinder the introducing Popery, under pretence of their opposing her com∣ing to the Crown, &c. which see at large in her Reign, she and her Counsellors singled out the most Eminent of the Reformed Clergy, dooming them before-hand to Death, thinking thereby to terrify those of a meaner Rank into any compliance that should be required; whereupon they were dispossessed of their Bishopricks, and Popish Bishops Officiated. Thomas Cranmer, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, was sent to the Tower; and to put a more colourable gloss on this Design, a Disputation was appointed at Oxford between the Reformed and Romish Clergy, which was willingly undertaken against all Opponents by Arch-Bishop Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley Bi∣shop of London, and Hugh Latimer who had been Bishop of Worcester.

The chief Points to be Disputed on was about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; and tho' they were shut up in Prisons, had no Books, nor Friends to Conferr with, and a short warning; yet on their several Days, notwithstanding the Noise, Clammour, Reproa∣ches, and great Numbers of their Opposers, one by one, suffering the violence of many at once, without Order, Measure, or Modesty, Confuted their Adversaries to that degree, with found Reasons,

and Arguments from Scripture, Fathers, and the Use of the Pri∣mitive Church, That being non plussed, all they in a Rage could re∣tort was, viz. You have the Word, and we have the Sword; see which is likeliest to prevail. And indeed the Disputation finished, they passed Sentence of Death upon those venerable Prelates, That they should be Burnt as Hereticks; which Sentence they received with great Alacrity and Constancy of Mind; Lattimer expressing much Joy that the pleasure of God was such, that being near Four∣score Years of Age, he should have so happy a Period as Martyr∣dom; and so they were remanded to Prison to expect it at the lea∣sure of their Enemies; and indeed their Execution was delay'd a considerable time, in hopes they would have Recanted; but at length Ridley and Lattimer were brought to the Town Ditch in Ox∣ford, and bound to the Stake, Exhorting the People to a constant perseverance in the True Religion, and recommending their Souls into the hands of Almighty God, Sung even in the Flames, and so made an exchange of Earth for Heaven. Whilst Cranmer from his Prison beheld the dismal Spectacle, and on his Knees was Praying that their Faith and Constancy might not fail in this their Firey Tryal.

The Archbishops Death was deferred for a time, but the Pope sending an Express Order to Degrade him, and deliver him over to the Secular Power, to be burnt within Ten Days, committing the Degrading part to Thurlby Bishop of Ely, and Bonner Bishop of Lon∣don, who succeeded Ridley; which done the Aged Prelate was so cunningly dealt-with by one Fryar John, a Spaniard, That he pre∣vailed over his Humane-Frailty in desiring Life, upon promising a Pardon and Advancement, to Recant his former Tenents, and be reconciled to the Church of Rome; whereupon he Subscribed a Writing to that purpose; but Cardinal ••ool (••or ••ardener was Dead, who had designed it for himself) wanting the ••rchb••shoprick, The old Popish Maxim of No Faith to be kept with Here••••ke, was turned upon him; and in the height of expectation of ••ire, he was brought to Execution; and tho' they certified him there was no hopes of Pardon, but he must instantly suffer the Flames, yet they used many Perswasions to induce him to a Publick Recantation before he went to the Stake; shewing him the Writing he had Signed, at the sight of which he burst out into Tears: Then in a composed Temper, addressing himself to the People, after he had Exhorted them in moving words to amend their Lives, and bring forth Fruits worthy of a Christian Profession, he repeated the principal Articles of the Christian Religion, Explained his own Opinion, and professed the Kingdom of Antichrist was contained in the Papacy, and upheld by

the Popes Authority: And Lastly, he shewed how greatly he had offended God by his Recantation; Professing that his Right Hand, which had rashly Signed it, should first feel the Punishment But here he was so Interrupted by the Clamours and Railings of the Popish Priests, that he could be heard but little more; and then being clad in very vile Garments, and hurry'd to the Stake, with many Taunts and bitter Scoffs, when the Fire was lighted, he stretched his Right Hand into the Flame, and drew it not back, un∣less once seeming to wipe his Beard, till it droped off; and the Flames raging high, he lift up his Eyes and left and towards Heaven, crying out, Lord receive my Soul, and Dyed; not moving his Body whilst he had Life. And when the whole Frame was consumed, his Heart was found whole and unsinged by the Fire, in which God himself, by a Miracle, gave testimony that his Heart was upright with him: And this in any of the Popish Faction, would have been sufficient for a Canonization, and crowded for a place in the Ca∣lender among their Adored Saints. And soon after the Bodies of two Learned Men, viz. Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius, were (a long time after they had been buried) dug up, accused of Heresie, and burnt in the Market-place in Cambridge; and Peter Martyr's Wife dug up likewise, and buried in a Dunghill; so it appears their Rage and Mallice extended as well to the Dead, as the Living. And Cardinal Pool immediatly entered upon the Archbishoprick, which before was only sequestered.

Whilst these Great Men fell, those of a lower Rank escaped not; for Mr. John Rogers (who in King Henry the Eighth's Reign, had fled, and associated himself with the famous Tindal, after his Death returned into England, in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth, and was made a Prebend of St. Pauls by Bishop Ridley) being taken and cast in Prison, Sentence of Death passed upon him to be burnt, which pain he endured with great Constancy and undauntedness of Spirit, Exhorting his Wife and Ten Children, who weeping came to take their leave of him, to part with him Joyfully, and Trust in God, who would be a better Husband and Father to them.

Doctor John Hooper Bishop of Gloucester, came in for a Crown among the number of these Martyrs, and they having Condemned him, he was sent down to Gloucester to be burnt; where (as they said) he had done the greatest mischief, in sowing the Seeds of Heresie; and there in mallice, because he earnestly Exhorted the People to be Constant in a steadfast Faith, and not to adheare to the destructive Tenents of the Church of Rome, they Burnt him with Green Wood, so that his Leggs and part of his Thighs were consumed whilst he continued Praying and Exhorting the People,

yet in these Torments he declared he was as Easie as in a Bed of Roses.

Dr. Robert Ferrar Bishop of Carmarden, was likewise brought on the stage, for thwarting Bishop Gardener's Humour; and being Con∣demned as a Heretick by Dr. Morgan, who had been thrust into his Bishoprick, there happened but a short space between that and his suffering the Flames in Carmarden-Market-Place, expressing a firm∣ness of Mind, and much resolution in undergoing his Torments, accusing Gardener of his Death, and Citing him to Answer it before God's High Tribunal.

Rowland Taylor, an Eminent Minister of Hadley, being accused as the former, was sent to that Parish to be Burnt, where he was La∣mented by all sorts of People, especially the Poor, to whom he had been very Charitable, calling out the Almes-People by Name, and giving them then what Money he had, Exhorting them to follow the Doctrine he had Taught them; and coming to the Stake, he Merrily said, Now many would be deceived; whereat a Popish Priest supposing he would have Recanted, urged him to it with promises and hopes of longer Life; but he smilingly Reply'd, You mistake my meaning, I do not intend by the Grace of God any that I have Preach∣ed his Word to, shall find me Contradict what I have Taught, for Life or any other thing; but once supposing to have been Buried in Hadly-Church-Yard, the Worms will be deceived, because my Corpulent Body that might have fed them, must now be Burnt to Ashes.

Besides these, divers others of Note were Burnt, as Lawrence Saunders, a famous Preacher at Coventry, John Cardmaker, Chan∣cellour of Wells and Bath. At London, John Bradford, a Man Emi∣nent for his Learning and Sanctity, in Smithfield; At which place also suffered in the Flames that Eminent and Holy Martyr Mr. John Philpot, saying at his Martyrdom, I will pay my Vows in thee O Smith∣field. And with him suffered a little Youth, praising God and Re∣joyceing in the Flames. Yet this Issue of Blood staid not; for Tho. Tompkins, whose Hand Bonner Bishop of London burnt in Prison, to try his Constancy, which he endured with much Patience, was burnt in Smithfield; also William Hawtree; And in Essex, Stephen Knight, William Pigot, and John Lawrence; Rawlins White at Cardiff, William Flower and George Marshal at Westminster, and John Warn in Smithfield.

And now the Go••ls being full, and complaint made by the Pope to the King and Queen, That Hereticks were not so severely dealt-with as beyond the Seas, they sent to Bonner (prone enough of himself to Cruelty) that he should disincumber the Prisons in his Diocess, by sending such as were Condemned to Execution, and

proceed to the Tryals of the rest. In obedience to this bloody Command, he Condemned John Ardely and John Sympson, who were burnt in Essex, and Thomas Wats, Tho. Hawks, Tho. Osmond, William Bamford, Tho. Osburn, Inhabitants of Cogshal in Essex, being Com∣mitted for not Receiving the Easter Sacrament, were Condemned and Burnt in several places of that County.

John Bland, Nic••olas Shetterden, John Frakesh and Humphery Mid∣dleton, also suffered the Flames; and a while after, by the same Cruelty, fell Nicholas Hall, John Harpole, Christopher Wade, and Mar∣gery Boley. In Kent, John Launder, Derick Carver, Tho. Iveson, John Denby, James Abbes, John Newman, Patrick Packingham, and Richard Hook, suffered the Flames. Robert Samuel a Minister, was Burnt at Norwich, two more at Ipswich, five in the Diocess of Canterbury; for Bonner especially took as much pleasure in Condemning these Good People, and sending them to the Flames, as Domitian did in Torturing Flys. Seven were Burnt in one Fire in Smithfield, four in Canterbury; A Woman as she was Burning in the Isle of Guernsey, had a Child sprung out of her Womb, which the Cruel Torturers threw again into the Flames. To be brief and not tire your Patience, in drawing so Tragical a Scene too wide, There were in this short Raign consumed in the Flames, for the Confession of a Good Faith, 277 of all Ages and Sexes, viz. Five Bishops, 21 Divines, 8 Gen∣tlemen, 4 Tradesmen, 100 Husbandmen, Servants and Labourers, 26 Wives, 20 Widows and Virgins, 2 Boys, and 1 Infant. Besides these, 7 were Whipped, one to Death; 16 perished in Prisons, 12 were Buried in Dunghills, and many lay Condemned in Expectation of the Firey Tryal, and some Hundreds fled beyond the Seas; but the death of this Queen, who gave way to so much Cruelty, put an end to the Persecution, the stream of Blood being thereby stopped. And before this time, and soon after, most of the Persecutors were overtaken by Gods Judgments, and came to Miserable and Detested Ends. Some were Executed for several heinious Crimes, others wandered beyond the Seas, till they Perished; and some were Eaten up by Vermin.

And thus, Reader, have I heitherto made good my Promise; and now passing over this Acaldama, or Field of Blood, I lead you to a more diverting Theme.