They were then brought from their dif-claring he would reduce him to subjection, ferent apartments, and all led together to before he had done with him. the place of execution, where they em- The next day he was again brought be braced each other, and, after praying in the fore the bishop, who asked him if he remost fervent manner, prepared themselves tained the same opinions as he professed" for their fate. yesterday. To which Bernard replied, These thirteen stedfast believers in Christ" Yes, my lord, I remember myself well, were chained to different stakes, but all for I am the same man to-day that I was burnt together in one fire, showing such yesterday, and hope I shall remain stedfast love to each other, and firm faith in their to the end of my life in the principles I Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, that the have professed." concourse of spectators assembled on the occasion, were astonished at the undaunted behavior of so many poor innocents, who thus patiently endured the acutest torments, rather than comply with the errors and superstitions of the church of Rome. One of his lordship's attendants being desirous of examining Bernard himself, advised the bishop not to give himself any farther trouble, but to commit his examination to him. Having obtained his request, he took Bernard to an inn, where several popish emissaries were assembled. They MARTYRDOMS OF ROBERT BERNARD, ADAM first used many fair words, and alluring FOSTER, AND ROBERT LAWSON. promises, to persuade him to abjure what The first of these martyrs was a poor they called his heretical opinions. This, laborer, and lived in the parish of Frasden, however, not taking effect, they threatened in the county of Suffolk. Being apprehend- him with whipping, the stocks, and burned by the constable of the parish for not ing; but all to no purpose. He told them, going to church, he was brought before" Friends, I am not better than my master, Dr. Hopton, bishop of Norwich, who in- Christ, and the prophets, whom your forequired of him whether he had been with a fathers served after this sort; and I, for his priest at Easter to confess, or whether he had received the sacrament of the altar. sake, am content to suffer the like at your hands, if God should so permit, trusting that he will strengthen me in the same, according to his promise, and that of all his ministers." To these questions Bernard frankly replied, "No, I have not been with the priest, nor confessed myself unto him: but I have confessed my sins unto Almighty God, and After this declaration they took him back I trust he hath forgiven me; wherefore I to the bishop, who, according to the usual need not go to the priest for such matters, form of proceeding in the court, condemned as he cannot forgive his own sins." him as a heretic, and he was delivered over to the secular power. The bishop, after using various arguments to induce him to go to confession, without effect, pronounced him a heretic; on which ADAM FOSTER lived in the parish of MenBernard said, " My lord, it grieveth me dlesham, in the county of Suffolk. He was not one whit to be called a heretic by you, apprehended in his own house by two confor so your forefathers called the prophets stables, at the command of a neighboring and apostles of Christ, long before this justice, for absenting himself from mass, time.' and not receiving the sacrament at Easter. Incensed at this bold reply, the bishop Being taken before the bishop of Norwich, arose, and bid Barnard follow him. He he examined him concerning his religious then went to the sacrament of the altar, principles, and finding him stedfast in his to which he kneeled and prayed, and se- faith, according to the doctrines set forth verely reproved Bernard for not doing the in the days of king Edward VI., be consame but our martyr told him, he found demned him as a heretic, and he was deno authority for such behavior in the word livered to the secular power, to be proceedof God. ed against according to law. The bishop then addressing him, pointed to the pix over the altar, in which the wafer, ROBERT LAWSON, by trade a linen-draor host, is kept, and said, "Why, lewd fel- per, was apprehended on the same account low, whom seest thou yonder ?"" Nobody, as the two former; and being brought bemy lord," replied Bernard." Seest thou fore Sir John Tyrrel, he committed him to not thy Maker, varlet?" demanded the pre- the prison of Eye, in Suffolk. After lying late. "My Maker!" returned the coun- there a short time, he was conducted to the tryman; "no; I see nothing but a few bishop of Norwich for examination, when, clouts hanging together in a heap.' holding fast to the principles he had proThis answer so irritated the bishop, that fessed, and withstanding every effort made he commanded the jailer to "take him use of by the bishop to bring him to recant, away, and lay irons enough on him," de- he was pronounced an obstinate heretic, Plate XLVI. Thirteen Protestant Martyrs, consisting of eleven men and two women, burnt together, in one fire, at Stratford, in Essex. Plate XLVII. Book XI.-Sect. 16. in Berkshire, A. D. 1556. take it so? Always since I lived hitherto, their hands. This Mr. Ely was a student I have been a hater of falsehood, and a in divinity, and lately made a priest, being lover of simplicity, and never before this then one of the fellows in Brazen-nose coltime have I dissembled ;" and in saying lege. this, all the tears that remained in his body Then was an iron chain tied about Cranappeared in his eyes. And when he began mer, and they commanded the fire to be set to speak more of the sacrament and of the unto him. papacy, some of them began to cry out, And when the wood was kindled, and yelp, and bawl, and especially Cole cried the fire began to burn near him, he stretchout upon him, "Stop the heretic's mouth, ed forth his right hand, which had signed and take him away.' his recantation, into the flames, and there And then Cranmer being pulled down held it so stedfast that all the people might from the stage, was led to the fire, accom- see it burnt to a coal before his body was panied with those friars, vexing, troubling, touched. In short, he was so patient and and threatening him most cruelly. "What constant in the midst of these extreme tormadness," say they, "hath brought thee tures, that he seemed to move no more than again into this error, by which thou wilt the stake to which he was bound; his eyes draw innumerable souls with thee into were lifted up to heaven, and often he rehell!" To whom he answered nothing, peated, "this unworthy right hand," so but directed all his talk to the people, sav- long as his voice would suffer him; and as ing that to one troubling him in the way, often using the words of the blessed martyr he spake, and exhorted him to get him St. Stephen, "Lord Jesus, receive my home to his study, and apply to his book spirit," till the fury of the flames putting diligently; saying, if he did diligently call him to silence, he gave up the ghost. upon God, by reading more he should get This fortitude of mind, which perchance knowledge. But the other Spanish barker, raging and foaming, was almost out of his wits, always having this in his mouth, Non fecisti? "Didst thou it not?" is rare and not found among the Spaniards, when friar John saw, thinking it came not of fortitude, but of desperation, although such manner of examples which are of like constancy, have been common But when he came to the place where here in England, he ran to the lord Wilthe holy bishops and martyrs of God, bishop liams of Tame, crying that the archbishop Latimer and bishop Ridley, were burnt be- was vexed in mind, and died in great desfore him for the confession of the truth, peration. But he, who was not ignorant kneeling down he prayed to God, and not of the archbishop's constancy, being unlong tarrying in his prayers, putting off his known to the Spaniards, smiled only, and garment to his shirt, he prepared himself as it were by silence rebuked the friar's for death. His shirt was made long, down folly. And this was the end of this learned to his feet. His feet were bare; likewise archbishop, whom, lest by evil subscribing his head, when both his caps were off, was he should have perished, by well recanting, so bare that one hair could not be seen God preserved and lest he should have upon it. His beard was so long and thick, lived longer with shame and reproof, it that it covered his face with marvellous pleased God rather to take him away, to gravity; and his reverend countenance the glory of his name and profit of his moved the hearts both of his friends and church. So good was the Lord both to his enemies. church, in fortifying the same with the tesThen the Spanish friars, John and Rich-timony and blood of such a martyr; and so ard, of whom mention was made before, good also to the man with this cross of began to exhort him, and play their parts tribulation, to purge his offences in this with him afresh, but with vain and lost la- world, not only of his recantation, but also bor. Cranmer with stedfast purpose abiding of his standing against John Lambert and in the profession of his doctrine, gave his Mr. Allen, or if there were any other, with hand to certain old men, and others that whose burning or blood his hand had been stood by, bidding them farewell. any thing before polluted. But especially And when he had thought to have done he had to rejoice, that dying in such a so likewise to Mr. Ely, the said Ely drew cause, he was numbered amongst the marback his hand and refused, saying, it was tyrs of Christ, and much more worthy of not lawful to salute heretics, and especially the name of St. Thomas of Canterbury, such a one as falsely returned unto the than he whom the pope falsely before did opinions that he had forsworn. And if he canonize. had known before that he would have done so, he would never have used his company Thus died Thomas Cranmer, in the 67th so familiarly, and chid those serjeants and year of his age. He was a man of great citizens, who had not refused to give him candor, and a firm friend, which appeared Bonner's preface thereunto annexed, both as himself; with many other accusations inveighing against the authority of the equally false and opprobrious. bishop of Rome, he esteemed their princi- He was then asked by the bishop what ples more lightly than he had done before. he had to say in his own vindication, in order to prevent him from proceeding ROBERT DRAKE was minister of Thun-against him as his ordinary. To which he dersly, in Essex, to which living he had replied as follows: been presented by lord Rich in the reign "My lord, I am astonished that you of Edward VI. when he was ordained priest should begin your charge with a falsehood; by Dr. Ridley, then bishop of London, ac- you aver that I am the ringleader of the cording to the reformed English service for company now brought before you, and have ordination. taught them principles contrary to the On the accession of queen Mary to the Romish church, since we have been in throne of England, he was sent for by Gar- confinement; but the injustice of this dediner, bishop of Winchester, who demanded claration will soon appear, if you will inof him whether he would conform, like a quire of these my brethren, whether, when good subject, to the laws of the realm then at liberty, and out of prison, they dissented in force! He answered, that he would not from popish principles as much as they abide by those laws that were agreeable to do at present; such inquiry, I presume, the law of God; upon which he was imme- will render it evident, that they learned diately committed to prison. not their religion in prison. "For my own part, I declare I never WILLIAM TIMs was a deacon and curate knew them, till such time as I became of Hockley, in Essex, in the reign of Ed- their fellow-prisoner; how then could I be ward VI. but being deprived of his living their ringleader and teacher? With resoon after the death of that monarch, he spect to the charge alleged against me, a absconded, and privately preached in a charge which you endeavor to aggravate neighboring wood, whither many of his to the highest degree, whatever opinion flock attended to hear the word of God. you maintain concerning me, I am well In consequence of these proceedings he assured I hold no other religion than what was apprehended by one of the constables, Christ preached, the apostles witnessed, and sent up to the bishop of London, by the primitive church received, and of late whom he was referred to Gardiner, bishop the apostolical and evangelical preachers of Winchester, and lord chancellor, who of this realm have faithfully taught, and committed him to the King's Bench prison. for which you have cruelly caused them to A short time after his confinement, he be burnt, and now seek to treat us with (with the others before mentioned) was or- the like inhuman severity. I acknowledge dered to appear before the bishop of Lon- you to be my ordinary.' don, who questioned him in the usual man- The bishop, finding it necessary to come ner, concerning his faith in the sacrament to the point with him, demanded, if he of the altar. would submit himself to the holy mother Mr. Tims answered, that the body of church, promising, that if he did, he should Christ was not in the sacrament of the al- be kindly received; and threatening, at tar, really and corporeally, after the words the same time, that if he did not, judgment of consecration spoken by the priest; and should be pronounced against him as a that he had been a long time of that opin- heretic. ion, ever since it had pleased God, of his In answer to this, Tims told his lordship infinite mercy, to call him to the true he was well persuaded that he was within knowledge of the gospel of his grace. the pale of the Catholic church, whatever On the 28th of March, 1556, these six he might think; and reminded him, that he persons were all brought into the consistory had most solemnly abjured that very church court, in St. Paul's church, before the to which he since professed such strenuous bishop of London, in order to be examined, allegiance; and that, contrary to his oath, for the last time; when he assured them, he again admitted, in this realm, the authat if they did not submit to the church thority of the pope, and was, therefore, of Rome, they should be condemned for perjured and forsworn in the highest deheresy. gree. He also recalled to his memory, The bishop began his examination with that he had spoken with great force and Tims, whom he called the ringleader of the perspicuity against the usurped power of others: he told them, that he had taught the pope, though he afterwards sentenced them heresies, confirmed them in their er- persons to be burnt, because they would roneous opinions, and endeavored, as far as not acknowledge the pope to be the supreme in him lay, to render them as abominable head of the church. |