An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

When he came to the place of execution, they had made a devise to burn him by piecemeal. Which he suffered with such constancy and cheerfulness, that when they offered him a cross, he put it away with his hand: saying, they were evil men to trouble him with such paltry, when he was preparing him self to God, whom he beheld in majesty and mercy ready to receive him into his eternal rest. They seeing him in that constant mind, left him, & commended him to the devil, whom they said he served, thinking he had been possessed. This is faithfully avouched by I. Yong, that then served M.D. Morton at Rome: who seeing his martyrdom, when he came home to his house, in presence of M. Smith ⟨p. 287⟩his son, Master Creed, and John Yong his man, spake as followeth: Surely this fellow was marvellous obstinate, he nothing regarded the good counsel which was given unto him, nor shrank all the way, when the torches were thrust at his naked body: beside in the place of execution he did not faint, nor cry one jot in the fire, albeit they tormented him very cruelly, and burned him by degrees, yet all this he did but smile at. Doubtless, but that the word of God cannot be but true, else we might judge this fellow to be of God: for who could have suffered so much pain as he did. But truly I believe the Devil was in him.

When he came to the place of execution, they had made a deuise to burne him by péecemeale. Which he suffered with such constancie and chéerefulnesse, that when they offered him a crosse, he put it away with his hand: saying, they were euill men to trouble him with such paltrie, when hée was preparing him selfe to God, whom he beheld in maiestie and mercie readie to receiue him into his eternall rest. They séeing him in that constant mind, left him, & commended him to the deuil, whom they said he serued, thinking he had béene possessed. This is faithfully aduouched by I. Yong, that thē serued M.D. Morton at Rome: who seing his martirdome, when he came home to his house, in presence of M. Smith ⟨p. 287⟩his sonne, Maister Creede, and Iohn Yong his man, spake as followeth: Surely this fellow was marueylous obstinate, hée nothing regarded the good counsell which was giuen vnto him, nor shrancke all the way, when the torches were thrust at his naked body: beside in the place of execution hée did not faint, nor crye one iote in the fire, albeit they tormented him very cruelly, and burned him by degrées, yet all this he did but smile at. Doubtles, but that the worde of God cannot bée but true, else wée might iudge this fellow to be of God: for who could haue suffered so much paine as he did. But truely I beléeue the Diuell was in him.