And it is not enough that we be mindful of such examples as we have had at home. We must also carefully consider of other Churches abroad. God hath kindled a fire: he will have it burn. O what formentes do our brethren daily suffer? What cruelty is devised daily against them? I speak not of death only but of rackings, and wonderful extremities, more painful than death. Wherefore are ⟨p. 76⟩these things done unto them? Because they are turned to the true and living God, and believe in the name of Jesus Christ. Some they hang by the hands, and draw up with a pulley, and bind great weights of lead at their heels to rent them, and tear their bodies asunder. Some they have tied unto great pieces of timber, and have put fire at the soles of their feet. They have opened their mouths, and made them draw in Lawn into their body. A thing most cruel, and yet which they have practised, the manner whereof hath been thus reported. They lay it so far in the mouth, that a mans breath easily draweth it into his body, and so it is conveyed into the stomach. When it is well settled, then cometh the tormentor and taketh the Lawn by the other end, and rasheth it suddenly with such a force, as it seemeth, he doth pluck out the very heart and entrails: such a rare & strange kind of cruelty as is not practised upon most notorious rebels and traitors. As for death, 40 or 50 at one time have been heaped together, and burnt in one fire. They have set upon the servants of God, and compassed the Church where they have assembled together to pray unto God, and murdered them in their innocency, whiles they lifted up pure hands unto God. The French king, by the ⟨p. 77⟩counsel of such as hate the Gospel of Christ, sent his cruel soldiers, and murdered his subjects at Valois. He overthrew their houses, burnt their Town, destroyed man, woman and child: spoiled their corn, and turned their trees upside down. He wasted, defaced, & unpeopled it, not for that they were thieves or rebels: but because they believed in the name of Christ. Consider how many are murdered in Flanders, and in the kingdom of France. They are not so far from us, as Judea from Thessalonica. They join next unto us. God is blessed in his saints, and holy in all his works, no cruelty is able to quench his truth. There is no counsel, which shall prevail against the Lord.
And it is not ynough that we be mindeful of such examples as we haue had at home. We must also carefully consider of other Churches abroade. God hath kindled a fire: he wil haue it burne. O what formentes doe our brethren daily suffer? What crueltie is deuised daily against them? I speake not of death onelie but of rackings, and wonderful extremities, more painefull than death. Wherefore are ⟨p. 76⟩these thinges done vnto them? Because they are turned to the true and liuing God, and beléene in the name of Jesus Christ. Some they hang by the hands, and drawe vp with a pullie, and binde great weights of leade at their héeles to rent them, and teare their bodies asunder. Some they haue tied vnto great péeces of timber, and haue put fire at the soales of their féete. They haue opened their mouthes, and made them drawe in Lawne into their bodie. A thing most cruel, and yet which they haue practised, the maner whereof hath béene thus reported. They laie it so farre in the mouth, that a mans breath easily draweth it into his bodie, and so it is conueighed into the stomacke. When it is wel setled, then commeth the tormentour and taketh the Lawne by the other ende, and rasheth it sodainelie with such a force, as it séemeth, he doth plucke out the verie heart and entrailes: such a rare & strange kinde of crueltie as is not practised vpon most notorious rebels and traitors. As for death, 40 or 50 at one time haue béene heaped together, and burnt in one fire. They haue set vpon the seruauntes of God, and compassed the Church where they haue assembled togither to pray vnto God, and murthered them in their innocencie, whiles they lifted vp pure handes vnto God. The French king, by the ⟨p. 77⟩counfaile of such as hate the Gospel of Christ, sent his cruel souldiers, and murthered his subiects at Valois. He ouerthrew their houses, burnt their Towne, destroyed man, woman and childe: spoyled their corne, and turned their trées vpside downe. He wasted, defaced, & vnpeopled it, not for that they were théeues or rehels: but because they beléeued in the name of Christ. Consider how many are murthered in Flaunders, and in the kingdome of Fraunce. They are not so farre from vs, as Iudea from Thessalonica. They ioyne next vnto vs. God is blessed in his saints, and holy in al his workes, no crueltie is able to quench his truth. There is no counsel, which shal preuaile against the Lord.
