A67926:4469
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an universal history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitive age to these latter times of ours, with the bloody times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions against the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperors, as now lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realm of England and Scotland. Newly revised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time again published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the help of Christ our Lord) John Fox, which desireth thee good reader to help him with thy prayer.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.
London: printed by John Daye, 1583London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1583
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
About a three weeks before Whitsunday, was Marbecke sent for to the B. of London's house,1 where sat in Commission Doctor Capon, Bishop of Salisbury, Doctor Skip Bishop of Hereford, Doct. Goodricke Bishop of Ely, Doct. Okyng, Doct. May, and the Bishop of London's Scribe, having before them all Marbeckes books. Then said the Bishop of Salisbury: Marbecke, we are here in commission sent from the kings majesty, to examine thee of certain things whereof thou must be sworn to answer us faithfully & truly. I am content my lord quoth he, to tell you the truth so far as I can, and so took his oath. Then the Bishop of Salisbury laid forth before him, his 3. books of notes, demanding whose hand they were. He answered they were his own hand, & notes which he had gathered out of other mens works, 6. years ago. For what cause quoth the Bishop of Salisbury diddest thou gather them? For none other cause my Lord, quoth he, but to come by knowledge. For I being unlearned & desirous to understand some part of scripture, thought by reading of learned mens works to come the sooner thereby, & where as I found any place of Scripture opened and expounded by them, that I noted as ye see, with a letter of his name in the margin, that had set out the work. So me think quoth ⟨p. 1217⟩the Bishop of Ely (who had one of the books of notes in his hand all the time of their sitting) thou hast read of all sorts of books both good and bad, as seemeth by the notes. So I have my Lord, quoth he. And to what purpose, quoth the Bishop of Salis. by my truth, quoth he, for no other purpose but to see every mans mind. Then the B. of Salis. drew out a quire of the Concordance, and laid it before the B. of Hereford, who looking upon it a while, lifted up his eyes to D. Oking (standing next him) and said: This man hath ben better occupied, then a great sort of our priests. To the which he made no answer.
ABout a three weekes before Whitsonday, was Marbecke sent for to the B. of Londons house,1 where sat in Commission Doctor Capon, Bishop of Salisbury, Doctor Skyp Bishop of Harford, Doct. Goodricke Bishop of Ely, Doct. Okyng, Doct. May, and the Bishop of Londons Scribe, hauyng before them all Marbeckes bookes. Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury: Marbecke, we are here in commission sent frō the kings maiesty, to examine thee of certaine things wherof thou must be sworne to answer vs faithfully & truly. I am content my lord quoth he, to tell you the truth so far as I can, and so tooke hys othe. Then the Bishop of Salisbury layd forth before hym, hys 3. bookes of notes, demaunding whose hand they were. He answered they were his owne hand, & notes which he had gathered out of other mens works, 6. yeres ago. For what cause quoth the Byshop of Salisbury diddest thou gather them? For none other cause my Lorde, quoth he, but to come by knowledge. For I being vnlerned & desirous to vnderstād some part of scripture, thought by readyng of lerned mens works to come the sooner therby, & where as I found any place of Scripture opened and expounded by thē, that I noted as ye see, with a letter of his name in the margent, that had set out the worke. So me thinke quoth ⟨p. 1217⟩the Byshop of Ely (who had one of the bookes of notes in his hand al ye time of their sitting) thou hast read of al sorts of bookes both good and bad, as seemeth by the notes. So I haue my Lorde, quoth he. And to what purpose, quoth the Byshop of Salis. by my trouth, quoth he, for no other purpose but to see euery mans minde. Then the B. of Salis. drew out a quire of the Concordance, and layd it before the B. of Harford, who looking vppon it a while, lifted vp hys eyes to D. Oking (standing next him) and sayd: Thys man hath ben better occupied, then a great sort of our priestes. To the which he made no answer.
Then said the Bishop of Salisbury, whose help hadst thou in setting forth this book? Truly my Lord, quoth he, no help at all. How couldest thou, quoth the bishop, invent such a book, or know what a Concordance meant, with out an instructor. I will tell your Lordship, quoth he, what instructor I had to begin it.1 When Thomas Mathews bible came first out in print, I was much desirous to have one of them: and being a poor man not able to buy one of them, determined with my self to borrow one among my friends, & to write it forth. And when I had written out the 5. books of Moses in fair great paper, & was entered into the book of Joshua,2 my friend M. Turner chanced to steal upon me unawares, & seeing me writing out the Bible, asked me what I meant thereby. And when I had told him the cause: Tush, quoth he, thou goest about a vain and tedious labour. But this were a profitable work for thee, to set out a Concordance in English. A Concordance said I? what is that? Then he told me it was a book to find out any word in the whole Bible by the letter, & that there was such a one in Latin already. Then I told him I had no learning to go about such a thing. Enough, quoth he, for that matter, for it requireth not so much learning, as diligence. And seeing thou art so painful a man, and one that cannot be unoccupied, it were a goodly exercise for thee. And this (my Lord) is all the instruction that ever I had before or after, of any man. What is that Turner, quoth the B. of Salis.? Mary, quoth D, May, an honest learned man, and a Bachelor of Divinity, and sometime a fellow in Magdalene college in Oxford. Howe couldest thou, quoth the B. of Salisb. with this instruction, bring it to this order and form, as it is? I borrowed a Latin Concordance, quoth he, and began to practise my wit, and at last with great labour and diligence, brought it into this order, as your lordship doth see. A good wit with diligence, quoth the bysh. of Hereford, may bring hard things to pass. It is great pity quoth the Bish. of Ely, he had not the Latin tongue. So it is, quoth D. May. Yet can not I believe, quoth the Bishop of Salisb. that he hath done any more in this work, then written it out after some other that is learned.
Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury, whose helpe hadst thou in setting foorth this booke? Truely my Lorde, quoth he, no helpe at al. How couldest thou, quoth the bishop, inuent such a booke, or know what a Concordance meant, wt out an instructer. I wil tell your Lordship, quoth he, what instructer I had to begin it.
My Lords, quoth Marbecke, I shall beseech you all to pardon me what I shall say,1 and grant to my request if it shall seem good unto you. Say what thou wilt, quoth the Bishops. I do marvel greatly wherefore I should be so much examined for this book, & whether I have committed any offence in doing of it or no? If I have, then were I loathe any other to be molested or punished for my fault. Therefore to clear all men in this matter, this is my request, that ye will try me in the rest of the book that is undone. Ye see that I am yet but in the letter L. Beginning now at M. & take out what word ye will of that letter, & so in every letter following, and give me the words in a piece of paper and set me in a place alone where it shall please you, with ink and paper, the English Bible, and the Latin concordance: and if I bring you not these words written in the same order & form that the rest before is, then was it not I that did it, but some other.
My Lordes, quoth Marbecke, I shall beseech you all to pardon me what I shall say,1 and graunt to my request if it shall seeme good vnto you. Say what thou wilt, quoth the Byshops. I do maruaile greatly wherfore I should be so much examined for this booke, & whether I haue committed any offence in doing of it or no? If I haue, then were I loathe any other to be molested or punyshed for my faulte. Therefore to cleare all men in this matter, thys is my request, that ye wil trie me in the rest of the boke yt is vndon. Ye see that I am yet but in the letter L. Beginning now at M. & take out what word ye wil of that letter, & so in euery letter folowing, and geue me the wordes in a pece of paper and set me in a place alone where it shall please you, wyth inke and paper, the English Bible, and the Latine concordance: and if I bring you not these wordes wrytten in the same order & forme that the rest before is, then was it not I that did it, but some other.
By my truth Marbecke, quoth the Bishop of Ely, that is honestly spoken, and then shalt thou bring many out of suspicion. That he shall, quoth they all. Then they bad Doct. Oking draw out such words as he thought best in a piece of paper, and so rose up: and in the mean time, fell into other familiar talk with Marbecke (for the Bishop of Ely and Hereford both, were acquainted with him afore, and his friends, so far as they durst) who perceiving the Bishops so pleasantly disposed, besought them to tell him in what danger he stood.1 Shall I tell thee Marbecke, quoth the Bishop of Sarum? Thou art in better case then any of thy fellows, of whom there be some would give 40.li. to be in no worse case then thou art, whose sayings the other affirmed. Then came D. Oking with the words he had written, & while the Bishops were perusing them over, Doctor Oking said to Marbecke (very friendly) on this wise:2 Good M. Marbecke make hast, for the sooner ye have done, the sooner ye shall be delivered. And as the Bishops were going away, the bishop of Harforde took Marbecke a little aside, and informed him of a word which D. Oking had written false, and also to comfort him, said: Fear not, there can no law condemn you, for any thing that ye have done, for if ye had written a 1000. heresies, so long as they be not your sayings nor your opinions, the law cannot hurt you. And so went they all with the Bishop of Sarum to dinner, who taking the pore man with them, who dined in the hall at the Stewards board: and beside that, had wine and meat sent down from the bishops table.
By my trouth Marbecke, quoth the Byshop of Elye, that is honestly spokē, and then shalt thou bring many out of suspition. That he shal, quoth they all. Then they badde Doct. Oking draw out such wordes as he thought best in a peece of paper, and so rose vp: and in the meane time, fel into other familiar talke with Marbecke (for the Byshop of Ely and Harford both, were acquainted wt hym afore, and his frendes, so farre as they durst) who perceiuing the Bishops so pleasauntly disposed, besought them to tel hym in what daunger he stoode.1 Shal I tell thee Marbecke, quoth the Byshop of Sarum? Thou art in better case then anye of thy felowes, of whom there be some would geue 40.li. to be in no worse case then thou art, whose sayinges the other affirmed. Then came D. Oking wyth the wordes hee had wrytten, & while the Byshops were perusing them ouer, Doctour Oking sayd to Marbecke (very frendly) on thys wise:
When dinner was done, the Bishop of Sarum came down into the Hall, commanding ink and paper to be given to Marbecke, and the 2. books to one of his men to go with him, at whose going he demanded of the Bishop, what time his Lordship would appoint him to do it in. Against to morrow this time, quoth the Bishop, which was about 2. of the clock, and so departed.
When dinner was done, the Bishoppe of Sarum came downe into the Hall, commaunding inke and paper to be geuen to Marbecke, and the 2. bookes to one of his men to go with him, at whose going he demanded of the Byshop, what time hys Lordship would appoynt him to doe it in. Against to morrowe this time, quoth the Byshop, whyche was about 2. of the clocke, and so departed.
Marbecke now being in his prison chamber, fell to his business, & so applied the thing, that by the next day when the Bishop sent for him again, he had written so much, in the same order & form he had done the rest before,1 as contained iij. sheets of paper and more. The which, when he had delivered to the Bishop of Sarum (Doc. Oking standing by) he marvelled and said: Well Marbecke, thou hast now put me out of all doubt. I assure thee, quoth he (putting up the paper into his bosom) the king shall see this or I be 24. hours elder: but he dissembled every word, and thought nothing less then so. For afterward, the matter being come to light, and known to his grace what a book the poor man had begun, which the Bishops would not suffer him to finish: the king said he was better occupied then they that took it from him. So Marbecke departed from the bishop of Sarum to prison again, and heard no more of his book.
Marbecke now being in his prison chamber, fel to his busines, & so applied the thing, that by the nexte day when the Bishop sent for him againe, he had written so much, in the same order & forme hee had done the rest before,1 as conteined iij. sheetes of paper and more. The whych, when he had deliuered to the Bishop of Sarum (Doc. Oking standing by) he marueiled and sayd: Well Marbecke, thou hast now put me out of all doubt. I assure thee, quoth hee (putting vp the paper into his bosome) the king shal see this or I be 24. houres elder: but he dissembled euery worde, and thought nothing lesse then so. For afterwarde, the matter being come to light, and knowen to his grace what a boke the poore man had begon, which the Byshops woulde not suffer him to finish: the king saide he was better occupyed then they that tooke it from him. So Marbecke departed from the byshop of Sarum to prison againe, and heard no more of hys booke.
Upon Whitsunday following, at after noon,1 was Marbecke sent for once again to S. Mary Overs, where he found D. Oking with an other gentleman in a gown of Damask, with a chain of gold about his neck (no more in all the church but they two) sitting together in one of the stalls, their backs toward the church door, looking upon an Epistle of M. John Calvins, which Marbecke had written out. And when they saw the prisoner come, they rose and had him up to a side alter, leaving his keeper in the body of the church alone. Now as soon as Marbecke saw the face of a gentleman (which before he knew not by reason of his apparel) he saw it was the same person that first examined him in the Marshalsea, and did also cause him to write in the Bishops gallery, but never knew his name, till now he heard Doct. Oking call him M. Knight. This M. Knight held forth the paper to Marbecke and said, look upon this, and tell me whose hand it is. When Marbecke had taken the paper,2 & seen what it was, he confessed it to be all his hand saving the first leaf, and the notes in the margin Then I perceive, quoth Knight, thou wilt not go from thine own hand. No Sir quoth he, I will deny nothing that I have done. Thou doest well in that, quoth Knight, for if thou shouldest, we have testimonies enough besides, to try out thy hand by: but I pray thee tell me, whose hand is the last leaf? That I cannot tell you, quoth Marbecke. Then how camest thou by it, quoth Knight? Forsooth I will tell you quoth he. There was a priest dwelling with us upon a v. or .vi. years ago, called Marshall: who sent it unto me with the first leaf written, desiring me to write it out with speed, because the copy could not be spared past an hour or twain and so I wrote it out, and sent him both the copy and it again.
VPon Whitsonday following, at after noone,1 was Marbecke sent for once againe to S. Mary Ouers, where he found D. Oking with an other gentleman in a gowne of Damaske, with a cheyne of gold about his neck (no mo in all the churche but they two) sitting together in one of the stalles, their backes toward the church dore, lookyng vpon an Epistle of M. Iohn Caluins, whiche Marbecke had written out. And when they sawe the prisoner come, they rose and had him vp to a side alter, leauing his keeper in the body of the church alone. Nowe as soone as Marbecke saw the face of a gentleman (which before he knewe not by reason of his apparell) he saw it was the same person that first examined him in the Marshalsey, and did also cause him to write in the Bishoppes gallery, but neuer knew his name, till now he heard Doct. Oking call hym M. Knight. This M. Knight helde foorth the paper to Marbecke and sayd, looke vppon this, and tell me whose hand it is. When Marbecke had taken the paper,
And how came this hand in the margin, quoth he, which is a contrary hand to both the other? That I will tell you, quoth Marbecke▪ When I wrote it out at the first, I made so much hast of it, that I understood not the matter: wherefore I was desirous to see it again, and to read it with more deliberation, and being sent to me the second time, it was thus coted in the margin as ye see. And shortly after this, it was his chance to go beyond the seas (where he lived not long) by reason whereof the Epistle remaineth with me: but whether the first leaf, or the notes in the margin were▪ his hand, or whose hand else,1 that I cannot tell. Tush, quoth D. Oking to M. Knight, he knoweth well enough, that the notes be Heynes own hand, If you know so much, quoth Marb. ye know more then I do, for I tell you truly I know it not. By my faith Marbecke, quoth Knight, if thou wilt not tell by fair means: those fingers of thine shall be made to tell.2 By my truth Sir, quoth Marbecke, if ye do tear the whole body in pieces (I trust in God) ye shall never make me accuse ⟨p. 1218⟩man wrongfully. If thou be so stubborn, quoth D. O king, thou wilt die for it. Dye M. Okyng, quoth he? Wherefore should I die. You told me the last day before the Bishops, that as soon as I had made an end of the piece of Concordance they took me, I should be delivered, and shall I now die? This is a sudden mutation. You seemed then to be my friend: but I know the cause, ye have red the ballet I made of Moses chair, and that hath set you against me, but when soever ye shall put me to death, I doubt not to dye Gods true man and the kings. How so, quoth Knight? how canst thou die a true man unto the king, when thou hast offended his laws? Is not this Epistle, and most of thy notes thou hast written, directly against the 6. articles? No sir quoth Marbecke: I have not offended the kings laws therein: for since the first time I began with the Concordance (which is almost 6. years ago) I have been occupied in nothing else:3 So that both this Epistle, and all the notes I have gathered, were written a great while before the 6. Articles came forth, and are clearly remitted by the kings general pardon. Trust not to that, quoth Knight, for it will not help thee. No I warrant him, quoth Doct.
Okyng, and so going down to the body of the church, they committed him to his keeper, who had him away to prison again.
Okyng, and so going downe to the body of the church, they committed him to his keeper, who had him away to prison againe.
IN like manner, the wife of Filmer knowing her husbands trouble to be only procured of malice by Simons his old enemy, made great suit and labour unto the Bishops which were commissioners, desiring no more of them, but that it would please their goodness to examine her husband before them,1 and to hear him make his purgation. This was her only request to every of the Bishops from day to day, wheresoever she could find them. In so much that two of the Bishops (Ely and Harforde) were very sorry (considering the importune and reasonable suit of the woman) that it lay not in them to help her. Thus travailing long up and down from one to an other, to have her husband examined,2 it was her chance at the last to find the Bishops all three together in the Bishop of Ely his place, unto whom she said: O good my Lords for the love of God, let now my poor husband be brought forth before you, while ye be here all togethers. For truly my Lords, there can nothing be justly laid against him, but that of malicious envy and spite, Simons hath wrought him this trouble. And you my Lord of Salisbury, quoth the poor woman, can testify (if it would please your lordship to say the truth) what malice Simons bare to my husband when they were both before you at Salisbury (little more then a year ago) for the Vicar of Windsors matter. For as your Lordship knoweth, when my husband had certified you of the Priests sermone, which you said was plain heresy: then came Symons (after the Priest himself had confessed it) and would have defended the priests error before your Lordship, and have had my husband punished. At what time it pleased your Lordship to commend and praise my husband for his honesty, and to rebuke Symons for maintaining the Priest in his error, & thereupon commanded the priest to recant his heresy at his coming home to Windsor. This (my Lord) you know to be true. And now my Lords, quoth the woman, it is most certain, that for this cause only did Symons evermore afterward threaten my husband to be even with him. Therefore good my Lords, call my husband before you, and hear him speak: and if ye find any other matter against him then this that I have told you, let me suffer death. Is this so my Lord, quoth the B. of Ely and Harforde? and the other could not deny it. Then they spake Latin to the B.
IN lyke maner, ye wife of Filmer knowing her husbands trouble to be only procured of malice by Simons his old ennemie, made great sute and labour vnto the Byshops which were commissioners, desiring no more of them, but that it would please their goodnes to examine her husband before them,
of Salisbury, and he to them, & so departed. For the matter was so wrought between Doctor London and Symons, that Filmer could never be suffered to come before the Commissioners to be examined.1
of Salisbury, and he to them, & so departed. For the matter was so wrought betweene Doctor London and Symons, that Filmer could neuer be suffred to come before the Commissioners to be examined.1
And howe came this hand in the margent, quoth hee, which is a contrary hand to both the other? That I wyll tell you, quoth Marbecke▪ When I wrote it out at the first, I made so much hast of it, that I vnderstoode not the matter: wherefore I was desirous to see it agayne, and to read it with more deliberation, and being sent to me the second tyme, it was thus coted in the margent as ye see. And shortly after this, it was his chaunce to go beyond the seas (where he liued not long) by reason whereof the Epistle remayneth with me: but whether the first leafe, or ye notes in the margent were▪ his hand, or whose hand els,1 that I cannot tell. Tush, quoth D. Oking to M. Knight, he knoweth well enough, that the notes be Heynes owne hande, If you know so much, quoth Marb. ye knowe more then I doe, for I tell you truely I knowe it not. By my faithe Marbecke, quoth Knyghte, if thou wylt not tell by fayre meanes: those fingers of thine shall be made to tell.2 By my trouth Syr, quoth Marbecke, if ye do teare the whole body in peeces (I trust in God) yee shall neuer make me accuse ⟨p. 1218⟩man wrongfully. If thou be so stubburne, quoth D. O king, thou wilt die for it. Dye M. Okyng, quoth hee? Wherfore should I die. You told me the last day before the Byshops, that assoone as I had made an ende of the peece of Concordance they tooke me, I shoulde be deliuered, and shall I nowe die? This is a sodaine mutation. You seemed then to be my frend: but I know the cause, ye haue red the ballet I made of Moses chayre, and that hath sette you agaynst mee, but when soeuer yee shall putte me to death, I doubt not to dye Gods true man and the kyngs. How so, quoth Knight? howe canst thou die a true manne vnto the kyng, when thou hast offended his lawes? Is not this Epistle, and moste of thy notes thou hast wrytten, directly against the 6. articles? No syr quoth Marbecke: I haue not offended the kyngs lawes therein: for since the first time I began wyth the Concordance (whych is almoste 6. yeares agoe) I haue bene occupied in nothing els:3 So that bothe this Epistle, and al the notes I haue gathered, were written a great while before the 6. Articles came foorth, and are clearely remitted by the kings generall pardon. Trust not to that, quoth Knight, for it wil not help thee. No I warrant hym, quoth Doct.
