N20568:14765
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
IN the month of September this present year, or (as some report) in the year past, suffered the blessed martyr, John Noyes, whose Story here followeth.
FIRST, Mr. Thomas Lovel, being then chief constable of Hoxton Hundred, in the county aforesaid, and one John Jacob, and William Stannard, then being under-constables of the aforesaid town of Laxfield, and Welfren Dowsing, and Nicholas Stanard, of the same town, being then accounted ⟨p. 493⟩faithful and catholic christians, though undoubtedly they proved most cruel hinderers of the true profession of Christ and his gospel, with others, were commanded to be that present day before the justices, whose names were Mr. Thurston, sir John Tyrrel, and Mr. Kene, and sir John Silliard being high sheriff.
THESE sitting at Hoxton, in the county of Suffolk aforesaid, and there the said townsmen aforesaid, having commandment of the said justices to enquire in their town if there were any that would neglect to come to their service and mass, further to examine the cause why they would not come, and thereupon to bring the true certificate to the said justices within fourteen days then next ensuing; they then coming homeward, being full of hatred against the truth, and desirous to get promotion, without any such commandment of the justices (as far as we can learn), took counsel one with another how to attach the said John Noyes without any more delay.
THESE sitting at Hoxton, in the county of Suffolk aforesaid, and there the said townsmen aforesaid, having commandment of the said justices to enquire in their town if there were any that would n•glect to come to their service and mass, further to examine the cause why they would not come, and thereupon to bring the true certificate to the said justices within fourteen days then next ensuing; they then coming homeward, being full of hatred against the truth, and desirous to get promotion, without any such commandment of the justices (as far as we can learn), took counsel one with another how to attach the said John Noyes without any more delay.
THIS devilish enterprise agreed upon, chiefly through the counsel of Mr. Thomas Lovel, Wolfren Dowsing, and Nicholas Stannard, aforesaid, with expedition his house was beset on both sides. This done, they found the said John Noyes in the back side of the said house, going out; and Nicholas Stannard called the said John, and said, Whither goest thou? and he said, To see some of my neighbours. And the said Nicholas Stannard said, Your master hath deceived you; you must go with us now. But the said John Noyes answered, No, but take you heed your master deceive not you. And so they took him and carried him to the justices the next day. After his appearance and sundry causes alleged, the justices and sheriff together cast him into Eye-dungeon, and there he lay a certain time; and then was carried from thence to Norwich, and so came before the bishop, where were ministered unto him these positions following:
THIS devilish enterprise agreed upon, chiefly through the counsel of Mr. Thomas Lovel, Wolfren Dowsing, and Nicholas Stannard, aforesaid, with expedition his house was beset on both sides. This done, they found the said John Noyes in the back side of the said house, going out; and Nicholas Stannard called the said John, and said, Whither goest thou? and he said, To see some of my neighbours. And the said Nicholas Stannard said, Your master hath deceived you; you must go with us now. But the said John Noyes answered, No, but take you heed your master deceive not you. And so they took him and carried him to the justices the next day. After his appearence and sundry causes alledged, the justices and sheriff together cast him into Eye-dungeon, and there he lay a certain time; and then was carried from thence to Norwich, and so came before the bishop, where were ministered unto him these positions following:
FIRST, Whether he believed that the ceremonies used in the church were good and godly, to stir up men's minds to devotion.
2. Item, Whether he believed the pope to be supreme head of the church here on earth.
3. Item, Whether he believed the body of our Lord Jesus Christ to be in the sacrament of the altar under the forms of bread and wine, after the consecration.
FIRST which sentence at last was read by the bishop against him, in the presence of these there sitting the same time, Dr. Dunning, chancellor, sir W. Woodhouse, sir Thomas Woodhouse, Mr. George Heyden, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Farrar, alderman of Norwich, Mr. Thurston, and Win•sden, with divers others.
NO more of his examination than this came to our hands.
IN the mean time his brother-in-law, Nicholas Fisk, of Dinnigton, to comfort him at such time as he remained in the Guildhall of Norwich, after christian exhortation, asked him if he did fear death when the bishop gave judgment against him, considering the terror of the same; and the said Noyes answered, he thanked God he feared death no more at that time than he or any other did, being at liberty. Then said Nicholas required of him to show cause of his condemnation. Upon which request the said John Noyes wrote with his own hands as follows.
IN the mean time his brother-in-law, Nicholas Fisk, of Dinnigton, to comfort him at such time as he remained in the Guildhall of Norwich, after christian exhortation, asked him if he did fear death when the bishop gave judgment against him, considering the terror of the same; and the said Noyes answered, he thanked God he feared death no more at that time than he or any other did, being at liberty. Then said Nicholas required of him to shew cause of his condemnation. Upon which request the said John Noyes wrote with his own hands as follows.
I said that I could not believe, that in the sacrament of the altar there is the natural body of Christ, that same body that was born of the virgin Mary. But I said, that the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is received by christian people in the remembrance of Christ's death as a spiritual food, it be if ministered according to Christ's institution.
BUT they said, That I could not tell what spiritual meant.
THE bishop said, That the sacrament was God, and must be worshipped as God. So said the chancellor also.
THEN answered I, and said, My lord, I cannot so believe.
THEN said the bishop, Why? Then say thou dost believe. Notwithstanding, th•se collusions could not prevail.
