N20568:14988
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.
IMMEDIATELY after William Nichol, succeeded in that honourable and glorious vocation of martyrdom three constant godly men at Norwich, in Norfolk, who were cruelly put to death for the true testimony of Jesus Christ, the 19th of May, 1558, whose names be these: William Seaman, Thomas Carman, and Thomas Hudson.
WILLIAM SEAMAN was an husbandman, of the age of 26 years, dwelling in Mendlesham, in the county of Suffolk, who was divers times sought after at the command of sir John Tyrrel, knight, and at last he himself searched his house and other places for him; notwithstanding he somewhat mis••d of his purpose, God be thanked. Then he gave charge to his servants, Robert Baulding and ••nes Clarke, with others, to seek for him. They, having no officer, went in the evening to his house, •e being at home, took him and carried him to their master, sir John Tyrrel. This Baulding being Seaman's near neighbour, and one whom Seaman trusted as an extraordinary friend, notwithstanding, to do his master a pleasure, now became an enemy to his chief friend, and was one of the busiest in the taking of him. And as they were going to carry him to their master, sir John Tyrrel, […] the night, it is credibly reported that there fell a •ight between them out of the elements, and parted them, this Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell; and although he was then in the prime of his age, yet after that time never enjoyed a good day, but pined away even to death.
WILLIAM SEAMAN was an husbandman, of the age of 26 years, dwelling in Mendlesham, in the county of Suffolk, who was divers times sought after at the command of sir John Tyrrel, knight, and at last he himself searched his house and other places for him; notwithstanding he somewhat mis••d of his purpose, God be thanked. Then he gave charge to his servants, Robert Baulding and ••nes Clarke, with others, to seek for him. They, having no officer, went in the evening to his house, •e being at home, took him and carried him to their master, sir John Tyrrel. This Baulding being Seaman's near neighbour, and one whom Seaman trusted as an extraordinary friend, notwithstanding, to do his master a pleasure, now became an enemy to his chief friend, and was one of the busiest in the taking of him. And as they were going to carry him to their master, sir John Tyrrel, 〈…〉 the night, it is credibly reported that there fell a •ight between them out of the elements, and parted them, this Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell; and although he was then in the prime of his age, yet after that time never enjoyed a good day, but pined away even to death.
WELL, for all that strange sight (as I said), they carried him to their master. Who, when he came, asked him why he would not go to mass, and receive the sacrament, and so worship it? To which William Seaman answered (denying it to be a sacrament) and said, It was an idol, and that he would not receive it. After which words sir John Tyrrel sent him to Norwich, to Hopton, then bishop, and there after conference and examination had with him, the bishop read his bloody sentence of condemnation against him; and afterward delivered him to the secular power, who kept him till the day of martyrdom.
THE said William Seaman left behind him, when he died, a wife, and three children very young: and his wife with her said young children, was persecuted out of the said town of Mendlesham, because she would not go to hear mass, and all her corn and goods seized and taken away, by Mr. Christopher Cole's officers, he being lord of the said town.
THOMAS CARMAN (who, as is said, pledged Richard Crashfield at his burning, and thereupon was apprehended), being prisoner in Norwich, was one time with the rest examined and brought before the said bishop, who answered no less in his Master's cause than the others; and therefore had the like reward that the others had, which was the bishop's bloody blessing of condemnation, and delivered also to the secular power, who kept him with the others until the day of slaughter, which was not long after.
THOMAS HUDSON was of Ailesham, in Norfolk, by his occupation a glover, a very honest poor man, having a wife and three children, labouring always truly and diligently in his vocation, being thirty years of age, and bearing so good a will to the gospel, that he in the days of king Edward the Sixth, two years before queen Mary's reign, learned to read English of Anthony and Thomas Norgate, of the same town, wherein he greatly profited about the time of the alteration of religion; for when queen Mary came to reign, and had changed the service in the church, putting in for wheat, chaff and darnel, and for good preaching, blasphemous crying out against truth and godliness; he then avoiding all their ceremonies of superstition, absented himself from his house, and went into Suffolk a long time, and there remained travelling from one place to another, as occasion offered. At last he returned back to his house at Ailesham, to comfort his wife and children, being heavy and troublesome with his absence.
NOW when he came home, and perceived his continuance there would be dangerous, he and […] devised to make him a place among […] ⟨p. 514⟩to hide himself in, where he remained all the day reading and praying continually, for the space of half a year, and his wife, like an honest woman being careful for him, used herself faithfully and diligently towards him.
NOW when he came home, and perceived his continuance there would be dangerous, he and 〈…〉 devised to make him a place among 〈…〉 ⟨p. 514⟩to hide himself in, where he remained all the day reading and praying continually, for the space of half a year, and his wife, like an honest woman being careful for him, used herself faithfully and diligently towards him.
IN the mean time came the vicar of the town (who was one of the bishop's commissaries, a very wicked man), and inquired of Thomas Hudson's wife for her husband. Unto whom she answered, as not knowing where he was. Then the said Berry waxed angry, and threatened to burn her, because she would not tell where her husband was. After that when Hudson understood it, he grew every day more zealous than before, and continually read and sung psalms, the people openly resorting to him, to hear his exhortations and prayers.
AT last he walked abroad for certain days openly in the town, crying out continually against the mass and all their trumpery, and in the end coming home to his house, he sat him down, having his book by him, reading and singing psalms continually without ceasing, for three days and three nights together, to the great wonder of many.
THEN one John Crouch, his next neighbour, went to the constables, Robert Marsham and Robert Laws, in the night to certify them thereof: for Berry commanded openly to watch for him, and the constables understanding the same, went to catch him at break of day, the 22d of April, 1558.
THEN one John Crouch, his next neighbour, went to the constables, Robert Marsham and Robert Lawes, in the night to certify them thereof: for Berry commanded openly to watch for him, and the constables understanding the same, went to catch him at break of day, the 22d of April, 1558.
AND when Hudson saw them come in, he said, Now mine hour is come: welcome friends, welcome. You be they that shall lead me to life in Christ. I thank God for it, and the Lord enable me thereto for his mercy's sake. Then they took and led him to Berry, the commissary, who was vicar of the town, and the said Berry asked him, first, Where he kept his church for four years before? To which the said Hudson answered thus, Wheresoever he was, there was the church.
DOST thou not believe, said Berry, in the sacrament of the altar? What is it?
Hudson. It is worms meat: my belief is in Christ crucified.
Berry. Dost thou not believe the mass to put away sins?
Hudson. No, God forbid; it is a patched monster, and a disguised puppet, more tedious a piecing than ever was Solomon's temple.
Hudson. No, God forbid; it is a patched monster, and a disguised puppet, more tedious a pieceing than ever was Solomon's temple.
AT which words Berry stamped, fumed, and showed himself a mad-man, and said, Well, tho• villain, thou—I will write to the bishop, my good lord, and trust unto it, thou shalt be handled according to thy deserts. O sir, said Hudson, there is no Lord but God, though there be many lords and many gods. With that Berry thrust him back with his hand. And one Richard Cliffar, standing by, said, I pray you, sir, be good to the poor man. At which words Berry was more mad than before, and would have had Cliffar bound in a recognizance of forty pounds for his good behaviour both in word and deed; but his desire took no effect. Then he asked Hudson whether he would recant, or not: to which Hudson answered, The Lord forbid! I had rather die many deaths than do so.
AT which words Berry stamped, fumed, and shewed himself a mad-man, and said, Well, tho• villain, thou—I will write to the bishop, my good lord, and trust unto it, thou shalt be handled according to thy deserts. O sir, said Hudson, there is no Lord but God, though there be many lords and many gods. With that Berry thrust him back with his hand. And one Richard Cliffar, standing by, said, I pray you, sir, be good to the poor man. At which words Berry was more mad than before, and would have had Cliffar bound in a recognizance of forty pounds for his good behaviour both in word and deed; but his desire took no effect. Then he asked Hudson whether he would recant, or not: to which Hudson answered, The Lord forbid! I had rather die many deaths than do so.
