N20568:15014
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.
THIS good old woman met one of mother Seaman's neighbours, and asked how mother Seaman did; and the neighbour answered, that she did very well, God be thanked. O, said mother Bennet, mother Seaman hath stepped a great step before me; for she was never covetous, that I could perceive.
HER husband in his mirth would say unto her, O woman, if thou wert sparing, thou mightest have saved me an hundred marks more than thou hast. To which she would gently answer, O man, be content, and let us be thankful, for God hath given us enough, if we can see it. Alas, good husband, would she say, I tell you truth, I cannot firkin up my butter, and keep my cheese in the chamber, waiting for a great price, and let the poor want, and so displease God. But, husband, let us be rich in good works, and so shall we please the Lord, and have all good things given us, &c.
IN the month of May likewise, William Harris, Richard Day, and Christian George, suffered at Colchester, and there joyfully and fervently made their prayers to God.
AND being settled at the stake, and chained to the posts, with the fire flaming fiercely round about them, they, like constant christians, triumphantly praised God within the same, and offered up their bodies a lively sacrifice unto his holy Majesty, in whose habitation they have now their everlasting tabernacles: his name be therefore praised for evermore, Amen.
THE said Christian George's husband had another wife burnt before this Christian, whose name was Agnes George, who suffered as you have heard, at Stratford the Bow. And after the death of the said Christian, he married an honest godly woman again▪ and so they both (I mean the said Richard George and his last wife) in the end were taken also, and laid in prison, where they remained till the death of queen Mary, and at last were delivered by our most gracious sovereign lady queen Elizabeth.
IN the month of June came out a proclamation from the king and queen, against wholesome and godly books, which under the false title of heresy and sedition were wrongfully condemned in the said proclamation, which here follows.
WHEREAS divers books, filled both with heresy, sedition, and treason, have of […], and be daily brought into this realm out of foreign countries and places beyond the seas, and […] also covertly printed within this realm, and […] abroad in sundry parts thereof, whereby not only God is dishonoured, but also an encouragement given to disobey lawful princes and governors• the king and queen's majesties, for redress hereof, do by this their present proclamation declare […] publish to all their loving subjects, that whosoever shall, after the proclaiming hereof, be found to have any of the said wicked and seditious boo•• ▪ or finding them, do not forthwith burn the same without showing or reading the same to any other shall in that case be reputed and taken for a rebel, and shall without delay be executed for that offence, according to the order of martial law.
WHEREAS divers books, filled both with heresy, sedition, and treason, have of 〈…〉, and be daily brought into this realm out of foreign countries and places beyond the seas, and 〈…〉 also covertly printed within this realm, and 〈…〉 abroad in sundry parts thereof, whereby not only God is dishonoured, but also an encouragement given to disobey lawful princes and governors• the king and queen's majesties, for redress hereof, do by this their present proclamation declare 〈…〉 publish to all their loving subjects, that whosoever shall, after the proclaiming hereof, be found to have any of the said wicked and seditious boo•• ▪ or finding them, do not forthwith burn the same without shewing or reading the same to any other shall in that case be reputed and taken for a rebel, and shall without delay be executed for that offence, according to the order of martial law.
Given at our manor of St. James's, June the sixth. JOHN CAWOOD, Printer.
SECRETLY in a back close in a field by Islington, were gathered together a company of innocent persons, to the number of forty men and ⟨p. 517⟩women. Who there sitting together at prayer, and virtuously occupied in the meditation of God's holy word, first cometh a certain man to them unknown, who looking over unto them, stayed and saluted them, saying, that they looked like men that meant no hurt. Then one of the said company asked the man, if he could tell whose close that was, and whether they might be so bold to sit there. Yea, said he, because ye seem to be such persons as intend no harm; and so departed. Within a quarter of an hour after, came the constable of Islington, named King, with six or seven more, one with a bow, another with a bill, and the rest with weapons. Six or seven of this company were left behind in a private place, to be ready in case they were wanted, while the constable, and one with him went before to view them; they both went amongst them, looking and viewing what they were doing, and what books they had: and so going a little forward, and returning back again, ordered them to deliver their books. They understanding that he was a constable, refused not so to do. Then came up the rest of their fellows, before-mentioned, who bade them stand and not depart. They answered again, they would be obedient and ready to go whithersoever they would have them, and they were first carried to a brew-house at a small distance, while some of the company went to the nearest justice; but he being not at home, they were carried before sir Roger Cholmley. In the mean time some of the women escaped away from them, some in the close where they sat, and others before they came to the brew-house. For so they were carried, ten with one man, eight with another, with some more, with others less, in such a manner as it was not hard for them to escape that would. In fine, they that were carried to sir Roger Cholmley, were twenty-seven, and sir Roger and the recorder taking their names in a bill, and calling them one by one, so many as answered to their names he sent to Newgate, which were twenty-two out of twenty-seven. They continued in prison seven weeks; and before they were examined, word was sent by Alexander, the keeper, that if they would hear a mass, they should all be delivered, but thirteen of them were burnt, seven in Smithfield, and six at Brentford;
two died in prison, and the other seven, with much trouble (through God's providence) escaped death. Their names were these: John Wills, Thomas Hinshaw, R. Bailey, woolpacket, Robert Wills, Hudleys, T. Coast, haberdasher, Roger Sandy.
two died in prison, and the other seven, with much trouble (through God's providence) escaped death. Their names were these: John Willes, Thomas Hinshaw, R. Bailey, woolpacket, Robert Willes, Hudleys, T. Coast, haberdasher, Roger Sandy.
THE names of the seven martyrs that were apprehended amongst others, in the close at Islington, and afterwards burnt in Smithfield, were as follows: Henry Pond, Rainol Eastland, Robert Southam, Matthew Ricarby, John Floyd, John Holiday, Roger Holland.
THESE seven godly men had several articles administered to them by bishop Bonner, in the usual form; to which they returned their answers, and absolutely refusing to acknowledge the doctrine of the Romish church, were altogether condemned, the sentence being read against them, and so all seven by secular magistrates being sent to Newgate the 17th of June▪ not long after, about the 27th of the said month were brought to Smithfield, and there ended their lives in the glorious cause of Christ's gospel. Their particular examinations never came to our hands, except only those of Roger Holland, which here follow in the order and manner as we have received them by the information of some that were there present at the same.
THIS Roger Holland, a merchant-tailor of London, was first an apprentice with one Mr. Kempton at the Black Boy in Wattling-street, where he served his apprenticeship with much trouble to his master, in breaking him of the licentious liberty which he had before been trained and brought up in, giving himself to riot, as dancing, fencing, gaming, banqueting, and wanton company; and besides all this, being a stubborn and obstinate papist, far unlike to come to any such end as God called him unto.
THIS Roger Holland, a merchant-taylor of London, was first an apprentice with one Mr. Kempton at the Black Boy in Watling-street, where he served his apprenticeship with much trouble to his master, in breaking him of the licentious liberty which he had before been trained and brought up in, giving himself to riot, as dancing, fencing, gaming, banquetting, and wanton company; and besides all this, being a stubborn and obstinate papist, far unlike to come to any such end as God called him unto.
