N20568:5101
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.
THEN he desired licence of the sheriff to speak; but the sheriff denied it to him, and bade him remember his promise to the council.
WELL, said Dr. Taylor, promise must be kept. What this promise was is unknown: but common fame was, that after he and others were condemned, the council sent for them, and threatened they would cut their tongues out of their heads, except they would promise, that at their deaths they would ke•p silence, and not speak to the people. Wherefore they, desirous to have the use of their tongues, to call upon God as long as they might live, promised silence. For the papists feared much, lest this change of religion, from truth to lies, from Christ's ordinance to th• popish traditions, should not so quietly have been received as it was, especially this burning of the preachers: but they measuring others minds by their own, feared lest any tumult or uproar might have been stirred, the people having so just a cause not to be contented with their doings, or else (as they most feared) that the people should more have been confirmed, by their pious exhortations, to stand steadfast against their vain popish doctrine and idolatry. But thanks be to God, who gave to his witnesses, faith and patience, with stout and manly hearts to despise all torments: neither was there so much as any one man that showed any sign of disobedience towards the magistrates. They shed their blood gladly in defence of the truth, so leaving example unto all men of true and perfect obedience: which is to obey God more than men, and if need require it, to shed their own blood rather than to depart from God's truth.
WELL, said Dr. Taylor, promise must be kept. What this promise was is unknown: but common fame was, that after he and others were condemned, the council sent for them, and threatened they would cut their tongues out of their heads, except they would promise, that at their deaths they would ke•p silence, and not speak to the people. Wherefore they, desirous to have the use of their tongues, to call upon God as long as they might live, promised silence. For the papists feared much, lest this change of religion, from truth to lies, from Christ's ordinance to th• popish traditions, should not so quietly have been received as it was, especially this burning of the peachers: but they measuring others minds by their own, feared lest any tumult or •proar might have been stirred, the people having so just a cause not to be contented with their doings, or else (as they most feared) that the people should more have been confirmed, by their pious exhortations, to stand stedfast against their vain popish doctrine and idolatry. But thanks be to God, who gave to his witnesses, faith and patience, with stout and manly hearts to despise all torments: neither was there so much as any one man that shewed any sign of disobedience towards the magistrates. They shed their blood gladly in defence of the truth, so leaving example unto all men of true and perfect obedience: which is to obey God more than men, and if need require it, to shed their own blood rather than to depart from God's truth.
Dr. TAYLOR perceiving that he could not be suffered ⟨p. 487⟩to speak, sat down, and seeing one named Soyce, he called him, and said, Soyce, I pray thee come and pull of my boots, and take them for thy labour: thou hast long looked for them, now take them. Then he rose […], and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away. Which done, he said with a loud voice, Good people, I have taught you nothing but God's holy word, and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed book, the Holy Bible: and I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood. With that word, Homes, yeoman of the guard, who used Dr. Taylor very cruelly all the way, gave him a great stroke upon the head, and said, Is that the keeping of thy promise, thou heretic? Then he, seeing they would not permit him to speak, kneeled down and prayed, and a poor woman that was among the people stepped in and prayed with him; but her they thrust away, and threatened to tread her down with their horses: notwithstanding, she would not remove, but abode and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch-barrel, which they had set for him to stand in, and so stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands folded together, and his eyes towards heaven, and continually prayed.
Dr. TAYLOR perceiving that he could not be suffered ⟨p. 487⟩to speak, sat down, and seeing one named Soyce, he called him, and said, Soyce, I pray thee come and pull of my boots, and take them for thy labour: thou hast long looked for them, now take them. Then he rose 〈…〉, and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away. Which done, he said with a loud voice, Good people, I have taught you nothing but God's holy word, and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed book, the Holy Bible: and I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood. With that word, Homes, yeoman of the guard, who used Dr. Taylor very cruelly all the way, gave him a great stroke upon the head, and said, Is that the keeping of thy promise, thou heretic? Then he, seeing they would not permit him to speak, kneeled down and prayed, and a poor woman that was among the people stepped in and prayed with him; but her they thrust away, and threatened to tread her down with their horses: notwithstanding, she would not remove, but abode and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch-barrel, which they had set for him to stand in, and so stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands folded together, and his eyes towards heaven, and continually prayed.
THEN they bound him with chains, and the sheriff called one Richard Donningham a butcher, and commanded him to set up the faggots: but he refused to do it, and said, I am lame, sir, and not able to lift a faggot. The sheriff threatened to send him to prison: notwithstanding, he would not do it.
THEN he appointed one Mulleine of Carsey, a man for his virtues fit to be a hangman, and Soyce a very drunkard, and Warwick, who, in king Edward's days, lost one of his ears for his seditious talk, amongst whom was also one Robert King, a deviser of interludes, who was there present, and had doings there with the gun-powder; what he meant and did therein (he himself said he did it for the best and for quick dispatch) the Lord knoweth, who shall judge all. More of this I have not to say.
THESE four were appointed to set up the faggots, and to make the fire, which they most diligently did; and this Warwick cruelly cast a faggot at him, which struck him on his head, and cut his face, that the blood ran down. Then said Dr. Taylor, O friend, I have harm enough, what needed that?
SIR John Shelton standing by, as Dr. Taylor was speaking, and saying the Psalm Miserere in English, struck him on the lips; You knave, said he, speak Latin, I will make thee. At last they kindled the fire; and Dr. Taylor, holding up both his hands, called upon God, and said, Merciful Father of heaven, for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake, receive my soul into thy hands. So he stood still without either crying or moving, with his hands folded together, till Soyce with an halberd struck him on the head that his brains fell out, and the corps fell down into the fire.
THUS rendered this man of God his blessed soul into the hands of his merciful Father, and to his most dear Saviour Jesus Christ, whom he most entirely loved, faithfully and earnestly preached, obediently followed in living, and constantly glorified in death.
THUS rendered this man of God his blessed soul into the hands of his merciful Father, and to his most dear Saviour Jesus Christ, whom he most intirely loved, faithfully and earnestly preached, obediently followed in living, and constantly glorified in death.
THEY that were present and familiarly conversant with Dr. Taylor, reported of him, that they never did see in him any fear of death, but especially, and above all the rest who besides him suffered at the same time, always showed himself merry and cheerful in the time of his imprisonment, as well before his condemnation, as after: he kept one countenance and like behaviour. Whereunto he was the rather confirmed by the company and presence of Mr. John Bradford, who was in the same prison and chamber with him.
THEY that were present and familiarly conversant with Dr. Taylor, reported of him, that they never did see in him any fear of death, but especially, and above all the rest who besides him suffered at the same time, always shewed himself merry and chearful in the time of his imprisonment, as well before his condemnation, as after: he kept one countenance and like behaviour. Whereunto he was the rather confirmed by the company and presence of Mr. John Bradford, who was in the same prison and chamber with him.
THE morning when he was called up by the sheriff to go to his burning, being suddenly awaked out of his sound sleep, he sat up in his bed, and, putting on his shirt, had these words, speaking somewhat thick after his accustomed manner; Ah vile thieves, ah vile thieves, rob God of his honour? Afterwards being risen and tying his points, he cast his arms about a great beam which was in the chamber between Mr. Bradford's bed and his; and there hanging by the hands, said to Mr. Bradford, O Mr. Bradford, what a notable sway I should give if I were hanged! meaning for that he was a corpulent ⟨p. 488⟩and big man. These things I thought good here to note, to set forth and declare to those who shall read this history, what a notable and singular gift of spirit and courage God had given to this blessed martyr.
ABOUT the time Dr. Taylor was deprived of his benefice of Hadley, Sir Robert Bracher a pretended protestant in king Edward's days, and afterwards a deadly enemy to the same religion, was one of them that so unmercifully thrust Dr. Taylor's wife and children out of the doors, as she herself hath testified: and notwithstanding the same, since became a protestant again.
DEAR WIFE, I pray God to be ever with us, through Christ, our only Mediator, Amen.
I am glad that Hadley has skill in judging of such packing ware as was brought thither, the first of May last. The preacher, or rather packer, said, as I hear, that the scripture is full of dark sentences; but it is called of David a candle to our feet, and a light to our paths. Our Saviour calleth his word, the light which evil doers do flee from and hate, lest their deeds should be reproved thereby. St. Paul would have •s walk as children of light; and not, in any wise, to continue in ignorance or darkness.
NOW as to the packs of this preacher, I fear they were, as all other wares be, changed into stocks, even his very finest packing stuff against justification by faith only, and for the corporal presence of Christ's body, for praying for souls departed, and for auricular confession. Abraham's justification by faith, by grace, by promise, and not by works, is plainly set forth in the epistle to the Romans, chap. iv. and to the Galatian, chap. iii. and Abraham's works of obedience, in offering up his son so long after his justification, must needs be taken as a fruit of a good tree justifying before m•n, and not of justification before God; for then had man to glory in, then did Christ die in vain.
NOW as to the packs of this peacher, I fear they were, as all other wares be, changed into stocks, even his very finest packing stuff against justification by faith only, and for the corporal presence of Christ's body, for praying for souls departed, and for auricular confession. Abraham's justification by faith, by grace, by promise, and not by works, is plainly set forth in the epistle to the Romans, chap. iv. and to the Galatian, chap. iii. and Abraham's works of obedience, in offering up his son so long after his justification, must needs be taken as a fruit of a good tree justifying before m•n, and not of justification before God; for then had man to glory in, then did Christ die in vain.
AND whereas chap. vi. of St. John, was alleged to prove, that Christ did give his body corporally in his supper, even as he had promised in the same chapter, it is most untrue, for he only gave his body sacramentally, spiritually, and effectually in his supper to the faithful apostles, and corporally he gave it in a bloody sacrifice for the life of the world upon the cross once for all. There in his own person, in his own natural body, he bore all our sins. By whose stripes we are healed, as St. Peter showeth, 1 Peter ii, and Isa. liii. Indeed receiving Christ's sacrament accordingly as it was instituted, we receive Christ's body and Christ's blood, even as I said before th• apostles did.
AND whereas chap. vi. of St. John, was alledged to prove, that Christ did give his body corporally in his supper, even as he had promised in the same chapter, it is most untrue, for he only gave his body sacramentally, spiritually, and effectually in his supper to the faithful apostles, and corpo••lly he gave it in a bloody sacrifice for the life of the world upon the cross once for all. There in his own person, in his own natural body, he bore all our sins. By whose stripes we are healed, as St. Peter sheweth, 1 Peter ii, and Isa. liii. Indeed receiving Christ's sacrament accordingly as it was instituted, we receive Christ's body and Christ's blood, even as I said before th• •postles did.
