N20568:5241
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.
WILLIAM answered, If you can separate the accidents from the substance, and show me the substance without the accidents, I could believe. Then said the bishop, Thou wilt not believe that God can do any thing above man's capacity. Yes, said William, I must needs believe that; for daily experience teacheth all men that thing plainly: but our question is not what God can do, but what he will have us to learn in his holy supper.
WILLIAM answered, If you can separate the accidents from the substance, and shew me the substance without the accidents, I could believe. Then said the bishop, Thou wilt not believe that God can do any thing above man's capacity. Yes, said William, I must needs believe that; for daily experience teacheth all men that thing plainly: but our question is not what God can do, but what he will have us to learn in his holy supper.
THE bishop said, I always have found thee at this point, and I see no hope to reclaim thee unto the catholic faith, but thou wilt continue a corrupt member, and then pronounced sentence upon him, that he should go from that place to Newgate for a time, and so from thence to Burntwood, where, said he, thou shalt be burned.
THEN the bishop called for another, and so when he had condemned them all, he called for William Hunter, and reasoned with him, saying, If thou wilt yet recant, I will make thee a free man in the city, and give thee forty pounds in good money to set up thine occupation withal▪ or I will make thee steward of my house, and set thee in office; for I like thee well, thou hast wit enough, and I will prefer thee if thou recant.
BUT William answered, I thank you for your great offers▪ notwithstanding, my lord, said he, if you cannot persuade my conscience with scriptures, I cannot find in my heart to turn from God for the love of the world▪ for I count all worldly things but l•ss and •ung, in respect of the love of Christ.
THEN said the bishop▪ If thou diest in this mind, thou art condemned for ever. William answered, God judgeth righteously, and justifieth them whom man condemneth unjustly.
THUS William and the bishop parted, William and the rest being committed to Newgate, where they remained […] a mo•th, who afterwards were sent down▪ William to Burntwood, and the others unto divers places of the country. Now when William was come down to Burntwood, which was the Saturday before the annunciation of the Virgin Mary that followed on the Monday after, William remained till the next Tuesday, because they would not put him to death then, for the holiness of the day.
THUS William and the bishop parted, William and the rest being committed to Newgate, where they remained 〈…〉 a mo•th, who afterwards were sent down▪ William to Burntwood, and the others unto divers places of the country. Now when William was come down to Burntwood, which was the Saturday before the annunciation of the Virgin Mary that followed on the Monday after, William remained till the next Tuesday, because they would not put him to death then, for the holiness of the day.
IN the mean time William's father and mother came to him, and desired heartily of God that he might continue to the end in that good way which he had begun, and his mother said to him, that she was glad that ever she was so happy to bear such a child, which could find in his heart to lose his life for Christ's name's sake.
THEN William said to his mother, For the little pain I shall suffer, which will soon be at an end, Christ hath promised me, mother, a crown of joy; may you not be glad of that? With that his mother kneeled down on her knees, saying, I pray God strengthen thee, my son, to the end: yea, I think thee as well bestowed as any child that ever I bare.
AT which words Mr. Higbed took her in his arms, saying, I rejoice (and so said the others) to see you in this mind, and you have good cause to rejoice. And his father and mother both said, that they always were of that mind, and praying for him, that as he had begun to confess Christ before men, he might likewise continue so to the end. William's father said, I was afraid of nothing but that my son should have been killed in the prison by hunger and cold, the bishop was so hard to him. But William confessed, after a month that his father was charged with his board, that he lacked nothing, but had meat and clothing enough, yea even out of the court, both money, meat, clothes, wood and coals, and all things necessary.
THEY continued in the inn, being the Swan in Burntwood, whither resorted many people of the country to see those good men which were there; and many of William's acquaintance came to him, and reasoned with him, and he with them, exhorting them to come away from the abomination of popish superstition and idolatry.
THUS passing away Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, on Monday at night it happened, that William ⟨p. 502⟩had a dream, which was this: That he was at the place where the stake was pitched, where he should be burned, which (as he thought in his dream) was at the town's end where the butts stood, which was so indeed; and also he dreamed, that he met with his father as he went to the stake, and also that there was a priest at the stake, who went about to have him recant. To whom he said, (as he thought in his dream) Away false prophet; that he exhorted the people to beware of him, and such as he was: which things came to pass. It happened that William made a noise to himself in his dream, which caused Mr. Higbed and the others to awake him out of his sleep, to know what he wanted. When he awaked, he told them his dream in order as is said.
NEXT morning the sheriff Mr. Brocket called to set forward to the burning of William Hunter; and the sheriff's son came to him, and embraced him in his right arm, saying, William, be not afraid of these men which are here with bows, bills, and weapons, ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned. To whom he replied, I thank God I am not afraid; for I have reckoned what it will cost me already.
THEN the sheriff's son could speak no more to him for weeping.
HUNTER then plucked up his gown, and went forward cheerfully, the sheriff's servant taking him by one arm, and his brother by another; and going along he met with his father according to his dream, and he said to his son weeping, God be with thee, son William. And William said, God be with you, good father, and be of good comfort; for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry. He said, I hope so, William; and so departed. He then went to the place where the stake stood, even according to his dream, where all things were not ready; and taking a wet broom faggot, he kneeled down thereon, and read the 51st Psalm, till he came to these words, "The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit, a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
HUNTER then plucked up his gown, and went forward chearfully, the sheriff's servant taking him by one arm, and his brother by another; and going along he met with his father according to his dream, and he said to his son weeping, God be with thee, son William. And William said, God be with you, good father, and be of good comfort; for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry. He said, I hope so, William; and so departed. He then went to the place where the stake stood, even according to his dream, where all things were not ready; and taking a wet broom faggot, he kneeled down thereon, and read the 51st Psalm, till he came to these words, "The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit, a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
THEN said Mr. Tyrill of the Braches, called William Tyrill, Thou liest, heretic, thou readest false; for the words are an humble spirit. But William said, The translation saith a contrite heart. Yes, quoth Mr. Tyrill, the translation is false, you translate books as you please yourselves▪ like heretics. Well, said William, there is no great difference in those words. Then said the sheriff, Here is a letter from the queen: if thou wilt recant, thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt be burned. No, said William, I will not recant, God willing. He then rose up and went to stake, and stood upright to it. And one Richard Pond, a bailiff, came and made the chain fast about him.
THEN said Mr. Tyrill of the Braches, called William Tyrill, Thou liest, heretic, thou readest false; for the words are an humble spirit. But William said, The translation saith a contrite heart. Yes, quoth Mr. Tyrill, the translation is false, you translate books as you please yourselves▪ like heretics. Well, said William, there is no great difference in those words. Then said the sheriff, Here is a letter from the queen: if thou wilt recant, thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt be burned. No, said William, I will not recant, God willing. He then rose up and went to stake, and stood upright to it. And one Richard Ponde, a bailiff, came and made the chain fast about him.
THEN said Mr. Brown, Here is not wood enough to burn a leg of him: said William, Good people, pray for me; and make speed and dispatch me quickly: and pray for me while you see me live, good people, and I will pray for you likewise.
