N20568:5802
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.
FLOWER. No, verily, I never to my knowledge saw the person before that time, neither had evil will or malice; for if he had not had it, another should, if I had at any time came where the like occasion had been ministered, if God had permitted me to do it.
SMITH. Do you think that thing to be well done, and after the rule of the gospel?
FLOWER. I do confess all flesh to be subject to the power of Almighty God, whom he maketh his ministers to do his will and pleasure; as in example, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas, Joshua, Zimri, Jehu, Judith, Mattathias, with many others, not only changing degrees, but also planting zeals to his honour, against all order and respect of flesh and blood. For, as St. Paul saith, "His works are past finding out:" by whose Spirit I have also given my flesh at this present unto such order, as it shall please the good will of God to appoint, in death, which before the act committed I looked for.
FLOWER. I do confess all flesh to be subject to the power of Almighty God, whom he maketh his ministers to do his will and pleasure; as in example, Moses, Aaron, Phineas, Joshua, Zimri, Jehu, Judith, Mattathias, with many others, not only changing degrees, but also planting zeals to his honour, •gainst all order and respect of flesh and blood. For, as St. Paul saith, "His works are past finding out:" by whose Spirit I have also given my flesh at this present unto such order, as it shall please the good will of God to appoint, in death, which before the act committed I looked for.
SMITH. Think you it convenient for me, or any other, to do the like by your example?
FLOWER. No, verily, neither do I know if it were to do again, whether I could do it again, or no: for I was up very early at St. Paul's church upon Christ's day in the morning, to have done it in my jealousy: but when I came there, I was no more able to do it, than now to undo that which is done; and yet now being compelled by the Spirit, not only to come over the water, and to enter the church, but being in mind fully content to die for the Lord, gave over my flesh willingly without all fear, I praise God. Wherefore I cannot teach you to do the like. First, Because I know not what is in you. Secondly, Because the rules of the gospel command us to suffer with patience all wrongs and injury: yet nevertheless, if he makes you worthy, that hath made me zealous, you shall not be hindered, judged, nor condemned: for he doth in his people his unspeakable works in all ages, which no man can comprehend. I humbly beseech you to judge the best of the Spirit, and condemn not God's doings: for I cannot express with my mouth the great mercies that God hath showed on me in this thing, which I repent not.
FLOWER. No, verily, neither do I know if it were to do again, whether I could do it again, or no: for I was up very early at St. Paul's church upon Christ's day in the morning, to have done it in my jealousy: but when I came there, I was no more able to do it, than now to undo that which is done; and yet now being compelled by the Spirit, not only to come over the water, and to enter the church, but being in mind fully content to die for the Lord, gave over my flesh willingly without all fear, I praise God. Wherefore I cannot teach you to do the like. First, Because I know not what is in you. Secondly, Because the rules of the gospel command us to suffer with patience all wrongs and injury: yet nevertheless, if he makes you worthy, that hath made me zealous, you shall not be hindered, judged, nor condemned: for he doth in his people his unspeakable works in all ages, which no man can comprehend. I humbly beseech you to judge the best of the Spirit, and condemn not God's doings: for I cannot express with my mouth the great mercies that God hath shewed on me in this thing, which I repent not.
SMITH. Are you not assured to have death ministered unto you for the same act committed, and even with extremity?
FLOWER. I did, before the deed committed, adjudge my body to die for the same: whereupon I carried about me, in writing, my opinion of God and the holy scriptures; that if it had pleased God to have given them leave to have killed my body in the church, they might in the said writing have seen my hope, which (I praise God) is laid up safe within my breast, notwithstanding any death that may be ministered upon my body in this world; being ascertained of everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord, and being most heartily sorry for all my offences committed in this flesh, and trusting shortly, through his mercy, to cease from the same.
SMITH. I need not examine or commune with you of the hope that you have any further: for I perceive (God be praised) you are in good state, and therefore I beseech God, for his mercies, spread his wings over you, that, as for his love you have been zealous, even to the loss of this life, so he may give you his Holy Spirit to conduct you out of this world into a better life, which I think will be shortly.
FLOWER. I hunger for the same, dear friend, being fully ascertained that they can kill but the body, which I am assured shall receive life again everlasting, and see no more death; entirely desiring you and all that fear the Lord, to pray with me to Almighty God, to perform the same in me shortly. And thus Robert Smith departed, leaving him in the dungeon, and went again to his ward. And this is the truth, as near as the said Smith could report it.
FLOWER. I hunger for the same, dear friend, being fully ascertained that they can kill but the body, which I am assured shall receive life again everlasting, and see no more death; intirely desiring you and all that fear the Lord, to pray with me to Almighty God, to perform the same in me shortly. And thus Robert Smith departed, leaving him in the dungeon, and went again to his ward. And this is the truth, as near as the said Smith could report it.
Now to return again to the matter of his examination. We showed before, how this William Flower, after his striking the priest, first was laid in the Gatehouse; then, being examined before bishop Bonner, had articles ministered against him, the copy whereof here followeth.
Now to return again to the matter of his examination. We shewed before, how this William Flower, after his striking the priest, first was laid in the Gatehouse; then, being examined before bishop Bonner, had articles ministered against him, the copy whereof here followeth.
1. THAT thou being of lawful age and discretion, at the least seventeen years old, wast ⟨p. 559⟩a professed monk in the late abbey of Ely, wherein after thy profession thou remainedst until the age of twenty-one years, using all the mean time the habit and religion of the same house, and was reputed and taken notoriously for such a person.
2. THAT thou wast ordained and made priest, according to the laudable custom of the catholic church, and afterwards thou didst execute and minister as a priest, and wast commonly reputed, named, and taken for a priest.
3. THAT after the premises thou, forgetting God, thy conscience, honesty, and the laudable order of the catholic church, didst, contrary to thy profession and vow, take, as unto thy wife, one woman, commonly called Alice Pulton, in the parish church of Tewksbury, in the diocese of Gloucester, with whom thou hadst mutual cohabitation, as man and wife, and had by her two children.
4. THAT thou being a religious man and a priest, didst, contrary to the order of the ecclesiastical laws, take upon thee to practise in divers places within the diocese of London, physic and chirurgery, when thou wast not admitted expert or learned.
5. THAT upon Easter day last past, that is to wit, the 14th of April, within the parish church of St. Margaret's, at Westminster, within the county of Middlesex, and diocese of London, thou didst maliciously, outrageously, and violently pull out thy wood-knife or hanger. And whereas the priest and minister there, called John Cheltam, was executing his cure and charge, especially in doing his service, and administering the sacrament of the altar to communicants, then didst thou wickedly and abominably smite with the said weapon, the said priest, first upon the head, and afterwards upon his hands or other parts of his body, drawing blood abundantly from him; the said priest then holding the said sacrament in his hand, and giving no occasion why thou shouldst so hurt him: the people being grievously offended therewith, and the said church polluted thereby, so that the inhabitants were compelled to repair to another church to communicate, and receive the said sacrament.
5. THAT upon Easter day last past, that is to wit, the 14th of April, within the parish church of St. Margaret's, at Westminster, within the county of Middlesex, and diocese of London, thou didst maliciously, outragiously, and violently pull out thy wood-knife or hanger. And whereas the priest and minister there, called John Cheltam, was executing his cure and charge, especially in doing his service, and administering the sacrament of the altar to communicants, then didst thou wickedly and abominably smite with the said weapon, the said priest, first upon the head, and afterwards upon his hands or other parts of his body, drawing blood abundantly from him; the said priest then holding the said sacrament in his hand, and giving no occasion why thou shouldst so hurt him: the people being grievously off•nded therewith, and the said church polluted thereby, so that the inhabitants were compelled to repair to another church to communicate, and receive the said sacrament.
