N20568:8035
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.
AFTER the burning of these six before-named, next followeth the persecution of ten other true servants of God, the names of whom are as follow: Elizabeth Warn, George Tankerfield, Robert Smith, Stephen Harwood, Thomas Fust, William Hale, Thomas Leis, George King, John Wade, Joan Lashford.
AFTER the burning of these six before-named, next followeth the persecution of ten other true servants of God, the names of whom are as follow: Elizabeth Warne, George Tankerfield, Robert Smith, Stephen Harwood, Thomas Fust, William Hale, Thomas Leyes, George King, John Wade, Joan Lashford.
THE prisons of London beginning now to be replenished with God's saints, and still more and more coming in, the council and commissioners, thinking to make ready dispatch with the poor prisoners, caused these ten to be sent with their letter directed to Bonner, bishop of London, by him to be examined and rid out of the way. The copy of which letter, with their names subscribed, here followeth to be read and noted.
AFTER our hearty commendations to your good lordship, we send you here John Wade, William Hale, George King Thomas Leis, of Thorp in Essex, Thomas Fust, hosier. Robert Smith, painter, Stephen Harwood, brewer, George Tankerfield, cook, Elizabeth Warn•, and Joan L•shford, of London, sacramentaries; all which we desire your lordship to examine, and to order according to the ecclesiastical laws: praying your lordship to appoint some of your officers to receive them at this bearer's hands. And thus most heartily fare your lordship well. From London this 2d of July.
AFTER our hearty commendations to your good lordship, we send you here John Wade, William Hale, George King Thomas Leyes, of Thorp in Essex, Thomas Fust, hosier. Robert Smith, painter, Stephen Harwood, brewer, George Tankerfield, cook, Elizabeth Warn•, and Joan L•shford, of London, sacramentaries; all which we desire your lordship to examine, and to order according to the ecclesiastical laws: praying your lordship to appoint some of your officers to receive them at this bearer's hands. And thus most heartily fare your lordship well. From London this 2d of July.
Your lordship's loving friends, Nicholas Hare, William Roper, Richard R•d•, William Cooke.
NOW severally to prosecute the stories of these ten martyrs aforenamed: first we will begin with the history of Elizabeth Warn, widow, who in the month of August was burnt at Stratford-Bow, •ear London; she was late wife of John Warn, upholsterer, and martyr, who was also burnt the latter end of the May before, as in his story is recorded.
NOW severally to prosecute the stories of these ten martyrs aforenamed: first we will begin with the history of Elizabeth Warne, widow, who in the month of August was burnt at Stratford-Bow, •ear London; she was late wife of John Warne, upholsterer, and martyr, who was also burnt the latter end of the May before, as in his story is recorded.
THIS Elizabeth Warn had been apprehended among others, the first day of January, in a house in Bow-church-yard in London, as they were gathered together in prayer, and at that present was carried to the Compter, where she remained till the 11th day of June: at which time she was brought to Newgate, and was confined there till the 2d day of July. Then was she sent by the king and queen's commissioners unto Bonner, bishop of London, who on the 6th day of the said month caused her with divers others (as Robert Smith, George Tankerfield, &c.) to be brought before him into his palace, and there examined her upon sundry articles, such as were commonly administered unto poor saints and martyrs of God, as you may more plainly perceive by other more large and ample processes before-mentioned.
THIS Elizabeth Warne had been apprehended among others, the first day of January, in a house in Bow-church-yard in London, as they were gathered together in prayer, and at that present was carried to the Compter, where she remained till the 11th day of June: at which time she was brought to Newgate, and was confined there till the 2d day of July. Then was she sent by the king and queen's commissioners unto Bonner, bishop of London, who on the 6th day of the said month caused her with divers others (as Robert Smith, George Tankerfield, &c.) to be brought before him into his palace, and there examined her upon sundry articles, such as were commonly administered unto poor saints and martyrs of God, as you may more plainly perceive by other more large and ample processes before-mentioned.
THE chief objection that he used towards her, or the most of those, was touching the real and corporal presence of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament of the altar, as the chief ground and most profitable foundation of their catholic dignity. Many other matters he objected against them, as for not coming to the church, for speaking against the mass, for despising their ceremonies and new found sacraments, with divers other fond and trifling toys, not worthy to be mentioned.
IN the end, when she had been divers times brought before him and other his adherents, and there earnestly exhorted to recant, she said, Do what you will; for if Christ were in an error, then am I in an error. Upon which answer, she was condemned as an heretic, the 12th day of the same month of July, and so delivered to the secular power, as they term it, to be by them put to death, which was done in the same month.
THE chief procure• of her death was Dr. Story, being, as it was thought, somewhat related to her, or else to her late husband. Who, at the first apprehension of his said kinswoman, endeavoured by all means to get her pardon, and accordingly applied to Dr. Martin, then one of the king and queen's commissioners in matters of religion, (himself being as yet not made commissioner) and by this his suit obtained her deliverance for that present, as Dr. Martin himself (the author hereof) hath reported; yet afterwards, upon what occasion God only knoweth, except upon some burning charity, the said Dr. Story obtaining to be one of the commissioners, caused not only the said John Warn, but also his wife, and afterwards his daughter, to be again apprehended, never leaving them till he had brought them all to ashes. Such was the rage of that devout catholic and white child of the mother church, that neither kindred or any other consideration could prevail with him, although it did (at his request) with others, who in respect of him were but strangers unto them. The Lord, if it be his will, turn his heart, or else rid his poor church from such an hydra, as, thanked be God, now he hath.
THE chief procure• of her death was Dr. Story, being, as it was thought, somewhat related to her, or else to her late husband. Who, at the first apprehension of his said kinswoman, endeavoured by all means to get her pardon, and accordingly applied to Dr. Martin, then one of the king and queen's commissioners in matters of religion, (himself being as yet not made commissioner) and by this his suit obtained her deliverance for that present, as Dr. Martin himself (the author hereof) hath reported; yet afterwards, upon what occasion God only knoweth, except upon some burning charity, the said Dr. Story obtaining to be one of the commissioners, caused not only the said John Warne, but also his wife, and afterwards his daughter, to be again apprehended, never leaving them till he had brought them all to ashes. Such was the rage of that devout catholic and white child of the mother church, that neither kindred or any other consideration could prevail with him, although it did (at his request) with others, who in respect of him were but strangers unto them. The Lord, if it be his will, turn his heart, or else rid his poor church from such an hydra, as, thanked be God, now he hath.
GEORGE TANKERFIELD, of London, cook, born in York, about the age of 27 or 28 years, was in the days of king Edward a papist, till the time queen Mary came in, and then perceiving the great cruelty which the papists used, was brought into a misdoubt of their doings, and began (as he said) in his heart to abhor them. And as concerning the mass, whereof he had but a doubtful opinion before, and much striving with himself in that case, at length he fell to prayer, desiring God in mercy to open to him the truth, that he might be thoroughly persuaded therein, whether it were of God, or no: if not, that he might utterly hate it in his heart, and abhor it: which the Lord mercifully heard, and according to his prayer, daily working more and more in him to detest and abhor the same: and so he was moved to read the Testament, whereby (as is said) the Lord enlightened his mind with the knowledge of the truth, working a lively faith in him to believe the same, and utterly to detest all popery, and so he came no more to their doings; and not only that, but also this lively faith (as he said) kindled such a flame in him, […] would not be kept in, but utter itself by the co••• sion thereof, reproving his own former doings to his friends, exhorting them likewise to repent […] turn to the truth with him; thus they began to smell him out, and at length he was sent for […] followeth:
GEORGE TANKERFIELD, of London, cook, born in York, about the age of 27 or 28 years, was in the days of king Edward a papist, till the time queen Mary came in, and then perceiving the great cruelty which the papists used, was brought into a misdoubt of their doings, and began (as he said) in his heart to abhor them. And as concerning the mass, whereof he had but a doubtful opinion before, and much striving with himself in that case, at length he fell to prayer, desiring God in mercy to open to him the truth, that he might be thoroughly persuaded therein, whether it were of God, or no: if not, that he might utterly hate it in his heart, and abhor it: which the Lord mercifully heard, and according to his prayer, daily working more and more in him to detest and abhor the same: and so he was moved to read the Testament, whereby (as is said) the Lord enlightened his mind with the knowledge of the truth, working a lively faith in him to believe the same, and utterly to detest all popery, and so he came no more to their doings; and not only that, but also this lively faith (as he said) kindled such a flame in him, 〈…〉 would not be kept in, but utter itself by the co••• sion thereof, reproving his own former doings to his friends, exhorting them likewise to repent turn to the truth with him; thus they began to smell him out, and at length he was sent for followeth:
IT pleased God to strike him with sickness, whereby he lay long sick; and on a certain day to […] the air abroad, he rose up, and went and walked into the Temple fields to see the shooters. In the mean time Mr. Beard came to his house and inquired for him, pretending to his wife, that he came only to have him dress a banquet at the lord Paget's. His wife, because of his apparel, which was very rich, took him to be some honest gentleman, and with all speed prepared herself to fetch her husband, having a good hope he should now earn some money: and lest this gentleman should be tired with tarrying, she fetched him a cushion to set him soft, and laid • fair napkin before him, and set bread thereon, and came to her husband; who, when he heard it, said▪ A banquet, woman; indeed it is such a banquet […] will not be very pleasant to the flesh, but God's will be done. And when he came home he saw who […] was, and called him by his name, which when his wife perceived, and wherefore he came, like a tall woman would play Peter's part, and instead of▪ sword took a spit, and would have run him through, had not the constable which Mr. Beard had sent for by his man, came in and rescued him: yet she sent a brickbat after him, and hit him on the back. And so Tankerfield was delivered to the constable, and brought to Newgate about the last day of Feb. 1555, by the said Beard, yeoman of the guards, and Simon Ponder, p•wterer, constable of St Duns•••'s in the West, sent in by Roger Chomley, knight, and Dr. Martin.
IT pleased God to strike him with sickness, whereby he lay long sick; and on a certain day to 〈…〉 the air abroad, he rose up, and went and walked into the Temple fields to see the shooters. In the mean time Mr. Beard came to his house and inquired for him, pretending to his wife, that he came only to have him dress a banquet at the lord Paget's. His wife, because of his apparel, which was very rich, took him to be some honest gentleman, and with all speed prepared herself to fetch her husband, having a good hope he should now earn some money: and lest this gentleman should be tired with tarrying, she fetched him a cushion to set him soft, and laid • fair napkin before him, and set bread thereon, and came to her husband; who, when he heard it, said A banquet, woman; indeed it is such a banquet will not be very pleasant to the flesh, but God's will be done. And when he came home he saw who was, and called him by his name, which when his wife perceived, and wherefore he came, like a tall woman would play Peter's part, and instead of sword took a spit, and would have run him through, had not the constable which Mr. Beard had sent for by his man, came in and rescued him: yet she sent a brickbat after him, and hit him on the back. And so Tankerfield was delivered to the constable, and brought to Newgate about the last day of Feb. 1555, by the said Beard, yeoman of the guards, and Simon Ponder, pwterer, constable of St Duns's in the West, sent in by Roger Chomley, knight, and Dr. Martin.
