N20568:8056
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.
IMPRIMIS, He was brought to St. Alban's by the high sheriff of Hertford, Edward Brocket, esquire, and Mr. Pulter, of Hitchen, who was under sheriff.
ITEM, Their inn was the cross-keys, where there was a great concourse of people to see and hear the prisoner, among which multitude some were sorry to see so pious a man brought to be burned, others praised God for his constancy and perseverance in the truth. Contrariwise, some there were which said, it was pity he did stand in such opinions: and others, both old men and women, cried against him; one called him heretic, and said it was pity that he lived. But George Tankerfield spake unto them so effectually out of the word of God, lamenting their ignorance, and protesting unto them his unspotted conscience, that God did mollify their hardened hearts, insomuch that some of them departed out of the chamber with weeping eyes.
ITEM, There came a certain school-master, to have communication with George Tankerfield the day before he was coming to St. Alban's▪ concerning the sacrament of the altar, and other points of the popish religion: but as he urged Tankerfield with the authority of the doctors, wresting them after his own will; so on the other side, Tankerfield answered him mightily by the scriptures, not wrested after the mind of any man, but being interpreted after the will of the Lord Jesus, &c. So that as he would not allow such allegations as Tankerfield brought out of the scriptures without the opinions of the doctors; so again Tankerfield would not credit his doctrine to be true, except he would confirm it by the scriptures. In the end, Tankerfield prayed him that he would not trouble him in such matters, for his conscience was established, &c. and so he departed from him, wishing him well, and protesting that he meant him no more hurt than his own soul.
ITEM, When the hour drew on apace that he should suffer, he desired the wine-drawer, that he might have a pint of malmsey and a loaf, that he might eat and drink that in remembrance of Christ•• death and passion, because he could not have it administered ⟨p. 744⟩to him by others in such a manner as Christ commanded; and then he kneeled down, making his confession unto the Lord with all which were in the chamber with him: and after he had prayed earnestly unto the Lord, and had read the institution of the holy supper by the Lord Jesus out of the evangelists, and out of St. Paul, he said, O Lord, thou knowest it, I do not this to derogate authority from any man, or in contempt of those which are thy ministers, but only because I cannot have it administered according to thy word, &c. and when he had spoke these and such like words, he received it with giving of thanks.
ITEM, When some of his friends desired him to eat some meat, he said he would not eat that which should do others good that had more need, and that had longer time to live than he.
ITEM, He prayed his host to let him have a good fire in the chamber; he had so; and then he sitting on a form before the fire, put off his shoes and hose, and stretched out his leg to the flame; and when it had touched his foot, he quickly withdrew his leg, showing the flesh did persuade him one way, and the spirit another way. The flesh said, O thou fool, wilt thou burn, and needest not? The spirit said, Be not afraid, for this is nothing in respect of fire eternal. The flesh said, Do not leave the company of thy friends and acquaintance which love thee, and will let thee lack nothing. The spirit said, The company of Jesus Christ and his glorious presence doth exceed all fleshly friends. The flesh said, Do not shorten thy time, for thou mayest live if thou wilt much longer. The spirit said, This life is nothing unto the life in heaven which lasteth for ever, &c. And all this time the sheriffs were at a gentleman's house at dinner, not far from the town, whither also resorted many knights and gentlemen out of the country, because his son was married that day; and until they returned from dinner, the prisoner was left with his host, to be kept and looked unto. And George Tankerfield all that time was kindly and lovingly entreated by his host; and considering that his time was short, his saying was, That although the day was ever so long, yet at the last it ringeth to evening song.
ITEM, He prayed his host to let him have a good fire in the chamber; he had so; and then he sitting on a form before the fire, put off his shoes and hose, and stretched out his leg to the flame; and when it had touched his floot, he quickly withdrew his leg, shewing the flesh did persuade him one way, and the spirit another way. The flesh said, O thou fool, wilt thou burn, and needest not? The spirit said, Be not afraid, for this is nothing in respect of fire eternal. The flesh said, Do not leave the company of thy friends and acquaintance which love thee, and will let thee lack nothing. The spirit said, The company of Jesus Christ and his glorious presence doth exceed all fleshly friends. The flesh said, Do not shorten thy time, for thou mayest live if thou wilt much longer. The spirit said, This life is nothing unto the life in heaven which lasteth for ever, &c. And all this time the sheriffs were at a gentleman's house at dinner, not far from the town, whither also resorted many knights and gentlemen out of the country, because his son was married that day; and until they returned from dinner, the prisoner was left with his host, to be kept and looked unto. And George Tankerfield all that time was kindly and lovingly intreated by his host; and considering that his time was short, his saying was, That although the day was ever so long, yet at the last it ringeth to evening song.
ITEM, About two o'clock, when the sheriffs were returned from dinner, they brought George T•• kerfield out of the inn unto the place where he should suffer, which is called Romeland, being a green place near the west end of the abbey church: unto which when he was come, he kneeled down by the stake that was set up for him; and after he had ended his prayers he arose, and with a joyful faith he said, that although he had a sharp dinner, yet he hoped to have a joyful supper in heaven.
ITEM, While the faggots were set about […], there came a priest unto him, and persuaded him […] believe on the sacrament of the altar, and he should be saved. But George Tankerfield cried out vehemently, and said, I defy the whore of Babylon, I defy the whore of Babylon: fie on that abominable idol: good people, do not believe him, good people, do not believe him. And then the mayor of the town commanded to set fire to the heretic, and said, If he had but one load of faggots in the whole world, he would give them to burn him. […] was a certain knight by, who went unto Tanke• field, and took him by the hand and said, Good brother, be strong in Christ; this he spake softly; […] Tankerfield said, O sir, I thank you, I am so, I […] God. Then fire was set unto him, and he […] the sheriff and all the people to pray for him; […] most part did so. And so embracing the […] bathed himself in it, and calling on the Lord Jesus, he was quickly out of pain.
ITEM, While the faggots were set about 〈…〉, there came a priest unto him, and persuaded him 〈…〉 believe on the sacrament of the altar, and he should be saved. But George Tankerfield cried out vehemently, and said, I defy the whore of Babylon, I defy the whore of Babylon: fie on that abominable idol: good people, do not believe him, good people, do not believe him. And then the mayor of the town commanded to set fire to the heretic, and said, If he had but one load of faggots in the whole world, he would give them to burn him. 〈…〉 was a certain knight by, who went unto Tanke• field, and took him by the hand and said, Good brother, be strong in Christ; this he spake softly; 〈…〉 Tankerfield said, O sir, I thank you, I am so, I 〈…〉 God. Then fire was set unto him, and he 〈…〉 the sheriff and all the people to pray for him; 〈…〉 most part did so. And so embracing the 〈…〉 bathed himself in it, and calling on the Lord Jesus, he was quickly out of pain.
ROBERT SMITH was brought to […] the 5th of November, by John Matthew, […] man of the guard of the queen's side, by the co• mand of the council. Robert Smith first gave himself to service in the house of sir Thomas […] knight, being then provost of Eaton: from the••e he was preferred to Windsor, having there in the college a clerkship of ten pounds a year. Of […] he was tall and slender, active about many things▪ but chiefly delighting in the art of painting, […] many times rather for his mind's sake, than for […] gain, he did practice and exercise. In religion he was fervent, after he had once tasted the truth; ⟨p. 745⟩wherein he was much confirmed by the preaching of Mr. Turner, of Windsor, and others. Whereupon at the coming in of queen Mary he was deprived of his clerkship by her visitors; and not long after he was apprehended, and brought to examination before Bonner, as here followeth, written and testified with his own hand.
ROBERT SMITH was brought to 〈…〉 the 5th of November, by John Matthew, 〈…〉 man of the guard of the queen's side, by the co• mand of the council. Robert Smith first gave himself to service in the house of sir Thomas 〈…〉 knight, being then provost of Eaton: from the••e he was preferred to Windsor, having there in the college a clerkship of ten pounds a year. Of 〈…〉 he was tall and slender, active about many things▪ but chiefly delighting in the art of painting, 〈…〉 many times rather for his mind's sake, than for 〈…〉 gain, he did practice and exercise. In religion he was fervent, after he had once tasted the truth; ⟨p. 745⟩wherein he was much confirmed by the preaching of Mr. Turner, of Windsor, and others. Whereupon at the coming in of queen Mary he was deprived of his clerkship by her visitors; and not long after he was apprehended, and brought to examination before Bonner, as here followeth, written and testified with his own hand.
ABOUT nine o'clock in the morning I was among the rest of my brethren brought to the bishop's house and first of all I was brought before him into his chamber, to whom the bishop said as followeth, after he had asked my name.
Bonner. How long is it since you were confessed to any priest?
