N20568:9731
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.
UPON the north side of the town, in the ditch over against Balliol-college, the place of execution was appointed: and for fear of any tumult that might arise to hinder the burning of them, the lord Williams was commanded by the queen's letters, and the householders of the city, to be there assistant, sufficiently appointed; and when every thing was in readiness, the prisoners were brought forth by the mayor and bailiffs.
UPON the north side of the town, in the ditch over against Baliol-college, the place of execution was appointed: and for fear of any tumult that might arise to hinder the burning of them, the lord Williams was commanded by the queen's letters, and the householders of the city, to be there assistant, sufficiently appointed; and when every thing was in readiness, the prisoners were brought forth by the mayor and bailiffs.
DR. RIDLEY had a fair black gown furred, and faced with foins, such as he was wont to wear being bishop, and a tippet of velvet furred likewise about his neck, a velvet night-cap upon his head, and a corner-cap upon the same, going in a pair of slippers to the stake, and going between the mayor and an alderman, &c.
AFTER him came Mr. Latimer in a poor Bristow freeze frock much worn, with his buttoned cap and kerchief on his head, all ready to the fire, a new long shroud hanging over his hose down to his feet: which at the first fight stirred men's hearts to pity them, beholding on the one side the honour they sometime had, and on the other the calamity whereunto they were fallen.
DR. RIDLEY, as he passed toward Bocardo, looked up where Dr. Cranmer lay, hoping belike to have seen him at the glass-window, and to have spoke unto him. But Dr. Cranmer was then busy with friar Soto and his fellows disputing together, so that he could not see him through that occasion. Then Dr. Ridley looking back, espied Mr. Latimer coming after. Unto whom he said, Oh, be you there? Yea, said Mr. Latimer, have after as fast as I can follow. So he following a pretty way off, at length they came to the stake, the one after the other▪ where first Dr. Ridley entering the place, marvellously and earnestly holding up both his hands, looked towards heaven: then shortly after seeing Mr. Latimer, with a wondrous cheerful look he ran to him, embraced and kissed him, and as they that stood near reported, comforted him, saying, Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.
DR. RIDLEY, as he passed toward Bocardo, looked up where Dr. Cranmer lay, hoping belike to have seen him at the glass-window, and to have spoke unto him. But Dr. Cranmer was then busy with friar Soto and his fellows disputing together, so that he could not see him through that occasion. Then Dr. Ridley looking back, espied Mr. Latimer coming after. Unto whom he said, Oh, be you there? Yea, said Mr. Latimer, have after as fast as I can follow. So he following a pretty way off, at length they came to the stake, the one after the other▪ where first Dr. Ridley entering the place, marvellously and earnestly holding up both his hands, looked towards heaven: then shortly after seeing Mr. Latimer, with a wondrous chearful look he ran to him, embraced and kissed him, and as they that stood near reported, comforted him, saying, Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.
WITH that he went to the stake, kneeled down by it, and earnestly prayed, and behind him Mr. Latimer kneeled, as earnestly calling upon God as he. After they arose, the one talked with the ⟨p. 906⟩other a little while, till those who were appointed to see the execution removed themselves out of the fun. What they said I can learn of no man.
THEN Dr. Smith began his sermon to them upon this text of St. Paul, in the 13th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians: "If I yield my body to the fire to be burnt, and have not charity, I shall gain nothing thereby." Wherein he alleged, that the goodness of the cause, and not the order of death, maketh the holiness of the person: which he confirmed by the examples of Judas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged herself, for that they and such like as he recited, might then be adjudged righteous, which desperately separated their lives from their bodies, as he feared that those men that stood before him would do. But he cried still to the people to beware of them, for they were heretics, and died out of the church. And on the other side, he declared their diversities in opinions, as Lutherans, Oecolampadians, Zwinglians, of which sect they were he said, and that was the worst: but the old church of Christ, and the catholic faith, believed far otherwise. At which place they lifted up both their hands and eyes to heaven, as it were calling God to witness of the truth. Which countenance they made in many other places of his sermon, where they thought he spake amiss. He ended with a very short exhortation to them to recant and come home again to the church, and save their lives and souls, which else were condemned. His sermon was scarce in all a quarter of an hour.
THEN Dr. Smith began his sermon to them upon this text of St. Paul, in the 13th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians: "If I yield my body to the fire to be burnt, and have not charity, I shall gain nothing thereby." Wherein he alledged, that the goodness of the cause, and not the order of death, maketh the holiness of the person: which he confirmed by the examples of Judas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged herself, for that they and such like as he recited, might then be adjudged righteous, which desperately separated their lives from their bodies, as he feared that those men that stood before him would do. But he cried still to the people to beware of them, for they were heretics, and died out of the church. And on the other side, he declared their diversities in opinions, as Lutherans, Oecolampadians, Zuinglians, of which sect they were he said, and that was the worst: but the old church of Christ, and the catholic faith, believed far otherwise. At which place they lifted up both their hands and eyes to heaven, as it were calling God to witness of the truth. Which countenance they made in many other places of his sermon, where they thought he spake amiss. He ended with a very short exhortation to them to recant and come home again to the church, and save their lives and souls, which else were condemned. His sermon was scarce in all a quarter of an hour.
DR. RIDLEY said to Mr. Latimer, Will you begin to answer the sermon, or shall I? Mr. Latimer said, Begin you first, I pray you. I will, said Dr. Ridley.
THEN the wicked sermon being ended, Dr. Ridley and Mr. Latimer kneeled down on their knees to my lo•d Williams, of Tame▪ the vice-chancellor of Oxford, and divers other commissioners appointed for that purpose, who sat upon a fo•m thereby Unto whom Dr. Ridl•• said, I beseech you, my lord, even for Christ's sake, that I may speak but two or three wor•s: and whilst my lord bent his head to the mayor and vice-chancellor, to know (as it appeared) whether he might have leave to speak, the bailiffs, and Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor, ran hastily unto him, and with their hands stopped his mouth, and said, Mr. Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also the benefit of a subject, that is, have your life. Not otherwise? said Dr. Ridley. No quoth Dr. Marshal: therefore if you will not do so, then there is no remedy but you must suffer for your deserts. Well, says Dr. Ridley, so long as the breath is in my body▪ I will never deny my Lord Christ, and his known truth: God's will be done in me. And with that he rose up, and said with a loud voice, Well then I commit our cause to Almighty God, who will indifferently judge all.
THEN the wicked sermon being ended, Dr. Ridley and Mr. Latimer kneeled down on their knees to my lo•d Williams, of Tame▪ the vice-chancellor of Oxford, and divers other commissioners appoint•ed for that purpose, who sat upon a fo•m thereby Unto whom Dr. Ridl•• said, I beseech you, my lord, even for Christ's sake, that I may speak but two or three wor•s: and whilst my lord bent his head to the mayor and vice-chancellor, to know (as it appeared) whether he might have leave to speak, the bailiffs, and Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor, ran hastily unto him, and with their hands stopped his mouth, and said, Mr. Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also the benefit of a subject, that is, have your life. Not otherwise? said Dr. Ridley. No quoth Dr. Marshal: therefore if you will not do so, then there is no remedy but you must suffer for your deserts. Well, says Dr. Ridley, so long as the breath is in my body I will never deny my Lord Christ, and his known truth: God's will be done in me. And with that he rose up, and said with a loud voice, Well then I commit our cause to Almighty God, who will indifferently judge all.
TO which Mr. Latimer added his old posy, Well, there is nothing hid but it shall be opened: and he said he could answer Smith well enough, if he might be suffered. Incontinently they were commanded to make themselves ready, which they with all meekness obeyed. Dr. Ridley took his gown and his tippet, and gave it to his brother-in-law Mr. Shipside, who all the time of his imprisonment, although he might not be suffered to come to him, lay there at his own charges to provide him necessaries, which from time to time he sent him by the serjeant that kept him. Some other of his apparel that was little worth he gave away, the others the bailiffs took away.
TO which Mr. Latimer added his old posey, Well, there is nothing hid but it shall be opened: and he said he could answer Smith well enough, if he might be suffered. Incontinently they were commanded to make themselves ready, which they with all meekness obeyed. Dr. Ridley took his gown and his tippet, and gave it to his brother-in-law Mr. Shipside, who all the time of his imprisonment, although he might not be suffered to come to him, lay there at his own charges to provide him necessaries, which from time to time he sent him by the serjeant that kept him. Some other of his apparel that was little worth he gave away, the others the bailiffs took away.
He gave away divers other small things to gentlemen standing by, and divers of them pitifully weeping; to Sir Henry Lea he gave a new gr•at, and to divers of my lord Williams•s gentlemen, some napkins, some nutmegs, and race• of ginger, his dial, and such other things as he had about him, to every one that stood next to •im. Some plucked the p•int• off his hose. Happy was he that might get any r•g of him.
He gave away divers other small things to gentlemen standing by, and divers of them pitifully weeping; to Sir Henry Lea he gave a new gr•at, and to divers of my lord Williams•s gentlemen, some n•pkins, some nutm•gs, and race• of ginger, his dial, and such other things as he had about him, to every one that stood n•xt to •im. Some plucked the p•int• off his hose. Happy was he that might get any r•g of him.
MR. LATIMER gave no•hing but very quietly suffered […] pull off hi• […] and hi• other array, […] look unto was very […] ▪ and being stripped in•o h•s should, he seemed as […] a p•rs•n to them that were th•re p••s•nt, as one could well se•; and whereas in his •loaths he appeared a withered and silly old m•n h• now stood bol• upright, as comely a father as one might behold.
MR. LATIMER gave no•hing but very quietly suffer•d 〈…〉 pull off hi• 〈…〉 and hi• other array, 〈…〉 look unto was very 〈…〉 ▪ and being stripp•d in•o h•s should, he seemed as 〈…〉 a p•rs•n to them that were th•re p••s•nt, as one could well se; and whereas in his loaths he appeared a wihered and silly old mn h now stood bol upright, as comely a father as one might behold.
THEN Dr. Ridley standing as yet in his truss, said to his brother, It were best for me to go in my truss still. No, says his brother, it will put you to more pain: and the truss will do a poor man good. Whereunto Dr. Ridley said, Be it so in the name of God, and so unlaced himself. Then being in his shirt, he stood upon the aforesaid stone, and held up his hand and said, Oh heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks, for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death; I beseech thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies.
THEN the smith took a chain of iron, and brought the same about both their middles: and as he was knocking in a staple, Dr. Ridley took the chain in his hand and shaked it, for it did gird in his belly; and looking aside to the smith, said, Good fellow, knock it in hard, for the flesh will have its course. Then his brother brought him a bag of gunpowder, and tied it about his neck. Dr. Ridley asked him what it was, his brother said gunpowder. Then, said he, I will take it to be sent of God▪ therefore I will receive it as sent from him. And have you any, said he, for my brother▪ (meaning Mr. Latimer.) Yea, sir, that I have, says his brother. Then give it unto him, said he, betime, lest you come too late. So his brother went and carried some gunpowder to Mr. Latimer.
