S. John Browne, Gentleman, Martyr. Another traitor, condemned and hanged for the same rebellion in St. Giles's field. 9. John Beverley, Preacher, Martyr. This was a priest, who was taken in a wood by St. Giles's fields, preaching to the rebels in the aforesaid reign. He was, of course, tried for his treasonable acts, and hanged for the same, as he would have been at this day, had he been living and committed such unlawful deeds. Fox says, that if these men were traitors, and put to death for that fact, "yet being of the true religion, they may as well be called martyrs, as the thief on the cross may be called a saint." We do not recollect that the thief on the cross, though he was promised paradise by his Saviour, was ever accounted a saint; but if the religion of these traitors were the true one, the religion of Protestants must be a false one, as they differ widely from each other. 10. Richard Silbeck, Martyr. He was one of the traitorous conspirators against Henry the fifth, and was hanged with several others according to their deserts. 11. John Castellane, Doctor, Martyr. Of this saint and martyr father Parsons thus writes. "Upon the first sight of Fox's Calendar, and the number of years therein assigned to the death of each martyr, which to these two (Castellane and Whittle, mentioned below,) were 1521 and 1525, which make the 12th and 16th years of the reign of Henry the eighth, and some seven or eight years after the beginning of Luther, I conjectured them to be of the Lutheran religion; for Zuinglianism was not as yet began. But afterwards going to view Fox's Acts and Monuments, which seldom do agree in accompt of years with his Calendar, I found that this John Castellane was no Englishman, but an apostate friar of the order of St. Augustin, who left his monastery at Tournay, in Flanders, and joining himself to a woman, went into France, where he preached Lutheran heresy in divers towns and cities, especially in Champagne; from thence he went to Metz, in Lorrain, where, having raised much sedition, and made many innovations in the country thereabout, he was taken at last by the cardinal Lorrain, and convicted of many heresies. Though Fox will not let us see what they be in particular by setting down his articles, but only telleth us in general in the account of his sentence and condemnation, they were Lutheran opinions. This man (I say) being burned for the same heresies in the said city of Metz, in the year of Christ 1525, (which is four years after the time appointed by Fox in his Calendar) he is brought in here for an English saint, as you see, or at least wise to make up a bigger bulk of Martyrs in this English Foxian Martyrology, though being of Luther's religion, you may imagine how he agreed with that of Fox. And this is the substance of what I find written of Doctor John Castellane, who never was a doctor in his life, except his being dubbed so by Fox." 12. Thomas Whittle, Minister, Martyr. Parsons goes on,-" But now for his companion, Thomas Whittle, minister, I was more deceived.-For I find that he was burned, not un der Henry the eighth for Lutheranism, but under queen Mary for Calvinism, in the year 1556, that is to say, 31 years after the time of his martyrdom assigned by Fox in his calendar. By which experience I find continually more and more, that a man may trust John Fox no further than he seeth him in any thing. Nor scarce so far, except he look to his fingers." This Whittle was a priest, of very little learning, who, taking a woman under the name of a wife in Edward the sixth's days, fell into the then notions of the reformers, and was taken up in Mary's time and put into prison in London. Here he recanted and forswore his former heresies, but was inveigled into them again, either by his wife, or some other person, or by the devil, who appeared to him one night as he himself confessed to Dr. Harpesfield, then archdeacon of London, and to Mr. Robert Johnson, registrar, as both do testify in several letters written to the bishop of London, which Fox relateth at large. The doctor and Mr. Johnson went to the prison where they found Whittle lying along and holding up his hands. On being seated upon a stool, he said that satan had been with him in the night, and told him that he was damned; and weeping he requested Johnson to let him see the recantation he had signed, which being given to him, he tore out his subscription. So much for this martyr, who was made a Protestant of a Catholic, priest, that had forfeited his solemn vows to God, and taken to himself a woman, which was the chief motive of many such in those days. Bartlett Green, Gentleman, Martyr. --- Mr. Green was not more than 25 years of age when he suffered. He was a nephew of Dr. Bartlett, and was a student in Oxford university, where he became acquainted with the apostate friar Martin Bucer, by whom he was corrupted.-From Oxford he went to one of the inns of court in London, where he contracted a friendship with Christopher Goodman, the seditious writer, who after being guilty of several attempts against the queen, fled out of the kingdom to Geneva, where he joined with John Knox, who afterwards became such firebrand in Scotland. Green became the correspondent of Goodman, and certain letters being intercepted written by him to the said Goodman of a treasonable nature, he was apprehended and sent to the Tower. He was suspected of being privy to a conspiracy entered into by William Thomas, who was executed at Tyburn on the 18th of May, 1554, tó compass the queen's death; but when he was found to be infected with the new fantastical notions of the day, he was tried and convicted of heresy. →Fox confesses that all possible means were used to reclaim him to the truth, so that there could be nothing malignant in the proceedings against him. And though it must move the heart of every feeling man to see so young a person suffering an ignominious death, yet no impartial person will join in the charge of barbarian cruelty which has been too long raised against the ministers of Mary and herself, especially when we see the number of youths that end their days at the gallows in our own time. 14. John Hudson, Martyr. He was born at Ipswich, and was an apprentice in London to one John Goodyear. 15. Thomas Went, Martyr. He was a fisherman of Essex, who was tainted with the modern gospel notions, and, according to Fox, denied the real presence in the sa crament. 16. Thomas Brown, Martyr. He was a labouring man born at Histon, in the diocess of Ely, but married in London. Here he became a gospeller, and made himself forward in sowing Calvinistical opinions. The modern editors say, in their book, that he was brought before the bishop of London, at Fulham, with others to be examined; that " he was required to come into the chapel to hear mass, which he refusing to do, went into the warren, and there kneeled among the trees. For this (they add) he was greatly charged by the bishop, as for an heinous matter, because he said it was done in despite and contempt of their mass.' Was this Protestant saint a prisoner at large, that he could go where he liked and do what he pleased? Verily, this does not appear feasible, nor is it to be credited. However, they acknowledge that " many fair words and glossing promises" were used to induce him to " revoke" his doctrine, "but he resisted with stedfast faith, and told the bishop he was a blood-sucker.” This was neither polite nor charitable on the part of the martyr, in return for "fair words and glossing promises." 17. Isabel Foster, Martyr. She was born, say the modern editors, "in Grafestock, in the diocess of Carlisle, and was the wife of John Foster, cutler, of St. Bride's, Fleetstreet. She likewise, for not coming to their church, was sent to bishop Bonner, who put her in prison, and examined her sundry times, but she never would be removed from the constant confession of Christ's gospel." 18. Joan Warne, alias Lashford, and John Lomas, Martyrs. The first was the daughter of a cutler named Lashford, and married to one John Warne, an upholsterer. Fox says, she was more forward than any of the rest in disputing with the bishop. "Joan Lashford, (he writes,) told the bishop that the mass was not according the scriptures, but as well that, as the sacrament of confession, with all other their superfluous sacraments, ceremonies, and divine service then used in England, were most wild and contrary to God's words and institution," &c. Now, how a cutler's wife, a woman, no doubt, ignorant in history and unlettered in books, should be better informed than the most learned men in all countries and all ages, who believed and taught to the contrary, we must leave the Protestant to explain. To us it is clear that this poor woman was a wild enthusiast, esteeming herself more knowing than those who were appointed to teach the ignorant, and as such it was thought in those days necessary to make an example of her as a lesson to others. The modern editors say, "This resolute MAID, feeble and tender of age, yet strong by grace in her confession and faith, stood so firm, that neither the promises nor the threats of the bishops could turn her." How a married woman can be a MAID, we will leave the modern editors to explain; perhaps they thought it necessary to make some shew of virginity among their martyrs, seeing the Catho lic church could boast of an innumerable list, therefore, that they might have one at least, they transformed a wife into a virgin. These last seven persons, though placed under the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th days of this month, were all burned on the 27th of January, 1556, in Smithfield; a sad spectacle of the wild and feverish state of the people in those days. John Lonias was one of the five others who were burned somewhere about this time. The modern editors say they suffered on the 31st of this month, yet has John Fox placed this martyr on the 18th day, and the others with William Waterer on the 19th, 20th, and 31st days. Lomas was a poor artificer of Tenderden in Kent, who was so inflamed with the spirit of preaching, that he went up and down with his English bible, persuading all men that they should believe no more, though what was therein was mistranslated, and therefore, not being genuine scripture, should not be believed at all. 19, Anne Alebright, 20, Joan Catmer and Agnes Snoth, 21, William Waterer, and Joan Sole, Martyrs. 66 66 Waterer was an artificer, and the others were ignorant and obstinate women infected with Calvinian and Zuinglian doctrines. Fox calls them a heavenly company, and all condemned together by priests and pharisees, for confession of the gospel;" and the modern editors conclude their account thus:-"These five steadfast servants of God, and willing followers of Christ, were bound together at two stakes, re"joicing in the flames, and chaunting hallelujahs to God and the Lamb, "who had given them the victory over all their enemies, and a good hope through grace that when this earthly tabernacle was dissolved, they should have a house, not made with hands, but eternal in the "heavens." Such paltry cant may suit the enthusiast and blind the ignorant, but can have no weight with the rational searcher after truth. These unfortunate creatures were most violent in condemning the doctrines of Confession and the real presence of the Eucharist. On this father Parsons has these remarks:-" Thus writeth Fox of these his women martyrs, commending them (as you see) for their constancy in denying two ancient points of belief, confession, and the real presence, not considering (simple fellow) how easy a thing it had been, to have made them deny as well twenty, as two articles. But the question is not so much, what they de nied, as what they affirmed or believed, and upon what grounds. For if a man should have asked these four women severally what points they held, as well as what they doubted of or denied, their folly and lack of faith would presently have appeared, and you should have seen that they had no certain faith at all, but opinions only, holding certain fancies at random, and without ground, which I have often seen myself, by experience, in examining divers Englishmen of these unlearned sort in foreign countries, who, so long as you ask them what they believe not, or what they deny or doubt of, they can say somewhat according to the clamours and railings which they have heard from their ministers in England, but when you come to ask them what points they believe, and do make them set the same down in particular, it is both ridiculous and pitiful to see how little they can say, no one agreeing with another, so as heretical doctrine is negative for the most part, and their instruction to the simple people is to jest, scoff, doubt, or deny, which are points that are easily learned and pleasing to the corrupted humour of man's sinful state and condition. And so much for these poor women." 22. The Conversion of St. Paul. Though this great and miraculous conversion of a persecutor into an apostle of the Catholic church, has nothing to do with Protestant saints and martyrs, yet we must notice it, to shew how correct John Fox was in making his calendar. He has placed it on the 22d day of the month, and made it only a common festival, whereas the Catholic church celebrates it as a principal double feast, and it is to be found in our present almanacks as a red letter day, on the 25th of the month. So much for Fox's accuracy on a point as clear as the noon-day sun. 23, Stephen Kemp, 24, William Hay,25, Thomas Hudson, 26, William Lowick, 57, William Prowting, 28, Nicolas Final, 29, Matthew Bradbridge, Martyrs. Though these sufferers have all their separate days assigned them in the calendar, six of them were executed at the same time at Canterbury, and the other at Wyse and Ashford. The modern editors have not noticed these saints of Fox, who were rude and disordered men, imbued with strange notions, among which was one of the most absurd ever imangined. They got it into their heads that "no man could, with a safe conscience, receive any sacrament of the church in an unknown tongue." Speaking of this silly fancy, father Parsons observes, "If a man were in a strange country, and could not be baptized but in an unknown tongue, should we not say he was a foolish fellow, that would rather forego the benefit of the sacrament than receive it in a strange language. And when any English Protestant at this day goeth into Holland or Germany, and finding the sacrament of their supper administered there in the Dutch tongue, which he understandeth not, will he refuse, think you, to communicate with them, for that he understandeth not their language wherein it is administered? Who seeth not the folly of this fancy, even in the Protestant doctrine and practice itself? For seeing that sacraments, according to their own shewing, are nothing else but signs to stir up our faith, it is sufficient for this effect, that they know what they mean, though they understand not actually the words wherin they are administered. For who knoweth not, for example, what a Dutch minister means when he sees him baptize or administer their supper, though he understands not his speech? And therefore to offer to die, as these unhappy madlings did, rather than recieve any sacrament in an unknown tongue, was truly and properly a madding mood. And if John Fox had dealt so liberally with us in this ease, as otherwise he is wont, and had put down some of their several answers to the aforesaid articles, we should have even reasons of this their fancy, or at leastwise, how they agreed therein. But you must think there was some cause why Fox would not put them down.— Which was no other, but that he liked them not, because they disagreed and coutradicted each other. Which must needs be for they were all unlearned and rude people, and every one obstinate in his own opinion.” |