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John Medwel, Servant to Master Carket, Scrivener.

Henry

VIII.

to

This Medwel lay in prison twenty-four weeks, till he was almost lame. His A.D. heresies were these:-That he doubted whether there was any purgatory. He 1532 would not trust in pardons, but rather in the promises of Christ. He doubted, whether the merits of any but only of Christ did help him. He doubted whe- 1533. ther pilgrimages and setting up of candles to images, were meritorious or not. He thought he should not put his trust in any saint. Item, he had in his custody, the New Testament in English, the Examination of Thorp, The Wicked Mammon, a book of Matrimony.2

Christopher Fulman, Servant to a Goldsmith, A. D. 1532.

This young man was attached, for receiving certain books at Antwerp of George Constantine, and transporting them over into England, and selling them to sundry persons, being books prohibited by the proclamation. Item, He thought then those books to have been good, and that he had been in error in times past.

Margaret Bowgas, A. D. 1532.

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Her heresies were these:-Being asked if she would go on pilgrimage, she said, I believe in God, and he can do me more good than our Lady, or any other saint; and as for them, they shall come to me, if they will,' &c. Then Richard Sharples, parson of Milend, by Colchester, asked her if she said her Ave Maria. I say,' said she,' Hail Mary, but I will say no further.' Then, said he, if she left not those opinions, she would bear a faggot. If I do, better, then, I shall,' said she, adding moreover, that she would not go from that, to die there-for:' to whom the priest answered and said, She would be burned. Hereunto Margaret, again replying, asked the priest, 'Who made martyrs ?' Tyrants,' quoth the priest, make martyrs, for they put martyrs Tyrants to death.' So they shall, or may, me,' quoth Margaret. At length, with make much ado, and great persuasions, she gave over to Foxford, the chancellor, and submitted herself.

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John Tyrel, an Irishman, of Billerica, Tailor.

martyrs.

His articles were these:-That the sacrament of the altar was not the body of Christ, but only a cake of bread. Furthermore, the occasion being asked, how he fell into that heresy, he answered and said, that about three weeks Latimer before Midsummer last past, he heard Master Hugh Latimer preach at St. Mary, preached Abchurch, that men should leave going on pilgrimage abroad, and do their pilgrimage to their poor neighbours. Also the said Master Latimer in his age. sermon did set at little the sacrament of the altar.

William Lancaster, Tailor, A.D. 1532.

The cause laid to this man was, that he had in his keeping the book of Wickliff's Wicket. Item, That he believed the sacrament of the altar, after the words of consecration, not to be the body of Christ really, &c. Item, Upon the day of Assumption, he said, that if it were not for the speech of the people, he would not receive the sacrament of the altar.

Robert Topley, Friar, A.D. 1532.

pilgrim

married.

His articles: He being a Friar Augustine of Clare, forsook his habit, and going in a secular man's weed ten years, married a wife, called Margaret A friar Nixon, having by her a child; and afterwards, being brought before the bishop, he was by him abjured, and condemned to be imprisoned in his former monastery; but at last he escaped out, and returned to his wife again.

(1) It is heresy with the pope, to trust only to the merits of Christ.
(2) Ex ipsius schedula ad Episc. Scripta.

Henry
VIII.

A.D.

Thomas Topley, Augustine Friar, at Stoke-clare.

By the occasion of this Robert Topley aforesaid, place is offered to speak 1532 something likewise of Thomas Topley, his brother belike, and also a friar of to the same order and house of Stoke-clare. This Thomas Topley had been con1533. verted before by one Richard Foxe, priest of Bumstead, and Miles Coverdale, insomuch that he, being induced, partly by them, partly by reading certain verdale. books, cast off both his order and habit, and went like a secular priest. Whereupon he was espied, and brought to Cuthbert, bishop of London, A. D. 1528, before whom he made this confession as followeth.

Miles Co

Wicket.

The Recantation of Thomas Topley.'

All christian men beware of consenting to Erasmus's Fables, for by consenting to them, they have caused me to shrink in my faith, that I promised to God at my christening by my witnesses. First, as touching these fables, I read in Colloquium, by the instruction of sir Richard Foxe, of certain pilgrims, who, as the book doth say, made a vow to go to St. James, and as they went, one of them died, and he desired his fellows to salute St. James in his name; and another died homeward, and he desired that they would salute his wife and his children; and the third died at Florence, and his fellow said, he supposed that he was in heaven, and yet he said that he was a great liar. Thus I mused of these opinions so greatly, that my mind was almost withdrawn from devotion to saints. Notwithstanding, I consented that the divine service of them was very good, and is; though I have not had such sweetness in it as I should have had, because of such fables, and also because of other foolish pastimes; as dancing, tennis, and such other, which I think have been great occasions that the goodness of God hath been void in me, and vice in strength.

Moreover, it fortuned thus, about half a year ago, that the said sir Richard went forth, and desired me to serve his cure for him; and as I was in his chamber, Wickliff's I found a certain book called Wickliff's Wicket, whereby I felt in my conscience a great wavering for the time that I did read upon it, and afterwards, also, when I remembered it, it wounded my conscience very sore. Nevertheless, I consented not to it, until I had heard him preach, and that was upon St. Anthony's day. Yet my mind was still much troubled with the said book (which did make the sacrament of Christ's body, in form of bread, but a Miles Co- remembrance of Christ's passion), till I heard sir Miles Coverdale preach, and then my mind was sore withdrawn from that blessed sacrament, insomuch that I took it then but for the remembrance of Christ's body. Thus I have wretchedly wrapped my soul with sin, because I have not been steadfast in that holy order that God hath called me unto by baptism, neither in the holy order that God and St. Augustine have called me to by my religion, &c.

verdale.

Furthermore, he said and confessed, that in the Lent last past, as he was walking in the field at Bumstead, with sir Miles Coverdale, late friar of the same order, going in the habit of a secular priest, who had preached the fourth Sunday in Lent at Bumstead, they did commune together of Erasmus's works, and also upon confession. This sir Miles said, and did hold, that it was sufficient for a man to be contrite for his sins betwixt God and his conscience, without confession made to a priest; which opinion this respondent thought to be true, and did affirm and hold the same at that time. Also he saith, that at the said sermon, made by the said sir Miles Coverdale at Bumstead, he heard him preach against worshipping of images in the church, saying and preaching, that men in no wise should honour or worship them; which likewise he thought to be true, because he had no learning to defend it.

William Gardiner, Augustine Friar, of Clare.

With this Topley I may also join William Gardiner, one of the same order and house of Ĉlare, who likewise, by the motion of the said Richard Foxe, curate of Bumstead, and by showing him certain books to read, was brought likewise to the like learning and judgment, and was for the same abjured by Cuthbert, bishop, the same year, 1528.

(1) Ex. Regist. Lond.

Richard Johnson, of Boxted, and Alice his Wife.

Henry
VIII.

A. D.

1532

to

This Richard and his wife were favourers of God's word, and had been troubled for the same of long time. They came from Salisbury to Boxted by reason of persecution, where they continued a good space. At length, by resort 1533. of good men, they began to be suspected, and especially for a book of Wickliff's Wicket, which was in their house, they were convented before Stokesley, bishop of London, and there abjured.

days.

So great was the trouble of those times, that it would overcharge Perilous any story to recite the names of all them that during those bitter days, before the coming of queen Anne, either were driven out of the realm, or were cast out from their goods and houses, or brought to open shame by abjuration. Such decrees and injunctions then were set forth by the bishops, such laws and proclamations were provided, such watch and narrow search was used, such ways were taken by force of oath to make one detect another so subtilly, that scarcely any good man could or did escape their hands, but either his name was known, or else his person was taken. Yet, nevertheless, so mightily the power of God's gospel did work in the hearts of good men, that the number of them did nothing lessen for all this violence or policy of the adversaries, but rather increased in such sort, as our story almost suffereth not to recite the particular names of all and singular such as then groaned under the same cross of affliction and persecution of those days; of which number were these:

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All these were of the town of Bumstead, who being detected by sir Richard Foxe, their curate, and partly by Tibauld, were brought up to the bishop of London, and all put together in one house, to the number of thirty-five, to be examined and abjured by the said bishop.

of Bumstead, who ab

jured.

Moreover, in other towns about Suffolk and Essex, others also Men and were detected, as in the town of Byrbrook, these following:

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Women of Essex and Suffolk troubled for the gospel.

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to 1533.

R. Chap

man.

Cruelty showed

for mercy.

Matthew's wife.

Johnson, his wife and his son.
Thomas Hills.

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Christopher remaineth yet alive, and hath been of a long time a great harbourer of many good men and women that were in trouble and distress, and received them to his house, as Thomas Bate, Simon Smith, the priest's wife, Roger Tanner, with a number more, which ye may see and read in our first edition.'

Touching this Richard Chapman, this, by the way, is to be noted, that as he was in his coat and shirt enjoined, bare-head, bare-foot, and bare-leg, to go before the procession, and to kneel upon the cold steps in the church all the sermon time, a little lad, seeing him kneel upon the cold stone with his bare knees, and having pity on him, came to him, and having nothing else to give him, brought him his cap to kneel upon; for which the boy was immediately taken into. the vestry, and there unmercifully beaten, for his mercy showed to the poor penitent.

Beside these, divers others were about London, Colchester, and other places also, partakers of the same cross and affliction for the like cause of the gospel, in which number come in these who hereafter follow.

Peter Fenne, priest.
Robert Best.

John Turke.

William Raylond of Colchester.
Henry Raylond, his son.

Marion Matthew, or Westden.
Dorothy Long.

Thomas Parker."

Robert Wigge, William Bull, and
George Cooper, of London.
John Toy of St. Faith's, London.
Richard Foster of London.

Sebastian Harris, curate of Kensington.
Alice Gardener, John Tomson, and
John Bradley and his wife, of Col-

chester.

M. Forman, bachelor of divinity, par- John Hubert, of Esdonland, and his

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All these in this table contained, were troubled and abjured, A.D. 1527, and A.D. 1528.

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William Wily, another son.
Margaret Wily, his wife.

young girls.

John Wily, son of John Wily the elder. Lucy Wily, and Agnes Wily, two
Christian Wily, his wife.

These eight persons were accused A.D. 1532, for eating pottage and flesh-meat, five years before, upon St. James's even.

Also another time, upon St. Peter's even, as Katharine Wily did lie in childbed, the other wives, with the two girls, were found eating all together of a broth made with the fore-part of a rack of mutton.

Item, The aforesaid John Wily the elder had a primer in English in his house, and other books.

(1) The first Edition of the Acts and Monuments, p. 419. See also vol. iv. pp. 585, 586 of this Edition. This catalogue of names is omitted in all other Editions.-Ed.

(2) This Parker was abjured twenty-four years before this.

(3) Ex Regist. Lond.

VIII.

Also he had a young daughter of ten years old, who could render by heart Henry the most part of the twenty-fourth chapter of St. Matthew. Also she could rehearse without book, 'The Disputation between the Clerk and the Friar.' Item, The said John Wily had in his house a treatise of William Thorp, and sir John Oldcastle.

A NOTE OF RICHARD BAYFIELD ABOVE MENTIONED.

Mention was made before' of Richard Bayfield, monk of Bury, who, in these perilous days, amongst other good saints of God, suffered death, as ye have heard; but how, and by whom he was detected, hath not been showed; which now, as in searching out of registers we have found, so we thought good here to adjoin the same, with the words and confession of the same Edmund Peerson, who detected him in manner as followeth.

The Accusation of Edmund Peerson against Richard Bayfield.

The thirteenth day of September, at four o'clock in the afternoon, A.D. 1527, sir Richard Bayfield said, that my lord of London's commissary was a plain pharisee; wherefore he would speak with him, and by his wholesome doctrine, he trusted in God, he should make him a perfect Christian man, and me also, for I was a pharisee as yet, he said.

Also he said that he cared not even if the commissary and the chancellor both heard him; for the chancellor, he said, was also a pharisee, and he trusted to make him a christian man.

Also he said he was entreated by his friends, and, in a manner, constrained to abide in the city against his will, to make the chancellor, and many more, perfect christian men; for as yet many were pharisees, and knew not the perfect declaration of the Scripture.

Also he said that Master Arthur and Bilney were, and be, more pure and more perfect in their living to God, than was, or is, the commissary, the chancellor, my lord of London, or my lord cardinal.

A.D.

1532.

to

1533.

Also he said that if Arthur and Bilney suffer death in the quarrels and opinions that they be in or hold, they shall be martyrs before God in heaven. Also he said, After Arthur and Bilney were put cruelly to death, yet should there be hundreds of men that should preach the same that they have preached. Also he said that he would favour Arthur and Bilney, he knew their living Commento be so good; for they did wear no shirts of linen cloth, but shirts of hair, and dation of Bilney ever were fasting, praying, or doing some other good deeds. And as for one and of them, whatsoever he have of money in his purse he will distribute it, for the Arthur. love of God, to poor people.

Also he said that no man should give laud or praise, in any manner of wise, to any creature, or to any saint in heaven, but only to God; Soli Deo honor et gloria; that is, To God alone be all honour and glory."

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The godly

Also he said, Ah, good sir Edmund!' ye be far from the knowledge and understanding of the Scripture, for as yet ye be a pharisee, with many others of your company: but I trust in God, I shall make you, and many other more, good and perfect christian men, ere I depart from the city; for I purpose to read a common lecture every day at St. Foster's Church, which lecture shall field be to the edifying of your souls that be false pharisees.'

courage of Bay

The

Also he said that Bilney preached nothing at Wilsdon, but what was true. Also he said that Bilney preached true at Wilsdon, if he said that our Lady's crown of Wilsdon, her rings and beads that were offered to her, were bestowed people's amongst harlots, by the ministers of Christ's church; for that I have seen offerings myself,' he said, here in London, and that will I abide by.'

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bestowed upon

Also he said, He did not fear to commune and argue in Arthur's and Bilney's harlots. opinions and articles, even if it were with my lord cardinal.

Also he said that he would hold Arthur's and Bilney's opinions and articles, and abide by them, that they were true opinions, to suffer death there-for; 'I know them,' said he, 'for such noble and excellent men in learning.'

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