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Thematic Divisions in Book 5
1. Preface to Rubric 2. The Rubric 3. Mary's First Moves 4. The Inhibition5. Bourne's Sermon 6. The True Report7. The Precept to Bonner 8. Anno 15549. From 'The Communication' to 'A Monition' 10. Bonner's Monition11. Mary's Articles for Bonner 12. The Articles 13. From Mary's Proclamation to the 'Stile'14. From the 'Stile' to the 'Communication' 15. The 'Communication' 16. How Thomas Cranmer ... 17. Cranmer18. Ridley 19. Latimer20. Harpsfield's Forme 21. 1563's Disputational Digest22. Political Events up to Suffolk's Death 23. Between Mantell and the Preacher's Declaration 24. The Declaration of Bradford et al 25. May 19 to August 1 26. August 1 - September 3 27. From Bonner's Mandate to Pole's Oration 28. Winchester's Sermon to Bonner's Visitation 29. Pole's Oration 30. From the Supplication to Gardiner's Sermon 31. From Gardiner's Sermon to 1555 32. From the Arrest of Rose to Hooper's Letter 33. Hooper's Answer and Letter 34. To the End of Book X 35. The Martyrdom of Rogers 36. The Martyrdom of Saunders 37. Saunders' Letters 38. Hooper's Martyrdom 39. Hooper's Letters 40. Rowland Taylor's Martyrdom 41. Becket's Image and other events 42. Miles Coverdale and the Denmark Letters 43. Bonner and Reconciliation 44. Robert Farrar's Martyrdom 45. The Martyrdom of Thomas Tomkins 46. The Martyrdom of Rawlins/Rowland White47. The Martyrdom of Higbed and Causton 48. The Martyrdom of William Hunter 49. The Martyrdom of Pigot, Knight and Laurence 50. Judge Hales 51. The Providential Death of the Parson of Arundel 52. The Martyrdom of John Awcocke 53. The Martyrdom of George Marsh 54. The Letters of George Marsh 55. The Martyrdom of William Flower 56. Mary's False Pregnancy57. The Martyrdom of Cardmaker and Warne 58. John Tooly 59. The Examination of Robert Bromley [nb This is part of the Tooly affair]60. Censorship Proclamation 61. The Martyrdom of Thomas Haukes 62. Letters of Haukes 63. The Martyrdom of Thomas Watts 64. Martyrdom of Osmund, Bamford, Osborne and Chamberlain65. The Martyrdom of Ardley and Simpson 66. The Martyrdom of John Bradford 67. Bradford's Letters 68. William Minge 69. The Martyrdom of John Bland 70. The Martyrdom of Frankesh, Middleton and Sheterden 71. Sheterden's Letters 72. Martyrdom of Carver and Launder 73. Martyrdom of Thomas Iveson 74. John Aleworth 75. Martyrdom of James Abbes 76. Martyrdom of Denley, Newman and Pacingham 77. Examinations of Hall, Wade and Polley 78. Richard Hooke 79. Martyrdom of William Coker, et al 80. Martyrdom of George Tankerfield, et al 81. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Smith 82. Martyrdom of Harwood and Fust 83. Martyrdom of William Haile 84. Examination of John Newman 85. Martyrdom of Robert Samuel 86. George King, Thomas Leyes and John Wade 87. William Andrew 88. William Allen 89. Martyrdom of Thomas Cobb 90. Martyrdom of Roger Coo 91. Martyrdom of Catmer, Streater, Burwood, Brodbridge, Tutty 92. Martyrdom of Hayward and Goreway 93. Martyrdom and Letters of Robert Glover 94. John and William Glover 95. Cornelius Bungey 96. Martyrdom of Wolsey and Pigot 97. Life and Character of Nicholas Ridley 98. Ridley and Latimer's Conference 99. Ridley's Letters 100. Life of Hugh Latimer 101. Latimer's Letters 102. Ridley and Latimer Re-examined and Executed103. More Letters of Ridley 104. Life and Death of Stephen Gardiner 105. Martyrdom of Webb, Roper and Park 106. William Wiseman 107. Examinations and Martyrdom of John Philpot 108. John Went 109. Isobel Foster 110. Joan Lashford 111. Five Canterbury Martyrs 112. Life and Martyrdom of Cranmer 113. Letters of Cranmer 114. Martyrdom of Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield 115. Persecution in Salisbury Maundrell, Coberly and Spicer 116. William Tyms, et al 117. The Norfolk Supplication 118. Letters of Tyms 119. John Hullier's Execution120. John Hullier 121. Christopher Lister and five other martyrs 122. Hugh Lauerocke and John Apprice 123. Katherine Hut, Elizabeth Thacknell, et al 124. Martyrdom of John Harpole and Joan Beach 125. Thomas Drury and Thomas Croker 126. Thomas Spicer, John Deny and Edmund Poole 127. Thomas Rede128. Persecution of Winson and Mendlesam 129. William Slech 130. Avington Read, et al 131. Wood and Miles 132. Adherall and Clement 133. A Merchant's Servant Executed at Leicester 134. Thirteen Burnt at Stratford-le-Bow135. Persecution in Lichfield 136. Hunt, Norrice, Parret 137. Martyrdom of Bernard, Lawson and Foster 138. John Careless 139. Letters of John Careless 140. Martyrdom of Julius Palmer 141. Guernsey Martyrdoms 142. Dungate, Foreman and Tree 143. Martyrdom of Joan Waste 144. Three Men of Bristol145. Martyrdom of Edward Sharpe 146. Four Burnt at Mayfield at Sussex 147. John Horne and a woman 148. Northampton Shoemaker 149. Prisoners Starved at Canterbury 150. More Persecution at Lichfield 151. Exhumations of Bucer and Phagius along with Peter Martyr's Wife152. Pole's Visitation Articles for Kent153. Ten Martyrs Burnt at Canterbury154. The 'Bloody Commission'155. Twenty-two Prisoners from Colchester156. Five Burnt at Smithfield157. Stephen Gratwick and others158. Edmund Allen and other martyrs159. Edmund Allen160. Alice Benden and other martyrs161. Richard Woodman and nine other martyrs162. Ambrose163. The Martyrdom of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper164. Rose Allin and nine other Colchester Martyrs165. John Thurston166. Thomas More167. George Eagles168. Richard Crashfield169. Fryer and George Eagles' sister170. John Kurde171. Cicelye Ormes172. Joyce Lewes173. Rafe Allerton and others174. Agnes Bongeor and Margaret Thurston175. Persecution at Lichfield176. Persecution at Chichester177. Thomas Spurdance178. Hallingdale, Sparrow and Gibson179. John Rough and Margaret Mearing180. Cuthbert Simson181. William Nicholl182. Seaman, Carman and Hudson183. Three at Colchester184. A Royal Proclamation185. Roger Holland and other Islington martyrs186. Richard Yeoman187. John Alcocke188. Alcocke's Epistles189. Thomas Benbridge190. Stephen Cotton and other martyrs191. Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver192. Three at Bury193. The Final Five Martyrs194. William Living195. The King's Brief196. William Browne197. Some Persecuted at Suffolk198. Elizabeth Lawson199. Edward Grew200. The Persecuted of Norfolk201. The Persecuted of Essex202. Thomas Bryce203. The Persecuted in Kent204. The Persecuted in Coventry and the Exiles205. Thomas Parkinson206. The Scourged: Introduction207. Richard Wilmot and Thomas Fairfax208. Thomas Greene209. Bartlett Greene and Cotton210. Steven Cotton's Letter211. Scourging of John Milles212. Scourging of Thomas Hinshaw213. Robert Williams214. Bonner's Beating of Boys215. A Beggar of Salisbury216. John Fetty217. James Harris218. Providences: Introduction219. The Miraculously Preserved220. Christenmas and Wattes221. Simon Grinaeus222. John Glover223. Dabney224. Alexander Wimshurst225. Bosom's wife226. The Delivery of Moyse227. Lady Knevet228. Crosman's wife229. Congregation at Stoke in Suffolk230. Congregation of London231. Robert Cole232. Englishmen at Calais233. John Hunt and Richard White234. Punishments of Persecutors235. Tome 6 Life and Preservation of the Lady Elizabeth236. The Westminster Conference237. Nicholas Burton238. Another Martyrdom in Spain239. Baker and Burgate240. Burges and Hoker241. Justice Nine-Holes242. Back to the Appendix notes243. A Poor Woman of Exeter244. Those Burnt at Bristol: extra material245. Priest's Wife of Exeter246. Gertrude Crockhey
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1198 [1135]

but set your affection on heauenly things, wher Christ sitteth on the right hand of god: be meke, and long suffering, serue & edifie one another, with the gift that god hath geuen you: beware of strange doctrine, lay asyde the olde conuersation of gredye lustes, and walke in a new lyfe. Beware of all vncleannes, couetuousnes, foolish talking, false doctrine, and dronkennes: reioice and be thankefull towardes god, and submit your selues one to another: cease from sin, spend no more time in vyce, be sober and apt to pray, be pacient in trouble, loue eche other: and let the glory of god and profite of your neighbours be the onely marke ye shote at in al your doings. Repent ye of the life that is past, & take better heede to your doinges hereafter. And aboue all things cleaue ye fast to him, who was deliuered to death for our sinnes, & rose agayne for our iustification. To whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honor & rule for euermore. Amen. At Lancaster the 30. of Au. 1554.

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By me an vnprofitable seruaunt and pri-
soner of Christ George Marshe.

Salute from me in Christ  

Commentary   *   Close

The ending of this letter varies in Letters of the Martyrs (p. 679) and in the second, third and fourth editions of the Acts and Monuments from the versions in Rerum (p. 441) and 1563. Probably Bull altered the text of the letter and Foxe reprinted his version of the letter. This provides an example of the influence of Henry Bull's editing on the Acts and Monuments.

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all others, whyche loue vs in the faith, and at your discretiō make them partakers of these letters: and pray ye all for me, and others in bondes for the gospel, that the same god (which by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistry, vnto true christianitie, & now of loue proueth our paciences by persecution) will of his mercye and fauour in the ende gloriously deliuer, either by death, or by lyfe, to his glory. Amen.

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The life and history of VV. Flower, who for striking of a priest, was apprehended, fyrste hauing his hand cut of, and after martyred for his constant standing to the truth.  
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The Martyrdom of William Flower

There is only a brief note on Flower in the Rerum (p. 431). This note merely states that William Flower, alias Branch, struck a priest at Westminster while he was celebrating mass. A month later on 24 April 1555, Flower had his hand cut and was then burned at the stake.

In the 1563 edition, Foxe had all of the materials on Flower's martyrdom which he would ever print. Most of this material came from Bishop Bonner's official records, but Foxe also printed an account of an interview the Marian martyr Robert Smith had with Flower. And in the appendix to the 1563 edition, Foxe printed an account of Flower's execution and a final prayer which he undoubtedlyobtained from an eyewitness while the first edition was being printed. Apart from moving the description of Flower's execution from the appendix into the main narrative of his martyrdom, Foxe made no substantial changes to his account of Flower in his second edition nor in any subsequent editions.

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FIrst, concerning þe life & bringing vp of this godly person w. Flower, otherwise named Branche: he was born at Snowhyl, in the countie of Cambridge, where he went to schole certain yeres, & then came to the Abbey of Ely, where after he had remained a while, he was professed Monke, accordyng to the order, and rule of the same house, wherein he remained vsyng and bearing the habite of a Monke, & obseruing the rules and orders of the same house vntyll he came to 21. yeres of age, or there aboute: And before he came to þt age, and beyng a professed Monke, he was made a priest also in þe same house, & there did celebrate & sing masse, a good space together. And after that by reason of a visitation, & certain iniunctions geuen in þe same by þe autority of king Henry the 8. he forsoke þe same house, & casting from him the said monkes habite & religion aforesaid, toke vpō him & vsed þe habite of a seculer priest, & returned to Snow hil wher he was born. and ther he did celebrate and sing masse, & taught children their Primer & accidence, about half a yere together. And thā

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wēt frō thence to Ludgate in Suffolke, & there serued as a secular prieste about a quarter of a yere: & frō thēce he thē went to Stony lād, wher he taried & serued as a seculer priest also, vntil þe cōming out of þe 6. articles: & thē he departed frō thence, & went into Gloucester shire, where after he had made his abode in þe coūtrey a while, at lēgth in Tewkesbury he maried a yong womā called Alice Pulton, wt whom he euer after faithfully & honestly continued. And after þt his mariage, he taried in Teuxbury about two yeres together: and then from thence he wēt vnto Borsley, where he taried 3. quarters of a yere, & practised phisicke & surgery, & frō thence remoued to Northāpton shire, where vnder a gentle mā he taught children their primers, & to write & read a good space. And so departing from these parties, came to Londō, at þe instance of one Iones a capper, dwelling in Barmondsey streate. And so after a while desirous to see his coūtrey, returned to Snohil where he was borne: from thence to Branckstrey in Essex, then to Coral, where he taught childrē a space: & so came to Lābeth beside Londō, where he hired a house, and placed his wife, where he & his wife haue euer sence dwelt together til this time: howbeit for þe most part he was alwais abroad, & very seldom at home, except once or twise in a month to visite & see his wife, where he being at home vpon Easter day about x. & xi. a clocke in þe forenoone of þt same day, he came ouer the water frō Lābeth into s. Margarets church at Westminster, where he finding & seing a prieste ministring & geuing þe sacrament of the aulter to the people, & therwt being greatly offended in his consciēce wt the priest for the same his doing (for þt he iudged hī not to be a catholike minister, neither his act to be catholike & laudable according to gods word, did strike & woūd him vpō þe head, & drawed bloude of him. In the whiche so doing as in dede he did not well, or euangelically,  

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Foxe is quite concerned to register his disapproval of Flower's assault on Cheltham.

so afterward being examined before B. Boner, did no lesse confesse his not wel doing in the same, submitting therfore himselfe willingly to punishmēt when it should come: Howbeit touching his belief in the sacramēt & the popish ministration, he neither wold nor did submit himself.

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VVherupon this foresaid W. Flower, being first apprehended & laid in the Gate house at Westminster (where he hadde geuen two grotes the daye before to the prisoners) wt as many yrons as he could beare: afterward was cōuented before Boner his Ordinary, April. 19. An. 1555. where the bishop examinyng him vpon a boke (after his ordinary manner) ministred articles & interrogatories to him. But before I speake of the articles, firste we haue here to set foorth what communicatiō passed betwixt him and Robert Smith being then also there prisoner with him in Newgate, concerning his facte done at Westminster, the tenour and effecte of which communication here foloweth.

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The
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