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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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1245 [1176]

Actes and Monumentes of the church

putting of his clothes vnto his shirte, went to the stake, being burnt with a yong man of. xx yeres of age, ioyfully and constātly together, whose name was Iohn Leaffe. Thus thys Bradford being in the fire, neuer stirred him selfe: but (holding vp his hands) quietly & paciently suffred the violēce therof, vntyl it had cōsumed him into ashes, in the sight of a great multitude, to the comforte of all Gods chyldren, and the glory of his mayster, whom hee before most constantly had confessed.

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During the time of his imprisonment, being almost. 2. yeres, he had many conflictes aswel with the Anabaptists, as the Papistes, against which he wrote diuers bokes. He comforted the afflicted, strengthened the weake, & cōuerted diuers to the truth, which wer drowned in errours. He wrote sundry comfortable treatises, & many godly letters, of which som he wrote to London, Cambridge, Walden, & Manchester, where he had most preached. By which letters, that it may appere how godly a prysoner he was, howe great a care he had of their estate, what a zeale he had to performe his office, euen to the putting of of hys tabernacle, and how well he warned them all whō he taught, they shall immediatelye follow.

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¶ To the City of London.  
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This letter was first printed in the 1563 edition, reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 251-56 and then in subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments. BL, Add. 19400, fos. 31r-32v is the original letter; ECL 262, fos. 156r-160r and 214v-217r are copies of it.

TO all that professe the gospel and true doctrine of our lord and sauiour Iesus christ in the City of London, Iohn Bradford, a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lord, now not only in prison, but also excōmunicated & condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine, wisheth mercy, grace, & peace with encrease of all godly knowledge, & piety, from god the father of mercy, through the merites of our alone and omnisufficient redemer Iesus Christ, by the operation of the holy Spirit for euer. Amen.

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My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christe, although the time I haue to liue is very lytle (for hourely I loke when I shuld be had hence to be conueyed into Lankashyre, there to be burned, and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God, where I first receyued it by the same prouidence):  

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This letter was written on 11 February 1555: Bradford actually had just under five months of life left to him.

and althoughe the charge is great to keepe me from all thynges wherby I might signifie any thing to þe world of my state: yet hauing, as now I haue pen & ynk, through gods working, mauger the head of Sathan and his souldiers, I thought good to write a short confession of my fayth, & therto ioyne a litle exhortation vnto you al, to liue according to your profession.

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This mi faith I would gladlye particularlye declare and expounde to the confyrmation & cōfort of the simple: but alas by starts and stelth I write in maner that, that I write, and therefore I shall desire you al to take thys breuitye in good part.First for my fayth, I do confesse and pray all the whole congregation of Christ to beare witnes with me of the same: that I do beleue constantlye through the gift and goodnes of God (for faith is gods only gift) all the. xii. articles of the Symbole or crede, commenly attributed to the collection of the apostels, not because of the crede it selfe, but because of the word of god the which teacheth and confirmeth euery article accordinglye.  

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Bradford is quoting article eight of the 42 Articles, the defining doctrinal statement of the Edwardian church.

This word of god written by the prophets and Apostels, left and conteined in the Canonicall bokes of the hole bible, I do beleue to contayne plentifullye al thinges necessary to saluation,  
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Bradford is quoting article six of the 42 Articles, the defining doctrinal statement of the Edwardian church.

so that nothing (as necessarye to saluation) ought to be added therto: and

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therfore the churche of Christ, nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine, then which here out hath his foundation and ground. In testimonye of this faith I render and geue my lyfe, being condēned aswel for not acknowleging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar general, and supreme heade of hys catholicke and vniuersall churche here, or els where vpon earth: as for denieng the horrible and idolatrous doctrin of transsubstanciation, and Christes reall, corporal, and carnall presence in his super, vnder the formes and accidentes  

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In scholastic theology and philosophy, accidents are the physical attributes of an object, such as colour, taste, shape,etc., which do not comprise its physical essence ('substance'). The term is important in controversies over the eucharist.

of bread and wine. To beleue christ our Sauiour to be the head of his church, and Kinges in their realmes to be the supreme powers, to whom euery soule oweth obedience: and to beleue that in the supper of Christ (which the sacrament of the altar as the papists cal it & vse it, doth vtterly ouerthrow) is a true and very presence of whole christ, god and man to the faithe of the receauer (but not to the stāder by and loker vpon) as it is a true and very presence of bread and wine to the senses of men, to beleue this will not serue: & therfore as an hereticke I am condemned, & shalbe burned, wherof I aske god hartely mercye that I do no more reioyce then I doe, hauing so great cause as to be an instrument, wherin it maye please my dear Lord god and Sauiour to suffer. For albeit my manyfold synnes, euen sithen I came into pryson haue deserued at the handes of god not onlye this temporall, but also eternal fire in hell, much more then my former sinful life, which the Lord pardon for his Christes sake, as I know he of his mercy hath done, and neuer will laye mine iniquities to my charge to condēnatiō so great is his goodnes (praised therfore be his holy name:) althoughe (I say) my manyfolde & greuous late syns haue deserued most iustly al the tirāny that mā or diuell can do vnto me, & therefore I confes that the Lord is iust, & that his iudgements be true, & deserued on my behalfe: yet the bishops & prelates do not persecute thē in me, but christ him selfe, his word, his truth, & religion. And therefore I haue great cause, yea moste great cause to reioyce that euer I was born, & hither to kept of the Lord, that by my death, which is deserued for my syns, it pleaseth the heauenlye father to glorify his name, to testify his truth, to confirme his verity, to repugne his aduersaries. Oh good God & mercyful father, forgeue me my great vnthākfulnes, especially herein. And you my dearely beloued, for the lord Iesu Christes sake I hūbly & hartely in his bowels & bloud do now for my last vale and farewel in this presēt life besech you, & euery of you, that you wil consider this worke of the Lord accordingly: Firste, by me to be admonished to beware of MarginaliaHipocrisye and carnall security.hipocrisy, & carnal security: profes not the Gospel with tong & lips onely, but in hart & verity: frame & fashion your lifes accordingly. Beware gods name be not euyll spoken of, & the gospel lesse regarded by your cōuersatiō. God forgiue me that I haue not so hartely professed it, as I shuld haue don, but haue sought much my selfe therin. The Gospel is a new doctrine to the old man: it is new wine, & therfore cannot be put in old bottells, without more great hurte then good to the bottels: if we wil talk with the lord, we must put of our shooes & carnal affections: if we wil heare the voice of lord, we must washe our garments & be holy:

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if we