bridge aboute the. xxviii. day of this Month of August beinge not longe time after the sayde maister Denley had there also suffered.
There was a note in the Rerum stating that Harwood was burned at Stratford on 30 August 1555 while Thomas Fust was burned at Ware (Rerum, p. 523). Foxe's complete account of these martyrs was first printed in the 1563 edition and was drawn entirely from official records, now lost, of the diocese of London. This account was unchanged in subsequent editions.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaSteuen Horwood. Thomas Fust.ABoute this tyme dyed also (by cruell fyre) these two martirs of God: that is to saye, Stephan Horwood, at Stratforde, and Thomas Fust at Ware. Which both two, as they were aboute one tyme burned, with the foremencioned Robert Smith, and George Tankerdfield, although in sundry places: so were they also examined and openly condemned to gethers with them. Their processe, be cause they are comenly in one maner and forme, I thinke superflious to make repetiociō of: they maye be vnderstanded by such ample histories as I haue before mencioned, to the which I referre the reder. In the laste appearing, which was the. xii. day of Iuly, þe said Thomas Fust (being by the Bishop moued to reuoake his opinion) said. No my Lord, for there is no truth commeth out of your mouthe, but all lyes. Ye condemne men, and will not heare the truth. Where can ye fynde any annointing or greasinge in Gods booke? I speake nothinge but the truth, and I am certaine that that is the truthe that I speake. This aunswere of him only I fynd noted by the register: who, howe slēderly they haue delte with vtteringe of suche matters, experience hath wel taught.
Foxe is articulating here one of the two reasons why he preferred to use a martyr's own account, or the testimony of sympathetic witnesses, to official records: official records were often terse, formulaic and those who wrote them often uninterested in recording details of considerable interest to Foxe. (The other reason was that they often contained statements by the martyrs that were embarrassing to Foxe). While historians such as A. G. Dickens or G. R. Elton praise Foxe for his pioneering research in archival sources, it should be remembered that for Foxe they were a poor second choice, to be used only, as in the case of Harwood and Fust, when there was nothing better available.
[Back to Top]The Rerum contains a note that William Hale was burned at Barnet in late August 1555 (Rerum, p. 523). Foxe's entire account of William Hale was printed in the 1563 edition and was unchanged in subsequent editions. Foxe's information on Hale was drawn from official records, now lost, of the London diocese.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaWyllyam Hayle.THis William Hayle of Thorpe in the coūtye of Essex, was sent vnto Boner byshop of London by Syr Nicholas Hare knyghte and other of the Commisioners, in the companye of George Tankerfield, Robert Smithe and others, as appereth by their letters to the saide byshop before mencioned: and was also with the saide Tankerdfielde and Smithe. &c. brought to be examined into the Byshops house, the vi. daye of Iuly, 1555. and there in forme of their ecclesiasticall law, had the same articles and questions propounded and obiected vnto him, as had the saide Tankerfielde, and others, heretofore spokē of, tending al to the maintenaunce of their popish trash & pelfe The deniall whereof, (as at a moste greuouse sore) the byshop and his complices found them selues not smally offended. Which not withe standing, yet this godlye martir (with the reste did moste constantly denye aswell their propitiatorie sacrifice of their masse, with theyr
[Back to Top]Transubstantiated bread, as also other theyre supersticious ceremonies and hipocritycal seruyce. And therfore the xii. day of Iulye, after sondry examinatiōs, and appearings, and geuing this exhortatiō vnto the people: MarginaliaHailes wordes to the people.Ah good people beware of this Idolatrer, and this Antichrist, poynting vnto the bishop of London, he was condemned for an hereticke, and deliuered to the poore Shriffes (as to their comon tormentors) to be burned, who sent him to Barnet,
In the months following the burning of John Bradford and John Leaf at the beginning of July 1555, the London authorities had heretics who had been convicted in the capital burned in villages surrounding it, instead of in Smithfield. This was undoubtedly due to fears of tumultous behaviour from the crowds drawn to the Smithfield executions.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAugust. 31.ABoute the last daye of Auguste was Iohn Newmanne of Maydestone in Kent Pewterer, burned at Saffron Walden, in the county of Essex, for the testimonye of Christes veritye. Whose examination and condemnation, because it was in one tyme and forme, with maister Iohn Dēley I doo here omitte, referring the reder, for the knowledge therof, vnto his history, Pag. 1244. Howe be it for the better vnderstanding of the cause of hys deathe, here foloweth the confession of his fayth & beliefe, for the which they did thus cruelly persecute and burn him.
[Back to Top]This confession of faith was printed in 1563, dropped in the next two editions and re-inserted in the 1583 edition. Foxe apparently had a copy of this document in exile, as he stated that he would print it in the Rerum (p. 513), although he never did.ECL 261, fo. 61r-v is a copy of this confession.
The Lorde is the protectour of my life.MarginaliaAbac. 2.The iust shal liue by faythe, and if he withdrawe him selfe, my soule shal haue no pleasure in him.MarginaliaHebru. 10
MarginaliaGen. 1. 2.MY faythe is that there is one God, which is withoute beginninge and without ending. This God created all thinges visible and inuisible. And after that he had made both heauen and earth with all other creatures, he made mā, and set him in þe place which he had prepared for him which place he called Eden: he gaue to Adam his commaundementes, and preceptes, and sayd, when so euer thou dost the thing which I forbid, thou shalt sureley dye the death: yet did man for all this disobey God his creatour, and after his sinne he fled from God, hid him selfe, and was in a miserable desperate case. But God seing man in this miserable estate, MarginaliaGen. 3.because he and all his posteritie should not cōtinue in deathe, promised Adam that the womans sede shoulde treade the serpentes heade, wherby is ment that the sonne of God should become man, and destroye the deuill. Whiche by his subtil perswasions had deceiued Adam. Then did Adam by fayth take holde of Gods promise, and became the seruaunte of righte-
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