But before we come to his suffering, fyrst to touch something of his lyfe, vocation, and thoccasion of his trouble & persecution. This Richard Wodman Iren maker of the parish of Warbelton in the county of Sussex, and dioces of Chichester of the yeage of. xxx. yeares & somwhat more, was first sent to the kinges Bench by maister MarginaliaIustices of Sussex troublers of Rich. Woodmā. and what wer their names.Ihon Ashbornham, maister Tostō, maister Culpeper, & maister Robertes Iustices of peace in the Countye of Sussex. The occasion of this sending him to prisō was for certen wordes speaking to one MarginaliaFayrebanke.Fairbanck in the pulpit preaching, the cause of which his speaking was this. The sayd Fairbancke had bene a maried priest, and had serued the cure at Warbelton before that time, where as he had often perswaded & willed the people not to credite or beleue any other doctrin then that which he did preache and teache vnto them according to the doctrine set fourth in King Edwardes daies. And afterwards in the beginning of quene Maries rayne the saide Fairebancke did preach cleane contrary to þt which he had before taught. Wherevpō this Richard Wodman hearing him in þe church of Warbelton so to preach cōtrary to him selfe, sayd vnto him, and desired him to teach them the truth. For before he had taught them one thing, and nowe an other. For the which words he was committed to warde by the persons aboue named. In the which prison of the kinges bench he continued from Iune, the space almoste of iiii. monethes. And from thence was transferred by MarginaliaD. Story.Doctor Story into Boners Colehouse where he remayned the space of a moneth, before he came to examynation, of the which his examinations we haue heretofore sufficiently discoursed.
[Back to Top]After these examinacions thus had and commensed with Story and the Bishops, he was shortly after called fourth to his condemnation, and so depriued of his life, with whom also was burned the same George Steuens and with them moreouer were burned viii. which were taken but the same daye, or els the daye before. The names of whom altogether heare folow vnder written.MarginaliaMartyrs.
[Back to Top]These persones here aboue named and blessed Martires were put to death at Lewes the. xxii. of Iune. Of the which number the viii. last were taken, as is sayde, eyther the same daye, or the daye before, and so wyth the sayd. ii. wodman and Steuens were commit-
ted to the fier, in which space no wrytte could come downe from London to the Iustices, for theyr burning.
It was illegal to execute a person for heresy without a writ from the lord chancellor authorizing the execution.
See 1563, pp. 1702-03; 1570, pp. 2254-56; 1576, pp. 1947-48 and 1583, pp. 2054-55.
This brief note is that all that Foxe ever printed on Ambrose; it appeared without change in all four editions.
MarginaliaAmbrose dyed in prison Confessor.AFter these x. aboue named burnte at at Lewes, about the same time and moneth, one Ambrose died in Maydstone prison, who els shuld haue bene burned in the like cause and quarel, as the other were.
This account first appeared in the 1563 edition and remained fundamentally unchanged in subsequent editions. It was based on the account of an individual informant, apparently Thomas Sutterton, the sheriff of Norwich, or someone sympathetic to him. Interestingly, although Foxe had a copy of the condemnation of Miller (BL, Harley MS 425, fos. 155r-156r), he didn't use it.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIuly 13.IN the moneth of Iulye next ensued the martirdom of Simon Miller, & Elizabeth Coper. This Simō dwellinge then in the towne of Linne, a godly and zelous mā in the knowledge of the Lord and of his trueth, detestinge and abhorring the contrary enforced religion then sette fourth, came from Linne to Norwiche, MarginaliaSimon Myller a Marchantwhere he standing in the presse & hearing of the people, comming oute the same time from theire popish seruice, ended in the church, beganne to aske them comming out of the churche where he might go to haue the communion. At which wordes diuers much merueling to heare and see his bouldnes, some other that was an euyll disposed papiste, hearing the same, sayd if he would neades go to a communion, hee woulde go bring him thither where hee shuld be sped of his purpose. And so by reason therof shortly after was brought to the Chauncelor of Norwych (whose name was Downing) who after a fewe words and small talke passed with the sayd examinante committed him to warde and custody. In the meane while as he was in examinatiō, he had in his shoe his cōfession written in a certaine paper, wherof a peace apearing aboue his shoe, it was spied and taken out. The Chauncelor asking if hee would stand to the confessiō of the same faith therin conteined, he constantly affirmed the same. Whereupon, as is sayde, hee was committed. Thus the sayd Simon beinge in the bishops house vnder custody of the keper ther,
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