Thus ended all these glorious. x. soules that day, theyr happy liues vnto the lord, MarginaliaThe age of these tenne made the summe of 406.whose ages all did growe to the summe of. 406. yeares or thereaboutes: the lorde graunt we may wel spend our yeres and daies likewise, to his glory. Amen.

Iohn Thurstone died in Colchester Castle.  

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John Thurston

John Thurston is the husband of Margaret Thurston who was burned in Colchester in September 1557 (see 1563, pp. 1631-33; 1570, pp. 2215-16; 1576, p. 1912, and 1583, pp. 2020-21). This account was printed in the 1563 edition and unchanged in subsequent editions.

MarginaliaIhō Thurstone a confessor of Christ.BEfore you haue heard of the taking of one Iohn Thurstone at Muchbentley in the house of one William Munt, of the same town. Page. 1606. whiche said Iohn Thurstone afterward, about the moneth of May, in the yere aforesaid, died in Colchester Castle, a constaunt confessor of Iesus Christ.

MarginaliaT. More burnt at Leycester. THe story and name of this yong man being omitted before in the yere of our Lord. 1556, commeth now to hand, though somewhat out of place (comming no soner to our hands) yet not to be passed vtterly, not to be depriued of his memory. The name of this yong man was Thomas More, a merchāts seruāt, dwelling in Leycester, about the age of. 24. and after in maner of an husbād man, for speaking certain wordes that his maker was in heauen and not in the pixe, was apprehended in the countrey, being w^t his frends. Who by his Ordinary there asked, whether he did not beleue his maker to be there aboue the high altar, he denied the same. Thē the bishop asked, how then, said he, doest thou beleue? The yong mā answered again, as his crede did teach him. To whō the B. said: and what is yonder þ^t thou seest aboue thaltar? he answering, said: for soth I cannot tell what you would haue me to see. I see there fine clothes, with goldē tassels, and other gay gere, hanging about the Pixe. What is within I cannot se. Why, doest thou not beleue, saith the B. Christ to be there, flesh bloud, and bone? No, that I do not. Wherupon the Ordinary making short with him, red the sentence, and so condemned the true and faithful seruant of Christ to death in s. Margaretes church in Leycester, who was burnt and suffered a ioyful & glorious martyrdom for the testymonye of righteousnesse, in the same towne of Leycester, the yere of our Lord aboue mentioned. 1556. about the. 26. of Iune.

☞ To this Thomas More, we haue also annexed the aunsweres and examination of one Iohn Iackson before Doctor Cooke, one of the Commissioners, for that it belongeth vnto the same yere, as thother before.

Iackson.

FIrst when I came before him, he rayled on me, and called me heretike. I aunswered and saide: I am no heretike.

Cooke. Yes, quod he. For maister Read tolde me that thou wast the rankest heretique of all them in the kinges Benche.

Iack. I said I knew him not.

Cooke. No quod he? yes he examined thee at the kinges Bench.

Iack. I answered him, and said: he examined fiue other, but not me.

Cooke. Then aunswer me. What saiest thou to the blessed sacrament of the altar? Tell me.

Iack. I answered. It is a diffuse questiō to aske me at þ^e first dash, you promising to deliuer me

Cooke. What an heretike is this, quod he?

Iack. I said it is easier to call a man heretyke then to proue him one.

Cooke. Thē he said. what church art thou of?

Iack. What church, quod I? I am of the same church that is builded on the foundation of the prophets and the apostles, Iesus Christ beyng the head corner stone.

Cooke. Thou art an heretike, quod he?

Iack. Yea quod I? how can þ^t be, seing þ^t I am of þ^e church? I am sure you wil not saye that the Prophetes and Apostles wer heretikes.

Cooke. No quod he. but what sayest thou to the blessed sacramēt of the altar again, tel me.

Iack. I answered him and saide. I finde it not written.

Cooke. No quod he? Keper, away with him.

Iack. Yet I taried there longer, and dyd talke w^t him. I said. Sir, I can be content to be tractable and obedient to the word of God.

Cooke. He answered and saide to me that I knew not what the woorde of God mente, nor yet whether it wer true or not.

Iack. I answered & said to him, yes þ^t I doe.

Cooke. Wherby, quod he?

Iack. Hereby said I. our sauior Christ sayeth: search the scriptures. for in them you thinke to haue eternall life. for they be that testifye of me, sayth Christ.

Cooke. This is a wyse proofe, quod he.

Iack. Is it so, quod I? What saye you then to these wordes that the Prophete Dauid sayde? whatsoeuer he be þ^t feareth the Lorde, he wyll shew him the way that he hath chosen. his soule shall dwell at ease, and his sede shal possesse the lande: the secretes of the Lord are among them that feare him, and he sheweth them his couenaunt &c.

Cooke. Wel quod he, you shall be rid shortly one way or other.