onely left at home, seinge the man to walke a lone, supposing he had bene some Citizen ther left behind, and waiting for opening the gate, went & opened the wicket, asking if he would go out. Yea said he, with a good wyl, if ye wyl let me out. With al my hart, quod the Porter, and I pray you so do.
And thus the said Dabney taking the occasion offered of God, beyng let out by the Porter, escaped out of the Wolues mouthe. The procession being done, when the byshop returned home, Dabney was gone and coulde not be found. Wherupon much search was made, but especially Iohn Auyles layed much priuy wayte for hym. Who after long searching, when hee coulde not get him, at length receyued. xv. crownes of hys wyfe to let hym alone, when hee shoulde see hym. And so that good man escaped.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAlexander a minister deliuered by Goddes prouidence from hys enemies.
This account first appeared in the Rerum (pp. 637-38). In it, Foxe described Wimshurst as an old friend of his.
being aged, other men shall girde thee and lede thee whether thou wilt not: in thys abusinge the scripture to his priuate meaning, wheras notwithstanding he mighte easelye (as it is to be supposed) haue accomplished so small a request, if it had liked him. Thence was he caried to Story & Cooke the commissioners, there to learne what shoulde be come of him. Before them he did vse him self boldly and stoutly, as they on the other side did vrge him with captious questions verye cruellye. And when they had bayted the poore man theyr fyll, they dyd aske him where hys hoore was. Shee is not my hore (sayd he) but my lawfull wyfe. She is thy hore, saith they. She is not my whore (said he agayne) but my wyfe, I tell you. So when they perceiued that he woulde not geue place vnto them, nor attribute to them so muche as they looked for at his hand, accordinge to the ordinary maner, they command him to prisō. And now marke well the prouidence of God in hys preseruation. Hee was broughte into Clunies house at pater noster rowe, thence to be caried to Lollardes Tower out of hande, but that Cluny (as it happened) his wyfe, and his mayde were so earnestlye occupied aboute present busines that as then they had not laysure to locke vp theyr prisoner. In the hall where Alexander sat, was a straunge woman whose husband was then presently in trouble for religion, which perceyued by some one occasion or other that this man was broughte in for the like cause. Alacke good man, sayeth shee: if you will you maye escape the cruell handes of youre enemies, for asmuche as they be al a waye that shoulde looke vnto you. God hathe opened the waye vnto you for delyuerance, and therefore lose not the oportunity therof if you be wise. With those and such like woordes beinge then perswaded, he gate out of doores, and went awaye, without any hast makåg at al: so that if any had folowed, he might haue bene easelye recouered agayne. But vndoubtedly it was Gods wyll that hee should so escape the furye of hys aduersaryes, and he preserued from all daungers of deathe and imprisonment.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaBosoms wyfe.
Bosome's wife also related a story to Foxe about the martyr Elizabeth Pepper (see 1563, p. 1734 and 1583, p. 2145). This would suggest that she was also Foxe's source for this anecdote.