Foxe is emphasising Cowbridge's alleged insanity as a fallback position after having badly embarrassed himself. In the Rerum, Foxe stated that he witnessed the burning of Cowbridge at Oxford in 1536 (actually 1538). In this narrative, Foxe claimed that Cowbridge was arrested and imprisoned in the Bocardo (the town prison of Oxford) where his reason was undermined by hunger and lack of sleep. He thereupon said many foolish things and rumours spread that there was a heretic at Oxford who could not bear to hear the name of Christ and the common people were persuaded that he should die. He was burned at the stake, but died with great tranquillity (Rerum, p. 139). In 1563, Foxe added details to this account - including some rather accurate ones about Cowbridge's family and background (William Cowbridge's father had been twice elected bailiff of Colchester (this was the city's highest municipal office) and he died in 1510. Margaret Cowbridge, William's mother, was charged with heresy on 15 July 1528 and purged herself on 17 July (BL, Harley MS 421, fo. 30v. Purging oneself was a means of gaining acquittal by having people of good status and reputation swear on oath to one's innocence of the charges. The fact that Margaret Cowbridge could provide such witnesses so quickly is an indication of her own status). For this family information, Foxe clearly consulted well-informed sources in Colchester. Another sign of how well Foxe researched this matter is that Foxe prints articles charged against Cowbridge, which he claims he obtained from a copy sent to the Lord Chancellor (It was very unusual for the charges against a heretic to be listed when notification was sent to Chancery of the heretic's condemnation. The documents Foxe saw where probably sent to Audley as a result of Cromwell's intervention in the case). The first article Foxe presents matches the eighth article against Cowbridge as copied into Bishop John Longland's register. The second article Foxe presents appears to be a garbled version - probably distorted by Foxe - of the fourth article against Cowbridge, which stated that neither the apostles nor the doctors of the Church knew how a sinner could be saved (Lincolnshire Archives Office, Register 26, fo. 284v).

Harpsfield raised a number of cogent objections to Foxe's account of the proceedings against Cowbridge, observing (in particular) that Cowbridge was tried in an ecclesiastical court and not by the theologians at Oxford, as Foxe claimed. Drawing 'on certain narratives of grave and pious men, who were not only eye-witnesses to the burning, like Foxe, but some of them also to what happened to Cowbridge at Oxford, men moreover, who were not boys at the time, as was your Foxe, but mature in age and judgement'. Harpsfield then described Cowbridge's examinations, trial and condemnation in detail (Dialogi sex, pp. 853-857). Harpsfield related that after Cowbridge was condemned, Bishop Longland had him sent to Oxford, in the hopes that the theologians there could save his soul before he was burned (Dialogi sex, p. 857). Most strikingly, Harpsfield produced a list of heretical beliefs which Cowbridge admitted holding. These are shortened and simplified, but basically accurate, versions of articles confessed to by Cowbridge and recorded in Bishop Longland's register; it is clear that Harpsfield drew directly or indirectly on the register (cf. Dialogi sex, pp. 859-60 with Lincolnshire Archives Office, Register 26, fos. 284v-285r). Among other things, Harpsfield accurately observed that Cowbridge declared Christ the deceiver, not the redeemer, of the world, that everyone who believed in the name of Christ was damned to hell, but that Jesus was good and that Christ's words at the Last Supper should be translated as 'This is my body by which the people shall be cheated and deceived' (Dialogi sex, pp. 859-60).

Faced with Harpsfield's well-documented criticisms, Foxe beat a hasty retreat in his second edition. He dropped his claim that Cowbridge was driven insane through mistreatment. He also deleted a sympathetic account of Cowbridge's background and life. Instead of defending Cowbridge, Foxe rather lamely declared that Cowbridge was insane and that burning a madman only demonstrated the Antichristian cruelty of the Catholic (Here Foxe is trying to turn Harpsfield's demonstration of the unorthodox nature of Cowbridge's beliefs to his polemical advantage. Since Cowbridge held outrageous religious beliefs, he therefore must have been insane. And the burning of a madman simply confirmed the cruelty of the Catholic prelates).

Thomas S. Freeman.

Here Foxe is trying to turn Harpsfield's demonstration of the unorthodox nature of Cowbridge's beliefs to his polemical advantage. Since Cowbridge held outrageous religious beliefs, he therefore must have been insane. And the burning of a madman simply confirmed the cruelty of the Catholic prelates.

This account essentially related about Puttedew in the Rerum (p. 165). Foxe apparently never learned anything more about this obscure figure.

This account simply repeats what Foxe said about Leiton in the Rerum (p. 165). Foxe apparently learned nothing new about this obscure individual.

Thanks to a local informant, in the 1570 edition, Foxe was able to replace his meagre account of Peke, with this detailed, and probably accurate of Peke's execution. This is a reminder of the importance of local informants to Foxe's work.

I.e., forty days indulgence from the punishments of Purgatory.

Foxe is supplying these names to counter any criticisms that he that he had invented this account.