MarginaliaAn. 1555. Aprill.sleue and bad hym recant and saue his lyfe. To whom he answered: I would as fayne lyue as you, if in so doyng, I should not deny my maister Christ, & so agayne he should deny me before his father in heauen.

MarginaliaThe B. readeth out the sentence.So the Byshop read out hys Sētence vnto the end, and straight after sayd vnto hym: Now wyll I no more pray for thee, then I wyll for a dogge.MarginaliaA dogged saying of the Bishop. And Marsh aunswered, that notwithsting, he would pray for his Lordship: and after this the Byshop deliuered hym vnto the Sheriffes of the CityMarginaliaG. Marsh deliuered to the Shiriffes. Then his late keeper bad hym fare well good George, wyth weepyng teares: which caused the officers to cary hym to a prison at the Northgate, where he was very straitly kept vntil the tyme he went to hys death, during which tyme he had small cōfort or reliefe of any worldly creature.

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For beyng in the dongeō or darke prison, MarginaliaThe strait keepyng of Marsh in prison.none that would hym good, could speake wyth hym, or at least durst enterprise so to do for feare of accusation: and some of the Citizens which loued hym in God for the Gospell sake (whereof there were but a fewe) although they were neuer acquainted wyth hym, would sometyme in the euenyng at a hoale vpon the wall of the City (that went into the sayd darke prison) call to hym, and aske hym how he dyd.MarginaliaThe brotherly zeale of good men in comfortyng G. Marsh. He would answere them most cherefully, that he did wel, and thanked God most highly that he woulde vouchsafe of hys mercy to appoynt hym to be a witnes of hys truth, and to suffer for the same: wherein he did most reioyce, besechyng him that he would geue hym grace not to faynt vnder the Crosse, but patiently beare the same to hys glory and comfort of hys Church: with many other lyke Godly sayinges at sondry tymes, as one that most desired to be with Christ. Once or twise he had money cast him in at the same hole, about ten pence at one tyme, and two shillings at an other tyme: for which he gaue God thankes, and vsed the same to his necessitie.  

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When the tyme and day appointed came that he should suffer: the Shriffes of the Citie (whose names were MarginaliaAmry, and Couper Shiriffes of Chester.Amry & Couper) with their officers and a great number of poore simple Barbers, with rousty Billes & Polaxes, wēt to the Northgate, and there tooke out the sayd George Marsh, who came with them most humbly and mekely, with a locke vpon his feete.MarginaliaMarsh lead to his Martyrdome. And as he came vppon the way towardes the place of execution, some folkes profered him money, and looked that hee should haue gone with a litle purse in his hand (as the maner of felons was,MarginaliaThe old vse in Lancashyre to get money to bye Trentals. accustomed in that citie in times past, at their goyng to execution) to the ende to gather money to geue vnto a Priest to say Trentals of Masses for them after their death, wherby they might (as they thought) be saued: but Marsh sayd MarginaliaG. Marsh refuseth to receaue money going to hys death.he would not as then be troubled with medling wyth money, but wylled some good man to take the money, if the people were disposed to geue any, and to geue it vnto the prisoners or poore people. So he went all the way vnto hys death, with his booke in hys hand, looking vpon the same, and many of the people sayd: thys man goeth not vnto hys death as a thiefe, or as one that deserueth to dye.

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Now when he came to the place of execution without the City, neare vnto Spittle boughton, one Vawdrey, being then deputy chaumberlaine of Chester, shewed Marsh a writyng vnder a great seale, saying that it was a pardō for hym if he would recant. MarginaliaG. Marsh refuseth the Queenes pardon.Whereat Marsh aunswered, that he would gladly accept the same (and sayd farther, that he loued the Queene) but forasmuch as it tended to plucke hym from God, he could not receaue it vpon that condition.

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After that, he began to speake to the people shewing the cause of his death, and would haue exhorted them to sticke vnto Christ. Whereupon one of the Sheriffes sayd: MarginaliaG. Marsh not suffred to speake to the people.George Marsh, we must haue no sermoning now. To whom hee sayd, maister, I cry you mercy: and so kneling downe made hys prayers, and then put of hys clothes vnto hys shirt, and then was he

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chayned vnto the post, hauing a number of Fagots vnder hym, and a thyng made like a firkin,  

wyth pitch and tarre in the same ouer his head: and by reason that the fier was vnskilfully made, & that þ^e winde did driue the flame to & fro, he suffred great extremity in his death, which notwythstandyng he aboade very paciently.

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Wherin this in hym is to be noted, that when as he had ben a long time tormented in the fire wythout mouing, hauing his flesh so broyled and puft vp that they which stoode before hym vnneth could see the chayne wherewyth he was fastened, and therefore supposed no lesse but he had bene dead, notwythstandyng sodenly he spread abroad hys armes, saying: father of heauen haue mercy vpon me, and so yelded his spirite into the hands of the Lord.

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Vppon this, many of the people sayd that he was a Martyr, and died MarginaliaThe pacience of G. Marsh the blessed martyr.marueilous patiently & godly. Which thyng caused the Byshop shortly after to make a Sermon in the Cathedrall Church, and therein affirmed, that the sayd Marsh was an hereticke, burnt like an hereticke, and was a firebrand in hell.

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In recompence of this his good and charitable Sermon, within short tyme after, the iust iudgemēt of God appeared vpon the sayd Byshop: recompensing hym in such wise, MarginaliaGods iust reuenging hand vpon a persecuting Bish.that not long after he turned vp his heales and dyed.  

Vpon what cause his death was gendred, I haue not here precisely to pronounce, because the rumour and voyce of the people is not alwayes to be folowed. Notwithstandyng such a report went in all mēs mouthes, that he was burned of an harlot. Wherupon whether he dyed or no, I am not certaine, neither dare leane to much vpon publicke speach. Albeit this is certain, that whē he was afterward searched beyng dead, by some of his secret frendes & certeine Aldermen for stoppyng the rumour of þ^e people, this maydenly Priest and Byshop was found not to be free from certeine appearaunce, which declared but small virginitie in him, & that the rumour was not raised vp altogether vpon naught, amongest the people. But of this I will stay, and proceede no farther, not because more can not bee sayd, but because I will not be so vncharitable in defacing these men, as they are cruell in condemning Gods seruauntes to death.

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This good man wrote diuers and sondry letters out of prison besides his examinations, as before ye haue