MarginaliaAn. 1555. September.I wyll obey them.

Bysh. *Marginalia* Well spoken and like the Popes clerke. Whether they agree with the word of God or not, we be bound to obey them, if the kyng were an infidell.

Coo. If Sydrach, Mysaach, and Abednago had so done, Nabuchadonosor had not confessed the liuing God.

Bysh. Then the Bishop told him, that these xxij. yeares we haue bene gouerned with such Kinges.

Coo. My Lord, why were ye then dumme and dyd not speake or barke?

Bysh. I durst not for feare of death. And thus they ended.

¶ But after this done, it was reported that I rayled: wherfore I called it to memory, and wrote this my railyng, that light should not be takē for darkenes, nor sinne for holines, and the deuill for God, who ought to be feared and honoured both now and euer, Amen.

MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Roger Coo at Yexford. An. 1555. Septem.This Roger Coo, an aged father, after his sondry troubles and conflictes with his aduersaries, at length was committed to the fire at Yexford in the Countie of Suffolke, where he most blessedly ended his aged yeares. An. 1555. Mens. Septemb.  

Commentary     Close

The last seven words were added in the 1570 edition. Foxe would have known that Coo's sentence was dated 30 August 1555 (BL, Harley 421, fos. 197r-198r); he would not have known that the writ for his execution was dated 7 September 1555 (PRO C/85/141, fo. 4r).

Thomas Cobbe of Hauerhill Bocher, Martyr.  

Commentary     Close

The Martyrdom of Thomas Cobb

In the Rerum there is merely a note that Thomas Cobb was burned at 'Chetford' [i.e., Thetford] in September 1555. This note is essentially repeated in the 1563 edition. Foxe printed his full account of Cobb in the 1570 edition and it was drawn from Norwich official documents: the sentence against Cobb and an interrogation of Cobb. (These documents remain in Foxe's papers: the sentence is BL, Harley 421, fos. 203r-204r and the interrogation is fo. 217r-v. The sentence is the original document, but the interrogation is a copy made in Foxe's handwriting). There were no changes to this account in the 1576 and 1583 editions.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaTho. Cobbe of Hauerhill in Northfolke, Martyr.OVer & besides this foresaid Roger Coo, Williã Allen, Iames Abbes of Stokennayland, Rob. Samuell and other moe, in the same yeare vpon the xij. of August was also with them condemned Thomas Cobbe of Hauerhill, Bocher and executed in the moneth of Septēber aforesayd. Who beyng brought and examined by Michaell Dunnynges the bloudy Chauncellour of Norwich, MarginaliaExaminations of T. Cobbe.first whether he beleued that CHRIST is really and substantially in the Sacrament of the aultar, MarginaliaThe reall presence of Christ only in heauē.aunswered that the body of CHRIST borne of the blessed virgine was in heauē, and otherwise (he sayd) he would not aūswere, because he had red it in the Scripture, that CHRIST did ascend, and did neuer descend since, and therfore sayd that he had not learned in þ^e Scripture, that CHRIST shoud be in the Sacrament.

Furthermore being demaunded, whether he would obey the lawes of the Realme of Englãd made for the vnitie of fayth, or no, hee aunswered, that his body should be at the Kyng and Queenes commaundement so farre, as the law of God would suffer. &c.  

Commentary     Close

While Foxe is entirely correct in his reports of what Cobb said, he is very selective in his reporting of it. He did not report Cobb's remark 'that he cannot rede in scripture that Baptisme shuld be a Sacrament' nor did he report that Cobb declared that 'he cannot fynde in goddes worde that any Sacrament is in the Church' (BL, Harley 421, fo. 217v). Foxe would have found both views completely unorthodox. It is worth repeating that Foxe must have known what Cobb actually said; he had taken the statements of Cobb which he printed from the interrogation of Cobb, and the copy of the interrogation found in Foxe's papers is in the martyrologist's handwriting.

[Back to Top]

Foxe obtained the date of Cobb's condemnation from his sentence; the original sentence is in Foxe's papers (BL, Harley 421, fos.203r-204r).

The Martyrdome of George Catmer, Robert Streater, Anthony Burward, George Brodbridge, and Iames Tuttye.  

Commentary     Close

The Martyrdoms of Catmer, Streater, Burwood, Brodbridge and Tutty

A note in the Rerum relates that George Brodbridge, James Tutty, GeorgeCatmer, Robert Streater and Anthony Burwood were burned together at Canterbury on 6 September 1555 (Rerum, p. 525). Foxe's complete account of these martyrs appeared in the 1563 edition; it seems to be drawn from a description of the examination of the six martyrs by a sympathetic observer, although it is possible that it is drawn from an official record. There are no substantial changes in the account of these martyrs in the 1570, 1576 and 1583 editions.

[Back to Top]

NOw from Northfolke and Suffolke to returne agayne into the Dioces of Canterbury,  

Commentary     Close

Note that a savage denunciation of Nicholas Harpsfield as 'a whelpe of Bonners owne hear[t]e' which appeared in the 1563 edition was replaced by this bland introductory sentence. This is a good example of Foxe tending to moderate some of his more inflamatory rhetoric in the second edition of the Acts and Monuments.

[Back to Top]

George Catmer, of Hyth. Robert Streater, of Hyth. Anthony Burward, of Calete. George Brodbridge, of Bromfield.   Commentary     Close In 1551, it was testified that George Brodebridge had stated that predestination was conditional (BL, Harley 421, fo. 134r). It is unclear whether or not Brodebridge held these views when he died. Iames Tuttye, of Brencheley.

MarginaliaExaminations of these fiue Martyrs.Who vppon the thyrd day of August were brought before Thornton the foresayd Byshop of Douer and his complices, and there were both ioyntly & seuerally examined vpon certaine Articles, touchyng the Sa-

crament of their aultar, auricular confession, and other such like.

MarginaliaExamination and answers of Catmer.To the which the sayd Catmer (beyng first examined) made aunswere on this wise: CHRIST (quoth he) sitteth in heauen on the right hand of God the father, and therfore I do not beleue him to be in the Sacrament of the aultar: MarginaliaThe reall presence of Christ only in heauen.but he is in the worthy receiuer spiritually, and þ^e Sacrament as you vse it, is an abominable Idoll.

MarginaliaExamination and answers of Streater.Next vnto him was called forth Robert Streater: who beyng also asked whether he did beleue the reall presence of CHRIST in the Sacrament of the altar, sayd, that he did not so beleue: for you do maintaine heresie and idolatrie (quoth he) in that ye teach to worshyp a false God in the Sacrament, enclosed in a boxe. It is you that are the malignaunt Church: for in your Church there are twenty thyngs vsed agaynst the law of God.

MarginaliaBurward examined.The like obiection was articulate also agaynst Anthony Burward, who also sayd, that their Sacrament was made an Idoll.

MarginaliaBrodbridge examined.After him was George Brodbridge demaunded what he sayd to those Articles. Who aunswered, that he would not be confessed of a Priest, because he could not forgeue his owne sinnes: and further sayd, that in the Sacrament of the aulter there is not the reall body of our Sauiour CHRIST, but bread geuen in the remembraūce of hym. Moreouer, as for your holy bread, your holy water, and your Masse, I do (quoth he) vtterly defie them.

MarginaliaIames Tuttie examined, with his answere to the same.And last of all did also Iames Tuttye make and confirme their sayd former aunsweres.

[View a larger version]

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

The small woodcut of five men, burned in September 1555 at two stakes in one fire at Canterbury (Type 1), was reused for two subsequent multiple burnings, including that of three men and two women at Canterbury in November 1558.

And therfore they were all fiue cõdemned to be burned as heretickes, and so were they all in one fire at Canterbury aforesayd, about the vj. day of September then next folowyng.

Thomas Hayward, and Iohn Goreway, Martyrs.  

Commentary     Close

The Martyrdoms of Thomas Hayward and John Goreway

A note in the Rerum states that Thomas Hayward and Thomas [sic] Goreway were burned at Lichfield in September 1555. Apart from correcting Goreway's name, this note was repeated in the 1563 edition. In the 1570 edition, Foxe added a statement that while the persecution was concentrated in London, East Anglia, Essex and Kent, other parts of the realm were affected as well.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThomas Hayward. Iohn Goreway, Martyrs.ALthough the rage and vehemēcie of this terrible persecutiõ in Queene Maryes dayes did chiefly light in London, Essex, Northfolke, Suffolke, and Kent, as hath ben partly already declared: yet notwithstandyng besides the same, we finde but few partes of this Realme free from this