Marginalia1557. Septemb.stand by a letter sent from the sayd parties, that he suffered in this yeare. 1557. and in the moneth of September, therefore we thought here to place hym. His name was Iohn Kurde a Shomaker, late of the Parish of Syrsam, in Northampton shiere, who was imprisoned in Northampton castell, for denying the Popish transubstantiation, MarginaliaWilliam Bynsley Chauncellour to the B. of Peterborow, and now Archdeacō of Northampton, condemned Iohn Kurde.for the which cause William Bynsley Bacheler of law, and Chauncellour vnto the Bishop of Peterborow, and now Archdeacon of Northampton, did pronounce sentence of death agaynst the sayd Kurde, in the Church of all Saintes in Northāpton in August. an. 1557. And in Septēber followyng, at the commaūdement of Syr Tho. Tresham, Shrieffe thē of the shiere, he was led by his officers without the Northgate of Northāpton, and in the stonepittes was
[Back to Top]burned. A Popish Priest stādyng by, whose name was MarginaliaIoh. Rote a popishe priest.Iohn Rote, Vicare of S. Giles in Northampton, did declare vnto him, that if he would recant, he was authorised to geue him his pardon. MarginaliaPopishe pardon refused.His aunswere was that he had his pardon by Iesus Christ. &c.
This account first appeared in the 1570 edition and is based on Noyes's writings and on the testimony of individual informants. But John Noyes is very probably the 'Moyse' whose escape from capture is described in 1563, p. 1698. (This is supported by the fact that the sentence condemning John Moyse of Lichfield, Suffolk, survives among Foxe's papers as BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 159r-160r).
[Back to Top]MarginaliaSeptēb. 22.IN the moneth of September this present yeare, or (as some reporte) in the yeare past, suffered the blessed Martyr Ioh. Noyes, whose story here foloweth.
MarginaliaPersecution by the Cōstables, Shrieffes, and Iustices of Suffolke.First M. Thomas Louell beyng then chief Constable of Hoxton Hundred, in the Countie aforesayd, and one Iohn Iacob, and William Stannard then beyng vnder Constables of the aforesayd town of Laxfield, and Wolfren Dowsing, and Nicholas Stannard of the same towne, beyng then accompted faithfull and Catholicke Christians, though vndoutedly they approued most cruell hinderers of the true professours of Christ and his Gospell, with others, were commaunded to be that present day before the Iustices, whose names were M. Thurston, Syr Iohn Tyrrell, and M. Kene, and Syr Iohn Syllyerd beyng hye Shriffe.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaCharge geuen by the Inquisitors.These sittyng at Hoxton in the Countie of Suffolke aforesayd, and there the sayd townesmen aforesayd hauing commaundemēt of the sayd Iustices, to inquire in their towne, if there were any that would neglect to come to their seruice and Masse, further to examine
the cause why they would not come, and thereupon to bryng the true certificate to the sayd Iustices within xiiij. dayes then next ensuyng: they then cōmyng homeward, beyng full of hatred agaynst the truth, and desirous to get promotion, without any such commaundement of the Iustices (as farre as we can learne) tooke counsell one with an other how to attach the sayd Iohn Noyes without any more delay.
[Back to Top]This deuilish enterprise agreed vpō, MarginaliaCounsell taken for attaching of Iohn Noyes.chiefly through the coūsell of M. Thomas Louell, Wolfren Dowsing, and Nicholas Stannard aforesayd, MarginaliaIohn Noyes house beset about.with expedition his house was beset on both sides. This done, they found the sayd Iohn Noyes on the backside of the sayd house goyng outward, and Nicolas Stannard called to the sayd Iohn and sayd, whether goest thou? And he sayd: to my neighbours. MarginaliaIohn Noyes taken by Nicholas Stannard persecutor.And the sayd Nicolas Stannard said: your Master hath deceiued you: you must go with vs now. But the sayd Iohn Noyes aunswered: no, but take you heede your Master deceiue not you. And so they tooke him, and caried him to the Iustices the next day. After his appearance and sundry causes alleaged, MarginaliaIohn Noyes cast in Eye dungeon.the Iustices and the Shriffe together cast him into Eye dongeon, & there he lay a certaine tyme: And then was caried from thence to Norwich, and so came before the Byshop where was ministred vnto hym these positions folowyng.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaEx Regist.
Articles agaynst Iohn Noyes.1. Whether he beleued that the ceremonies vsed in the Church, were good and godly to stirre vp mens myndes to deuotion.
2. Item, whether he beleued the Pope to be supreme head of the Church here in earth.
3. Itē, whether he beleued the body of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee in the Sacrament of the altar vnder the formes of bread and wyne, after the wordes of consecration.
MarginaliaReall presence denied.Wherunto he aunswered, that he thought the naturall body of Christ to be onely in heauen, and not in the Sacrament. &c.
MarginaliaSentence red agaynst Iohn Noyes.For the which, Sētence at last was read by the Byshop agaynst him, in the presence of these there sittyng the same time, Doct. Dunnyng Chauncelour, Syr W. Woodhouse, Syr Thomas Woodhouse, M. George Heydon, M. Spenser, W. Ferrar Alderman of Norwich, M. Thurston, Wynesden with diuers other.
[Back to Top]More of his examinations then this, came not to our handes.
In the meane time, his brother in law one Nicholas Fiske of Dinnyngton goyng to comfort him at such tyme as he remained prisoner in the Guild Hall of Norwich, after Christiā exhortation asked him if he did feare death when the Bishop gaue Iudgement agaynst him, consideryng the terrour of the same. And the sayd Noyse answered: He thanked God he feared not death no more at that tyme, then he or any other did beyng at libertie. Then the sayd Nicholas required him to shew the cause of his condēnation. Vpon which request the sayd Iohn Noyes writ with his own hand as followeth.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe cause of Iohn Noyes cōdemnation.I sayd (quoth he) that I could not beleue that in the Sacrament of the altare there is the naturall body of Christ, that same body that was borne of the virgine Mary. But I sayd that the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ is receiued of Christian people in the remembraunce of Christes death as a spirituall foode, if it be ministred accordyng to Christes institution.
[Back to Top]But they sayd I could not tel what spiritually ment. The Bishop sayd that þe Sacramēt was God, and must be worshipped as God. So sayd the Chauncellor also.
Then aunswered I: My Lord, I can not so beleue. Then quoth the Byshop, why? then say thou doost beleue. Notwithstandyng these subtle collusions could not preuayle.
Now beyng condemned he was sent agayne from Norwich to Eye prison, and vpon the xxj. day of September in the yeare aforesayd about midnight, he was