Marginalia1558. Iune.doth by thys their present Proclamation, declare & publishe to all theyr subiectes, that whosoeuer shall after the proclaming hereof, be found to haue any of the sayd wicked and seditious bookes, or finding them, do not forthwith burne the same, without shewing or reading the same to any other person, shall in that case be reputed and taken for a rebell, and shall without delay be executed for that offence according to þ^e order of Martiall law.

Geuen at our Manor of Saint Iameses, the sixt day of Iune.

Iohn Cawood Printer.

The order and occasion of taking certaine godly men and women praying together in the fieldes about Islington, of whom 13. were condemned by Boner, and after suffered in the fire for the truthes sake, as in this story here following may appeare.  

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The Islington Congregation

This account of the Islington congregation and the seven members of it who were martyred first appeared in the 1563 edition, except for the short but detailed biography of Roger Holland which first appeared in the 1570 edition. This material was unchanged in subsequent editions.

MarginaliaIune. 27.MarginaliaXXij. men taken.
Xiij. Martyrs burned.SEcretly in a backe close in the field by the towne of Islington were collected and assembled together a certayne company of godly and innocent persons, to the number of fourty, men and women. Who there sitting together at prayer, and vertuously occupyed in the meditation of Gods holy word, first cōmeth a certayne man to them vnknowen: who looking ouer vnto them, so stayed and saluted them, saying that they looked like men that ment no hurte. Then one of the sayd company asked the man, if he could tel whose close that was, and whether they might be so bolde there to sitte. Yea, sayd he, for that ye seme vnto me such persons as entende no harme, and so departed. Within a quarter of an houre after, cōmeth the Constable of Islington, named King,MarginaliaKing Constable of Islington. warded with sixe or seuen other, accompanying hym in the same busines, one with a bowe, another with a bill, & other with theyr weapons likewise. The which sixe or seuen persons the sayd Constable left a litle behynd hym in a close place, there to be ready if nede should be, while he with one with him should go and view them before. Who so doing, came through them, looking and viewing what they were doing, and what bookes they had: and so going a litle forward, and returning backe againe, bad them deliuer theyr bookes. They vnderstāding that he was Cōstable, refused not so to doo. With that commeth forth the residue of hys fellowes aboue touched, who bad them stand and not to depart. They answered agayne, they would be obedient and ready to go whether soeuer they would haue them: and so were they first caried to a bruehouse but a litle way of, while that some of þ^e sayd souldiours ran to the Iustice next at hand. But the Iustice was not at home: Wherupon the were had to sir Roger Cholmley. In the meane time some of the women being of the same number of the aforesayd xl. persons, escaped away from them, some in the close, some before they came to the bruehouse. For so they were caryed x. with one man, 8. with an other, and with some moe, with some lesse, in such sort that it was not hard for them to escape that would. In fine, they that were caryed to Syr Roger Cholmley, were. 27. which MarginaliaSir Roger Cholmley, & Recorder of Lōdon, persecutors.Syr Roger Cholmley & the Recorder taking theyr names in a bil, and calling them one by one, so many as aunswered to theyr names, they sent to Newgate. In the which number of them that answered, Marginalia22. sent to Newgate.and that were sent to Newgate, were. 22.

These 22. were in the sayd prison of Newgate 7. weekes before they were examined, to whom word was sent by Alexander the keeper, that if they would heare a masse, they should al be deliuered. Of these fore sayd 22. were burned 13. in Smithfield 7. at Brayneford. vj.

MarginaliaCōfessors.JN prison 2. dyed in Whitson weeke, the names of whom were Mathew Wythers, T. Tylar.

Seuen of them which remained, escaped with theyr liues hardly, although not without much trouble, yet

(as God would) without burning. Whose names were these.MarginaliaPersecuted Christians.

Iohn Milles.   Commentary     Close See 1563, pp. 1690-92; 1570, pp. 2243-44; 1576, pp. 1937-38 and 1583, pp. 2044-45. Thomas Hinshaw.   Commentary     Close See 1563, pp. 1691-92; 1570, pp. 2242-43; 1576, pp. 1937-38 and 1583, pp.2043-44. R. Baily, wolpacker. Robert Willeys.

Hudleys. T. Coast, haberdash. Roger Sandey.

The first 7. were brought fourth to examination before Boner, and so hauing theyr condemnation, were burnt (as is sayd) in Smithfield. The other 6. followed not long after, and suffred at Brayneford, wherof specially here followeth now in order of story to be seene.

MarginaliaIune. 27.MarginaliaVij. Martyrs burned in Smithfield.COncerning the examination and condemnation of these aboue sayd, which were apprehended and taken at Islington, 7. first were produced before Boner the 14. of Iune, to make answere to such articles and interrogatories, as by the sayd Bishop should be ministred vnto them. The names of these seuen were:MarginaliaMartyrs.

To these 7. constant and godly Martyrs produced before Boner, certayne articles were ministred in this effect as followeth.

Marginalia1.MarginaliaArticles by B. Boner ministred to the vij. Martyrs aforesayd.FIrst that ye being within the citie and dioces of London, haue not (according to the common custome of the catholicke church of thys realme of England) come to your owne parish church, not yet to the Cathedrall church of thys citie and dioces of London, to heare deuoutly and christianly the Matins, the Masse, the Euensong, song or sayd there in the latin toung, after the common vsage and maner of the church of this realme.

Marginalia2.Second, that ye haue not come to any of the sayd churches to pray, to go in procession, or to exercise your selues there in godly and laudable exercises.

Marginalia3.Thyrd, ye haue not cōformed your selues duely to all the laudable customes, rytes, and ceremonyes of any the sayd churches.

Marginalia4.Fourth, ye haue not bene confessed at due times and places to your owne curate, of your sinnes.

Marginalia5.Fifth, ye haue not receaued at your sayd Curates handes (as of the minister of Christ) absolution of your sinnes.

Marginalia6.Sixt, ye haue not at due times and places, of your Curate receaued reuerently and duely the sacrament of the altar.

Marginalia7.Seuenth, ye haue not faythfully and truely beleued that in the sayd sacrament of the altar there is really and truly the very body and bloud of Christ.

Marginalia8.Eight, ye haue not by your mouth, nor otherwise by your deede expressed or declared in any wise, that ye with out wauering or doubting do thinke and beleue, that the fayth and religion now obserued in the church of England, is a true fayth and religion in all poyntes.

Marginalia9.Ninth, ye haue not made any signification, that ye doe in deede approue, or allow in any wise, the common seruice in latine, here obserued and kept in the church of this realme of England.

Marginalia10.Tenth, ye haue not beleued, nor doe beleue at thys present, that the seruice in latin, commonly vsed and obserued in the church of this realme, is good and lawfull, and not agaynst the word of God.

Marginalia11.Eleuenth, ye haue in times past liked, alowed, and approued, as good and godly, and so doe like, alow, and approue at this present, the seruice in English, þ^e bookes of common prayer, the bookes of Communion, the religion and faith set forth and vsed in the time of King Edward the sixt, especially as it was set forth and vsed in the latter dayes of the sayd King Edward.

Marginalia12.Twelth, ye haue in times past bene very desirous,