Marginalia1558.ner of true seruyng of God, she and her familye were many times threatned by messengers, MarginaliaLadie Kneuet threatned by the Bishop.that the Byshop would visite her therefore. Vnto which messengers she would alwayes aunswere, that if hys Lordship sent word before what day he would come, he should thereafter be entertained at her hand. But God, whose prouidence ruleth the raging Seas, neuer suffered them all that toyling time to molest her: Although oftētimes, when she had seruice before her, there were very great enemies to the truth and of much authoritie that came in, and kneled to prayer among them, and yet had no power to trouble her therfore.

This good Lady kept good hospitalitie, as any in that countrey of hir liuing. She also succoured many persecuted that came to hir house in Q. Maries dayes. Were they neuer so simple, they were estemed of her as the frendes of the Gospell, and departed not without money and meat. MarginaliaThe great age of the Ladye Kneuet.Borne she was long before king Edward the fourth died, and ended her life in the Lord Iesus, as one in blessed peace, the ij. yeare of Q. Elizab.

Vnto whom not vnworthely may be compared the good Lady Elizab. Vane,MarginaliaLady Elizab. Vane, a great relieuer of Gods people. who being a like harborer of the afflicted Martyrs, was in great hassards of the enemies, but of her thou shalt read before. 1824.

Iohn Dauys a childe of xij. yeares and vnder.  

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This account is taken from Davis's own, much longer account of this episode, which he sent to Foxe and which survives among Foxe's papers (BL, Harley MS 425, fos. 69v-70r).

MarginaliaIohn Dauis a childe vnder the age of xij. yeares cast to be burned for the 6. Articles, and yet by Gods prouidence preserued.AN Dom. 1546. and the last yere of king Henry the viij. Iohn Dauis a childe of the age of xij. yeares and vnder, who dwelling in the house of M. Ihonson Apothecarie in the towne of Worcester his vncle, vsing to read sometimes of the Testament & other good English bookes, was complained of by Alice Iohnson his mistres, which Alice being an obstinate person, consulted with one Thomas Parton, and one Alice, wife to Nich. Brooke Organ maker, with certein of the Canons, & M. Iohnson Chancelour to D. Heath their Bishop. The meanes whereby he was entrapped, was wrought by the foresaid Alice Brooke, who procured Olyuer her sonne, scholefelow with the saide Iohn Dauis, to faine frendship with him, and vnder pretense to be instructed, to see his English bookes, and especially to get some thing of hys wryting against the sixe Articles. Which being had, was soone brought to the Canons of the church and the Chancelor. MarginaliaAlice Broke Thom. Parton are persecutors of Iohn DauisWherupon Tho. Parton, whether being sent or of his owne mind, came to apprehend him, & his vncle was forced against his wil to binde the poore boyes armes behinde him: and so he was brought to the officers of the towne, where he lay from the 14. day of August, till the last of September. MarginaliaIohn Dauis cast into prison.Then was he commaunded to the freemās prison. Where one Rich. Howborough comming to perswade hym from burning, willed him to proue first with a candle. Who then holding his finger, and the other the candle vnder it a good space, yet (as the partie himselfe to me assureth) felt no burning therof, neither would the other that helde the candle beleeue him a great while, till he had looked and saw no skorching of the candle at all appeare.

MarginaliaThe cruell handlyng of Iohn Dauis in pryson.Then was the childe remoued from thence to an inner pryson called Peephole. Where the lowebailife, called Robert Yould, layd vpon him a payre of boltes, so that he could not lift vp hys small legges, but leaning on a staffe, slipt them forward vpon the groūd. The coldnes of which yrons he feeleth yet in his ankles, and shall so long as he liueth. With these boltes his lying was vpon the cold ground, hauing not one locke of straw, nor cloth to couer him, saue only two sheepe skinnes: MarginaliaIohn Dauis preserued by Gods hande from killingNeither durst father nor mother, or any of his frends come at him. Besides this and many great threates of the Papistes, there was a mad man put to him in the prison, wyth a knife about him, wherewith he ofttimes in his frantike rage, profered to thrust him in.

After this came to him one Iolyfe, and N. Yewer ij. Canons, which had his wrytinges against the sixe Articles, and hys ballet, called Come downe, for all your shauen crowne: to see whether he would stand to that he had wrytten. Which done, with many great raging words, not long after satte M. Iohnson the Chancelor in the Guild hall vpon the poore lad. Where first were brought in hys accusers, and sworne. MarginaliaIhon Dauis cast by xxiiij. men.Then were sworne also xxiiij. men, which went on his quest, and founde him giltie, but he neuer came before the Chancelor. Vpon this he was sent to the common iayle amongs theeues and murtherers, there to tary the comming of the Iudges, and so to be had straight to execution. But the mightie mercie of the Lord, who helpeth the desolate and miserable when all other helpe is past, so prouided for this sely condemned lad, that the purpose of all his hard harted enemyes was disapoynted. MarginaliaThe life of Ihon Dauis saued by the death of king Henry the viij.For before the iudges came, God toke away Henry the viij. out of this life. By reason wherof, the force of the law was then stayed, how be it he was neuerthelesse arraigned, being holden vp in a mannes armes at the barre before the Iudges: who were Portman and Maruen. Which whē they perceiued þ^t they could not burne hym, would haue him presently whipped. MarginaliaIohn Dauis saued from whipping by M. Iohn Burne.But M. Iohn Burne Esquire declaring to the Iudges how he had whipping inoughe, after that he had layne a weeke more in prison, had him home to hys house, his wife anoynted his legges her selfe with oyntment, which then were stiffe and numbed with yrones, till at lengthe when M. Burne and his, saw they could not win him to the belief of their sacrament, they put him away, least he should infect their sonne Anthonie, (as they thought) with heresie.

Thus Iohn Dauis of the age aforesaide, in what damage he was for the Gospell, ye see: And how the Lord preserued him, ye vnderstand. He endured in prison from the 14. day of August, till within 7. dayes of Easter. MarginaliaIohn Dauis yet a liue.Who is yet a liue, and a profitable Minister this day in the Church of England: Blessed be the Lorde, qui facit mirabilia solus.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Foxe text narrative.

Foxe text Latin

qui facit mirabilia solus.

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation (Wade 2004)

who alone makes miracles.

MarginaliaMistres Anne Lacy.IN this number of good gentlewomen being in trouble and daunger for Gods word, is uot to be omitted the memory of one Mistres Anne Lacy, widowe in Nottinghamshyre, who was in great daunger in Q. Maryes time, in so much that the processe was forth against her, and she ready to haue bene apprehended, being so nerely pursued, that she was driuen to hide her Bible and other bookes in a dunghill. M. Lacy her brother was then Iustice of peace: but to whom (as I haue heard) shee was but smally beholden. Neuertheles where kindred faileth, yet Gods grace neuer fayleth such as sticke to him: for in this meane tyme, as the processe came out agaynst her, Queene Mary dyed, and so she escaped.

MarginaliaCrosmans wife.ONe Crosmans wife of Tibnam longrowe in Norffolke, in Q. Maries time, for not going to church, was sought for at her house by one BarberMarginaliaBarber of Tibnam Constable, persecutour. of the saide towue, then Constable of the hundreth: who when he came to her house, she being at home with a childe sucking in her armes, stept into a corner on the one side of the chimney, and they seeking the chambers, the childe neuer cried (although before they came, it did) as long as they were there, MarginaliaExample of Gods gratious prouidence.and so by this meanes the Lord preserued her.

The congregation at Stoke in Suffolke.  

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This account was first printed in Rerum, pp. 636-37.

MarginaliaThe story of a godly congregatiō at Stoke in Suffolke.THere were some likewise which auoyded the violent rage of the aduersaryes by meanes onely of theyr number and mutuall concord in godlines, wherin they did so holde together that without much a doe none wel could be troubled: Wherof we haue example in a certayne towne of Suffolke called Stoke. After the iij. sharpe yeares of Q. Maryes persecution beyng past, yet notwithstanding the inhabitants of the towne aforsaid, specially the women, came not to the church to receiue after the Popishe maner, the Sacrament. Who, if they had ben but few, they could by no means haue escaped imprisonment. But because there were so many, the Papistes thought it not best to lay handes vpon them. Onely they appointed them xvj. dayes respite after Easter, wherein as many as weuld, should receaue the Sacrament: they that would not, should stand to the perill that would follow. Of this company which were many, geuing their handes together, the chiefest doers were these.

These, after the order was taken for theyr not comming to the Churche, tooke aduisement among them selues what was best to be done, and at length conclnded by promise one an other, that they woulde not receiue at all. Yet some of them afterwarde being persuaded wyth faire promises that the Communion should be ministred vnto them according to kyng Edwardes booke, gat them vnto the parishe priest (whose name was CotesMarginaliaCoates Parish priest of Stoke.) and asked him after which sorte he would minister the Sacrament. He aunswered to such as he fauoured, that he would geue it after the right sort: the rest should haue it after the Papisticall maner.

MarginaliaIoh. Steyre & Ioh. Foxe reuolted.To be short, none did communicate so, but onely Iohn Steyr and Iohn Foxe: of which the one gaue his wiue leaue to do as she thought best. The other went about with threates to compell his wife, saying that otherwise he would diuorce hym selfe from her. As for the rest, they did withdraw themselues from church, resorting to their wouted company. Onely Foxes wife taryed still at home, all in her dumpes and heauines,