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satin doublet. Then he standing up, quiver- | ing and shaking with fear, said, Ah, ah, Lord have mercy upon me! Then being led by the hangman to the foot of the ladder, master sheriff Beechar commanding silence, willed master Christopher, the Secondary of the Compter in the Poultry, to publish a Proclamation, in form and effect as followeth :

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I desire you all to bear witness, that I take it t on my death, that I never meaned hurt, or harm, or any Treason toward my prince, but only that, which I did, in setting up the Bull.' Then master Young said; Lo, will ye see how he would clear himself of the heinous Treason by him committed? Then the Secondary said; Felton, thou hast been attainted of High-P The queen, our sovereign lady, Elizabeth, Treason, and found Guilty by the oath of by the grace of God, queen of England, twelve true and honest men, and therefore, acFrance, and Ireland, Defender of the true, an- knowledge thy Treason and be sorry for it, and cient, and catholic faith, straitly chargeth ask God and thy prince forgiveness. And and commandeth, by us her said officers, all, then master Beechar the sheriff, openly, before and every her loving subjects, on pain that all the people, said; Thou wast justly con⚫ shall fall thereof, that all, and every of them, demned of High Treason, and surely so thou whosoever, not appointed to the Execution of art the rankest traitor that ever I heard of; John Felton, late attainted of High Treason, and therefore, ask the queen forgiveness, and I and thereof found Guilty, by the oath of 12 pray God that he may forgive thee. Then honest and discreet men, according to her Felton said; I desire you good Mr. Sheriffs, to highness's Laws, to depart the place; that is show the queen's majesty, that I never meaned to say, twenty foot from this place, where any Treason against her grace. Mr. Beechar 'the said John Felton must receive Execution said; She shall be certified as we have found for his High Treason, according to his Judg- by thee. Then Felton willed them to show to ment; which said John Felton is here ready her grace, That he was most heartily sorry for to receive Exccution, according to the tenor his fact that he was condemned for, and that of the Judgment to him appointed. Thus he besought her grace to forgive him. That is willing all and every one, to depart (as afore-well said, quoth master sheriff Beechar, and said) that each officer, according to his office, in this matter appointed, may do his, or their office, without let or disturbance in this behalf. And thus, God save the queen.'

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At which words, all the people, being there then assembled, as it were, with one voice, cried, ‘God save the queen! And, moreover, many wished all those who mean otherwise, might come to the same end. Then Felton hung down his head, and said nothing, that either might be heard, or supposed by sight. The Proclamation being ended, he kneeled down, and said the 51st psalm, in Latin. Then he stepped up the ladder, and turned his face to the Bishop's gate, and said; Good people

bad him will all the people to forgive him, and to pray for him; and even so he did. And then he said, O Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit, in English; and as he was say ing it in Latin, In manus tuas Domine, he was turned off the ladder; and hanging there six turns, he was cut down, and carried to the block, and there his head was smitten off, and held up, that the people might see it: whereat the people gave a shout, wishing that all Trai tors were so served. Then he was quartered, and carried to Newgate to be parboiled, and so set up as the other rebels were.-God save the Queen.

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59. Arraignment, Judgment, and Execution of JOHN STORY, for Treason: 14 ELIZ. A. D. 1571. [Extracted from a Declaration of the Life and Death of John Story, late a Roman Canonical Doctor, by Profession. Imprinted at London, by Thomas Colwell, 1571. Seen and allowed, &c. A. n. 1598.]

AFTER the death of queen Mary, so

soon as our most dear sovereign lady came to the possession of the crown and that she had called a parliament, chiefly for the restitution of God's blessed Word, and the true administration of the Sacraments to God's bigh honour, and also for the amendment of the decayed state of this realm; John Story, being of the Parliament House, who was an enemy to all godly Reformations, did with great vehemency speak against the Bill that was there exhibited for the Restitution of the Book of Common-Prayer, and said these words: I did often-times, in queen Mary's time, say to the Bishops, that

they were too busy with Pecora campi (for sø it pleased him to term the poor commons of England) chopping at twiggs, but I wished to have chopped at the root; which if they had done, this gere had not come now in question:' and herein most traiterously he meaned the destruction of our dear and sovereign lady queen Elizabeth. For which words spoken, in such an audience and in such vehement manner, there was no honest nor true heart that heard him but did utterly abhor him.-And soon after that he had declared his traiterous heart to the queen's highness, and his conscience accusing him, he fled and lurked about in sundry cor

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ners, as did Cain when he had murdered his brother Abel. But at the last he was taken in the West-Country, riding before a mail in a freize coat like a serving man, and was appreebo hended in the highway by one Mr. Ayleworth, a gentleman, one of the queen's servants, and brought before the Council, and after sent to prison to the Queen's-Bench (for more than suspicion of Treason) in the first year of her highness's reign.-And after the said Story had remained there a while, he espying his time and by the help of his friends (as commonly such lewd papists lack none) he broke the said prison, and fled again beyond the seas, namely into Flanders, and there not only practised divers wicked and traiterous enterprizes towards our sovereign lady the queen's majesty and the state of this realm, by sundry conferences that he had with such as have of late rebelled and conspired the destruction of the same; but also he became an open and common enemy to every good subject of this realm of England, and obtained in Flanders, of the duke of Alva, a commission and authority to practise his old cruelty, and to arrest and apprehend all such Englishmen's goods as should arrive in those countries, or who did traffique out of England into those parts, or from thence into England, and to confiscate the same, by reason of which authority he used there such extremity, that he was the spoiler and undoer of divers merchants, and of more would have been, if he had longer continued; wherefore the said merchants were inforced to study and devise some remedy, and to practise some way or means how to remove this cumbersome man from them.

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And among other devices, they having experience of him to be a greedy and ravenous wolf, put into his head (by such as he suspected not) that there was a prey for him of English goods, in a ship that lay in a certain place which was named unto him, where he should find such a treasure of goods to be confiscated, as would be sufficient for him during his life. The wolf being hungry and desirous of this great prey, set forward, and came into a ship that promised to bring him to the place where the prey was. But, to be short, as soon as he was entered the ship, the same brought him clear away out of Flanders into England, and landed him at Harwich, in the month of August

last past.

And soon after, knowledge being given to the queen's honourable Council of his landing, he was brought to London, and there he was committed to prison to the Lollards Tower, in Powles, where he continued a while, that he might well peruse that place wherein he had most cruelly tormented inany a good Christian. But he lacked there one thing, which was the monstrous and huge Stocks, that he and Bonner, his old faithful friend, had used to turmoil and persecute the poor and innocent Christians in, hanging some therein by the heels so high, that only their heads lay on the ground: some were stocked in both feet and arms; some

VOL. I.

also were stocked by both their feet and by both their thumbs, and so did hang in the stocks: and some also were stocked by both their feet, and chained by the neck, with collars of iron made fast behind them to a post in the wall, and such other devilish and tyrannous engines and devises by him practised. These at his being in the Loliards Tower he missed, and great pity it was that he had not tasted of them but alack, the good bishop Grindel, late bishop of London, had burned and consumed them with fire.

After that Story had continued a certain of time in the Lollards Tower, and had been divers times examined, he was from thence removed to the Tower of London, where he remained until the 26th of May 1571. And then was he brought from thence into Westminster-Hall, before the Judges of the Queen's Bench, and there arraigned and after the Indictment had been read unto him, the effect whereof was: That whereas, Richard Norton, Thomas Markenfield, Christopher Nevill, Francis Norton and Thomas Jenny, alias Jennings, with other Traitors, after their offences committed in the North, and being thereof indicted in the 12th year of the queen's highness's reign, before the right honourable Thomas earl of Sussex, lord president of the queen's council in the North parts, John lord Darcy, &c. they after their Indictment did the 23rd of June, in the year aforesaid, embark themselves in sundry ships and fled this realm, unto Antwerp in Brabant, which is under the government of king Philip, and there, contrary to their allegiance, did lead their lives; and the aforesaid John Story, D. W. P. and J. P. being born in England and the queen's subjects, did with them conspire, compass, and imagine the queen's death, and her highness to depose and deprive. And by divers persuasions and letters did also procure Strangers to invade this realm of England, did receive comfort and help them at Antwerp aforesaid, against their Allegi ance, &c.

And after the Indictment read, he being. called upon by the Court to answer to the same, pleaded that he was not the queen's subject, nor had not been these seven years, but was the subject of the most catholic and mighty prince king Philip, king of Spain, to whom he was sworn, and had in fee of him one hundred pounds by the year; therefore, said he, I am not bound to answer to that Indictment, neither will I answer unto it. And here he used many pretty taunts, as well to the Judges as also pleasing himself with giving of pretty. nips and girds. And very stoutly he maintains his former Plea, affirming also, that they were not his lawful Judges, neither that they had law to proceed against him, being none of the queen's subjects. And then, being demanded where he was born? he answered, In England. Then, said they, it followeth that you are subject to the laws of this realm, and should be so to our queen. Whereunto he replied, and said, That God commanded Abra

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Master doctor Story,

For you they are right sorry,

ham to go forth from the land and country | London-Stone, and saluted him with this Metre, where he was born, from his friends and kins- saying; folk into another country; and so he following his example, for conscience sake in Religion did forsake his country and the laws of this realm, and the prince also, and had wholly given himself to the service of a foreign governor, king Philip, king of Spain. And hereupon he stood very stoutly, but to small

purpose.

Then when he perceived that they would proceed in Judgment against him, he said, They had no law so to do. And with that he turned him about to the people, and said, Good people, I trust ye see how violently I am used; and how unjustly, and contrary to all justice and equity they use me. And he added, That he had good hope, that he was not destitute of some friends there, who would give notice and knowledge to the most Catholic prince his master, how cruelly they dealed with him. And then again, being called upon to answer, one said unto him, Master Story, because you think it violence that is shewed unto you, instead of law and justice; you shall know that we do nothing but that we may do, both by law and equity.

And then one of the Judges said, This is Scarborough's Case. Nay, said Story, my Case is not Scarborough's Case, but indeed I had Scarborough's warning to come to this Arraignment; for I knew nothing thereof until seven of the clock in the morning.

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Then there was a Book delivered him to read, wherein he might see what they might do by law and after he had read it, the Judge demanded of him how he liked it? and he answered, God have mercy upon me. Lord Chief-Justice gave him Judgment, to be Then the drawn, hanged, and quartered; and so was he again sent unto the Tower.

And as he went by the way, certain persons in several places met with him, and one said, O Story, Story! thou art a strange Story: remember master Bradford, that godly man; his blood asketh vengeance on thee, Story; repent in time. Another cried on him and said, Story, call to mind the rigour thou shewedst upon master Read, a gentleman, whom thou didst utterly destroy ask God forgiveness, Story, for that wicked deed. Another cried unto him and said, Blessed be God, Story, who hath made thee partaker of such bread as thou wast wont to deal to the innocent members of Jesus Christ. Another also cried out upon him, and said, Story, Story, the abominable cup of fornication and filthiness, that thou hast given others to drink, be heaped up topful, that thy plagues may be the greater at the terrible day of God's wrath and vengeance, unless thou ask mercy for thy filthy, corrupt and stinking life. And yet again, another cried out unto him and said, I pray God that thy heart be not hardened, as was Pharoah's, and made harder than the adamant-stone, or the steel; that when he would he could not repent and call for grace.

And among all the rest, one came to him, at

The court of Lovaine and Rome:
Your holy father, the pope,
Cannot save you from rope,

To whom he answered not one word.

The hangman must have your gown.

drawn upon a hurdle from the Tower of London The 1st day of June, the said Mr. Story was unto Tyburn; where was prepared for him a And by the way, as he went, many people new pair of gallows, made in triangle manner. spake unto him, and called unto him to repent his tyranny and wickedness; and willed him though he had been asleep, and would not to call upon God for mercy: but he lay as speak to any person. And when he was taken from the hurdle, and set in a cart, he made there a solemn Protestation, and said:

"I am come hither to die: and truly, if than it is, I have deserved it: I have lived the this death were ten times more fierce and sharp space of threescore and seven years; and now my body must abide this temporal pain and by means whereof, my days shall be cut off. punishment, provided for me here in this life, But, where at the first I stood in fear of death, I thank God, this night passed I have been so comforted with God and godly men, that the fear of death is taken from my sight. And the Passion of his Son Jesus Christ, and hoping, now I appeal to God the Father, trusting in by the shedding of his blood only to be saved. And although of a long time I could not apply the virtue of his Fassion and Death to the use hovering in fear; yet now, I thank God, I and benefit of my soul, because of my long know how to apply this medicine; as for exin his shop seven years, that may help a sick or ample: an Apothecary may have a medicine diseased man, by the counsel of a physician; tient, but still remaineth in the Apothecary's but if this medicine be not applied to the pa shop, it profiteth nothing. No more, said he, could the benefit of Christ's death help me; because, though I knew the medicine good, I did not apply it unto my soul's health : but now it hath pleased Almighty God to call me have an end, and this corrupt body must feel to account of my 67 years, which now must served it (as I said before) I am now come to a temporal punishment, for my sins have dethe proof of this medicine. David, when he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, (whose husband also he caused to be put into the front of the battle, and so was murdered:) he for that trespass felt a temporal punishment, by the loss of his son, which he loved tenderly. Also, when he nambered his people, he greatly displeased God: and for his offence and transgression, he felt a temporal pain: and choice was given unto bim from above, to chuse one of these three temthree days Pestilence: the Sword; that is to poral and bodily punishments: that is to say;

ay, Bloody Battle seven years; or Famine seven years. And he thought to chuse the least; and he chose three days Pestilence: but this scourge took away an infinite number of his subjects. So now as my sins deserve a temporal pain, which here have an end, even in this flesh; I am of the same mind that the prophet David was: and with him I agree, saying, Invoco te Domine, &c. Lord, I call upon thee in this day of my trouble, hear me, O Lord, out of thy dwelling place, &c.

to talk of namely, for that there are here present a great number of youth; and I would to God I might say or speak that which might bring all men to the unity of the church; for there is but one church, one flock, and one shepherd: if I could this do, I would think myself to have wrought a good work. The first point toucheth my Cruelty, wherewith I am sore burthened and the second concerneth my Religion. As touching the first: There were three in Commission, of which I was one who might do least, for I was the last of the three. And though I might, by persuasion, assay to cause them to revoke the Articles which they had maintained, and to confess the

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who chideth, is not worthy to be condemned for fighting; no more am I worthy to be counted cruel for chiding. It was the bishop who pro

against that I could not do, for I was one of the laity. Yet oftentimes the Bishop, to whom I was a servant, was bold with me, when he had so many prisoners that he could not well bestow them. For at one time the lord Kitche sent him out of Essex 28, and at another time 16, and 14, and some of them were sent to me, whom I kept in my house with such fare as I had provided for myself and my family, at mine own cost and charge.-And to prove that I was not so cruel as I ain reported to be, let this one tale suffice: there were at one time 28 condemned to the fire, and I moved the dean of Paul's to tender their state, who after was Abbot of Westminster, a very pitiful minded man, I think most of you know him; it is M. Feckman, and we went by and persuaded with thein, and, we found them very tractable; and master Feckman and I laboured to the lord

"But now to speak a little of my Arraignment: when I was at Westminster, I alledged in my Plea, That I was no subject of this realin; as I did likewise before the queen's commissioners, sir Tho. Wroth, Mr. Tho. Wil-presence, wherein I stand: ye know that he braham, late Recorder of London, Mr. Peter Osborne, Mr. Marshe, and Mr. Dr. Wattes; where the Recorder of London made the like demand as was demanded of me at Westmin-nounced the sentence ( Excommunicamus) and ster: and that was, whether I was born in England, or no? whereunto I answered, I was. Then said he, it followeth that you are and ought to continue the queen's faithful subject. Whereunto I replied then, as I do now, saying; I am sworn to the noble king, defender of the ancient Catholic faith, king Philip, of Spain: and he is sworn again by a solemn and corporal Oath, to maintain and defend the University of Lovaine, whereof I am a member; and therefore no subject of this realm, nor yet subject to any laws thereof; For it is well known, that I departed this realm being freely licensed thereunto by the queen, who accounted me an abject and cast-away; and I came not hither again of my own accord, but I was betrayed. And although I had an inkling given me before of such a thing pretended towards me, yet I could not shun nor escape it: for sure it was God who made dim my understand-cardinal Poole, shewing that they were nesciing, and blinded mine eyes, so that I could not perceive it. But Holy Writ commandeth me to love my enemies; and here I Sorgive them freely with all my heart; beseeching God that they take no harm for me in another country; I would be right sorry they should, although they betrayed me. I travelled with them from ship to ship, by the space of eight days, and mistrusted no peril to be at hand, until I was clapped fast under the hatches. But sure, sure, it was God who wrought it: yea, and although I was accounted a poller of the Englishmen of your country, I stand now here before God, and by the death I shall die, I had never out of any ship more than two pieces of gold, and forty dollars that were laid in my hand.

"But once again, to my arraignment; where there were certain Letters laid to my charge, wherein I should go about to provoke the Nortons, the Nevills, and others to rebel; I never meaned it yet will I discharge my conscience freely and frankly, and tell you truth. There was a Commission for like matter sent into Scotland, which I wrote with mine own hand : but it contained a Proviso, wherein the queen of England and her dominions were excepted. "There are yet two things that I purpose

entes quid fecerunt.-The cardinal and we did sue together to the queen, and laid both the swords together, and so we obtained pardon for them all, saving an old woman who dwelt about Paul's church-yard; she would not convert, and therefore she was burned. The rest of them received absolution, and that with all reverence. Search the Register and you shall find it. Yea, and it was my procurenient that there should be no more burned in London; for I saw well that it would not prevail, and therefore we sent them into odd corners into the country. Wherefore, I pray ye, name me not cruel; I would be loth to have any such slander run on me: but sith I die in charity, I pray you all of charity to pray for me, that God may strengthen me with patience to suffer my death: to the which I yield most willingly..

And here. I make a Petition to you my friends, who would have bestowed any thing on me: I beseech you, for charity-sake, bestow it yearly on my wife, who hath four small children, and God hath now taken me away who was her staff and stay and now my daughter Weston and her three children are gone over to her, and I know not how they shall do for fool, unless they go a begging from door to

door for it: although, indeed, no English persons do beg but of English, being helped by the lady Dorm, and sir Francisco. I have good hope that you will be good unto her, for she is the faithfullest wife,the lovingest and constantest that ever man had: and twice we have lost all that ever we had, and now she hath lost me, to her great grief, I know.

thinking for to land; and at the last, being in the boat, I espied three oars, that is to wit, Contrition, Confession, and Absolution; and I held all these fast, and ever since I have continued in the ship of Christ, of which the Apostle Peter is the guide and principal, and in the faith Catholic of my king I die."

Then said the earl of Bedford; Are you not the queen's subject? No, said Story, yet I do not exclude the queen, but I pray for her, her council, and the nobility of this realm long to continue. Then said the lord Hunsdon, Are you not the queen's subject? You was born in England. Then said Story, Every man is earth before him to dwell and abide in where he liketh best; and if he cannot live here, he may go elsewhere. Then was there (as I think) one of the ministers hearing him to make so light of our noble queen and country, demanded of him, Whether she were not next, and immediately under God, Supreme Head of the Churches of England and Ireland? whereunto he answered, I come not hither to dispute, but if she be, she is: My Nay will not prevail to prove it otherwise.

"The second Point that I thought to speak of is concerning my Religion, for that I know many are desirous to know what faith I will die in the which I will briefly touch: I say with St. Jerome, that ancient father and pillar of the old ancient, catholic, and apostolic church, grounded upon the patriarchs, pro-free-born, and he hath the whole face of the phets and apostles, that in the same faith that I was born in, I purpose to die in. And as the Ark that Noah and his family did possess, figured the ship of Christ's Church, out of which ship whosoever is cannot be saved, in that ship am I example, A ship that is tossed on the floods is ofter in danger of loss on the sands, and sometimes on the rocks: but when the men who are in the ship espy present peril at hand, there is a cockboat at the tail of the ship, whereunto they fly for succour: so like wise, I being in the ship of Christ, once fell out of the same ship, and was in prescut peril and great danger: but then I, following the example of a good mariner, took the cockboat,

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And then they cried,' Away with the cart.' And so he was hanged according to his Jung

ment.

60. The Trial of Dr. WILLIAM PARRY,* at Westminster, for High Treason: 26 ELIZ. Feb. 25, A. D. 1584.

THE Commissioners were, Henry lord Huns-pher Wray knt. Chief Justice of England; Sir don, Governor of Berwick; Sir Francis Knolles knt. Treasurer of the queen's majesty's houshold; Sir James Croft knt. Comptroller of the same houshold; Sir Christopher Hatton knt. Vicechamberlain to her majesty; Sir Christo

"In the beginning of this year, queen Elizabeth discovered a Conspiracy of which William Parry was the author. He was a gentleiman of Wales, member of the house of commons, and had signalized his zeal for the Catholic religion in opposing alone a Bill which was preferred in the lower house against the Jesuits. He spoke upon that occasion with so much passion and vehemence, that he was committed to custody: but his submission being made he was in a few days admitted to his place in the house again. Hardly was he at liberty when Edmund Nevil, who laid claim to the inheritance of the earl of Westmoreland lately deceased in the Low Countries, accused him of conspiring against the queen; whereupon he was sent to the Tower. He owned that he had a design to kill the queen, and was persuaded thereto by Morgan an English Catholic refugee in France: that he held intelligence with Jesuits, the pope's nuntios and cardinals: that the better to deceive the queen and get free access to her person, he returned from France

Gilbert Gerrard knt. Master of the Rolls; Sir
Edmund Anderson knt. Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas; Sir Roger Manwood knt. Chief
Baron of the Exchequer; and Sir Thomas Hen-
nage knt. Treasurer of the Chamber.

into England, and discovered the whole Conspiracy to her: that afterwards, repenting of his wicked intention, he left off his dagger every time he went to her, lest he should be tempted to commit the murder: but that at length cardinal Allen's book, wherein he maintains it to be not only lawful, but honourable to kill princes excommunicated, falling into his hands, he read it, and felt himself strongly encouraged to pursue his first design: that Nevil his accuser coming to dine with him, proposed the attempting something for the deliverance of the queen of Scots, to which he answered, he had a greater design in his head: that a few days after Nevil coming to see him, they resolved to kill the queen, as she rode abroad to take the air, and swore upon the Bible to keep the secret: but that in the mean while, Nevil hearing the news of the earl of Westmoreland's death, accused him, in hopes of procuring thereby the earl's inheritance to which he laid claim. Upon this confession, he was condemned to die, and executed accordingly." Rapin.

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