A. D. Mary. tion, and being in the fire, there appeared in him that so prayed, in his breast, a miraculous white cross, as white as the paper; the 1558. breadth whereof extended from the one shoulder to the other, the length being as much as the breadth. The compass thereof in every place was as broad as a hand. This cross appeared so long till he fell down flat to the fire. Master Dean, aforesaid, did see it with his eyes; and he that saw, did justify it; and himself declared it to me with his own mouth, anno 1561, October 14th.* Moreover, concerning the said William Pikes, as he was in Newgate sore sick and at the point of death, so that no man looked he should live six hours, he declared to them that stood by, that he had been twice in persecution before, and that now he desired the Lord, if it were his will, that he might glorify his name at the stake; and so, as he prayed, it came to pass at Brentford. Ye heard before, that of those two-and-twenty taken at Islington, thirteen were burnt, and six escaped, albeit very hardly, and some of them not without scourging by the hands of the bishop; in the which number was Thomas Hinshaw and John Milles. *R. L. Quid1 miserum laceras, quid virgis, turgide, torques? Insurgunt lapides: surgunt animalia quæque Ex Epigrammate Ennii apud Ciceronem Allusio. In Effigiem Bonneri Carmen. Quid nova forma viri, quid virga, quid ora, quid alvus, Vasta quid ista velint si nescis pondera, dicam : Carnibus humanis et sanguine vescitur atro, Ergo quid hoc monstri est, recto vis nomine dicam ? Qui patre savago natus, falsoque Bonerus The same in English. Muse not so much that nature's work is thus deformed now, (1) This stanza is from the First Edition, p. 1689.-ED. (2) See Hor. Epist. II. 1. 71.-ED. mas Hin chief jus field, and In the godly number above mentioned, which were apprehended at The story Islington, there congregated together, for their exercise of prayer and of Tho reading, was this Thomas Hinshaw above named, a young man of the shaw. age of nineteen or twenty years, prentice in Paul's churchyard with. one master Pugson, who, with the rest, was carried to the constables of Islington, and there every one of them searched, and led forthwith to the chief justice master Cholmley, dwelling in the Old Bailey in Cholmley London; and by him then the said Thomas Hinshaw was sent to tice. Newgate, and there remaining prisoner without conference with any about eight weeks, at the last was sent for to Bonner, bishop of Bonner, London, and by him, Harpsfield, and Cole, examined. After which Harps examination he was sent to Newgate again, where he remained three Cole. weeks following; which time being overpassed, he was sent for again before the said bishop, the day being Saturday, and with him had much talk to little purpose. The next day after also, which was Sunday, they persuaded with him very much in like manner, and perceiving they could not bend him unto their bow, in the afternoon the bishop, going unto Fulham, took him with him, where, imme- Hinshaw diately after his coming, he was set in the stocks, remaining there all Fulham, the first night with bread and water. The next morning the bishop and set came and examined him himself, and perceiving no yielding to his stocks. mind, he sent master Harpsfield to talk with him; who, after long talk, in the end fell to raging words, calling the said Thomas Hinshaw "peevish boy," and asked him whether he thought he went about to damn his soul, or no, etc. unto which the said Thomas answered, that he was persuaded that they laboured to maintain their dark and devilish kingdom, and not for any love to truth. Then (1) See Edition 1563, p. 190.-ED. carried to in the A. D. Hinshaw with rods. Mary. Harpsfield, being in a mighty rage, told the bishop thereof; whereat the bishop fumed and fretted, that scant for anger being able to speak, 1558. he said, "Dost thou answer my archdeacon so, thou naughty boy? I shall handle thee well enough, be assured." So he sent for a couple of beaten rods and caused him to kneel against a long bench in an arbour in his The boy garden, where the said Thomas, without any enforcement of his part, offered himself to the beating, and did abide the fury of the said bishop Bonner, so long as the fat-paunched bishop could endure with breath, and till for weariness he was fain to cease, and give place to his shameful act. He had two willow rods, but he wasted but one, and so left off.1 holden to Bonner's grand paunch. Hinshaw delivered to his master. Milles shaw, in Now after this scourging the said Thomas Hinshaw notwithstanding did sustain divers conflicts and examinations sundry times. At last, being brought before the said bishop in his chapel at Fulham, there he had procured witnesses, and gathered articles against him, which the young man denied, and would not affirm, or consent to any interrogatory there and then ministered, do what they could; the articles were these. Articles objected. Concerning palms, ashes, holy bread, holy water, auricular confession, receiving the sacrament at Easter, hearing divine service then set forth, etc. Whether he had received all these, or whether he would receive them or no. Item, What he thought of the service set forth in king Edward's time, in his latter days; and, in especial, what he thought of the verity of Christ's body in the sacrament. In all which his answers, the said Thomas Hinshaw kept an upright conscience, and entangled himself with none of their ceremonies, so merciful was the Lord unto him. Not long after this his examination (about a fortnight or such a thing), the foresaid examinate fell sick of a burning ague, whereby he was delivered upon entreaty unto his master Martin Pugson, in Paul's churchyard aforesaid; for the bishop thought verily he was more likely to die, than to live. The which his sickness endured a twelvemonth or more, so that in the mean time queen Mary died. Then he, shortly after, recovered health, and escaped death, being at the writing of this yet alive, both witness and reporter of the same; the Lord there-for be praised! Amen. THE SCOURGING OF JOHN MILLES BY BISHOP BONNER. Besides the above named, was scourged also by the hands of the said Bonner, one John Milles a capper, a right faithful and true honest man in all his dealings and conditions; who was brother to the foresaid R. Milles, burnt before at Brentford, as is above signiand Hin- fied who also was apprehended in the same number with them at Islington, as is mentioned also before; and being brought before Bonner, and there examined, was commanded to the coalhouse, with the foresaid Thomas Hinshaw, where they remained one night in the stocks. From thence he was sent to Fulham, where he, with the said Hinshaw, remained eight or ten days in the stocks, during which time the stocks. (1) In the original Editions of the Acts and Monuments is a very spirited engraving of this infliction of bishop Bonner. It pourtrays the bishop, with his robes off, belabouring the object of his displeasure in regular schoolboy undress; the representation of this episcopal feat is denominated "The ryght picture and true counterfeyt of Boner, and his crueltye in scourgynge of Goddes Sanctes in his orcharde."-ED. he sustained divers conflicts with the said Bonner, who had him ofttimes Mary. in examination, urging him, and, with a stick which he had in his A.D. hand, ofttimes rapping him on the head, and flirting him under the 1558. chin, and on the ears, saying, he looked down like a thief. Moreover, after he had assayed all manner of ways to cause him to recant, and could not, at length having him to his orchard, there within a little arbour, with his own hands he beat him first with a willow-rod; and that being worn well nigh to the stumps, he called for a birchen rod, which a lad brought out of his chamber. The cause why he so beat him was this: Bonner asked him when he had crept to the cross. He answered, not since he came to the years of discretion, neither would, though he should be torn with wild horses. Then Bonner bade him make a cross in his forehead, which he refused to do; whereupon he Milles had him incontinently to his orchard, and there calling for rods, Bonner. showed his cruelty upon him, as he did upon Thomas Hinshaw, as is above declared. beaten of denieth to ner's This done, he had him immediately to the parish church at Milles Fulham with the said Thomas Hinshaw and Robert Milles, to whom, subscribe there being severally called before him, he ministered certain articles, to Bonasking if he would subscribe to the same: to the which the said John articles. Milles made his answer according to his conscience, denying them all, except one article, which was concerning king Edward's service in English. Shortly after this beating, Bonner sent to him in prison a certain old priest lately come from Rome, to conjure out the evil An old spirit from him, who laying his hand upon his head, began with cer- priest. tain words pronounced over him, to conjure as he had been wont before to do. Milles, marvelling what the priest was about to do, said, he trusted no evil spirit to be within him; and laughed him to scorn, etc. conjuring sons of going As this John Milles was divers times and oft called before Bonner, Unsaso much communication and talk passed between them; which to voury rearecite all, it were too long. And yet it were not unpleasant for the Bonner reader that lusteth to laugh, to see the blind and unsavoury reasons about to of that bishop, which he used to persuade the ignorant withal. As persuade in the process of his other talk with this Milles, Bonner, going about to persuade him not to meddle with matters of the Scripture, but rather to believe other men's teaching, which had more skill in the same, first asked if he did believe the Scripture. "Yea," said Milles, "that I do." Milles. Bonner's should to the Then the bishop: "Why," quoth he, "St. Paul saith, 'If the man sleep, the woman is at liberty to go to another man.' If thou wert asleep, having a wife, judgment wouldest thou be content thy wife to take another man? and yet this is the that we Scripture. Item, If thou wilt believe Luther, Zuinglius, and such, then thou trust canst not go right. But if thou wilt believe me, etc., thou canst not err. And more to if thou shouldst err, yet thou art in no peril: thy blood should be required at men than our hands. As if thou shouldst go to a far country, and meet with a fatherly Scripman, as I am" (for these were his terms), "and ask the way to the head city, and tures of he should say, Go this way;' and thou wilt not believe him, but follow Luther, and other heretics of late days, and go a contrary way; how wilt thou come to Rash and the place thou askest for? So, if thou wilt not believe me, but follow the lead- presumping of other heretics, so shalt thou be brought to destruction, and burn both judgment body and soul. As truly as thou seest the bodies of them in Smithfield burnt, of Bonso truly their souls do burn in hell, because they err from the true church." (1) This similitude holdeth, κατὰ τὴν ἐναντίωσιν. God. tuous ner. Mary. Ofttimes speaking to the said John Milles, he would say, "They A. D. call me bloody Bonner. A vengeance on you all! I would fain be 1558. rid of you, but you have a delight in burning. But if I might have His wish my will, I would sew your mouths, and put you in sacks and drown ing God's you." in punish saints. sion of de Now somewhat to say concerning the deliverance of the said John The occa Milles. The same day that he was delivered, Bonner came unto livering the stocks where he lay, and asked him how he liked his lodging, and his fare. "Well," said Milles, "if it would please God I might have a little straw to lie or sit upon." Milles. Milles's wife en for her Then said Bonner, "Thou wilt show no token of a christian man." treateth And upon this his wife came in, unknown unto him, being very husband. great with child, and looking every hour for her lying down, entreating the bishop for her husband, and saying, that she would not go out of the house, but there would lay herself in the bishop's house, unless she had her husband with her. "How sayest thou," quoth Bonner, "thou heretic? If thy wife miscarry, or thy child, or children, if she be with one or two, should perish, the blood of them would he require at thy hands." Then to this agreement he came, that he should hire a bed in the town of Fulham, and her husband should go home with her the morrow after, upon this condition, that his kinsman there present (one Robert Rouse) should bring the said Milles unto his house at Paul's the next day. Whereunto the said to Milles. Milles said, he would not agree, except he might go home by and by. At length his wife being importunate for her husband, and seeing The con- that she would go no further, but there remain, unless she had her to Milles. husband with her, the bishop, fearing belike the rumour which might come upon his house thereby, bade the said Milles make a cross, and say, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritûs Sancti, Amen.” Robert kinsman dition put Milles sent home with his wife. 66 66 Then the said Milles began to say, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." No, no," saith Bonner," say it me in Latin, In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritûs Sancti, Amen."" Milles, understanding the matter of that Latin to be but good, said the same, and so went home with his wife, his foresaid kinsman being charged to bring him the next day unto Paul's: else," said Bonner, "if thou dost not bring him, thou art a heretic, as well as he." Notwithstanding, the charge being no greater, his kinsman did not bring him, but he of his own voluntary accord came to the said bishop within a few days after, where the bishop put unto him a certain writing in Latin to subscribe unto, containing (as it seemed to him) no great matter that he needed greatly to stick at; albeit, what the bill was, he could not certainly tell : so subscribed he to the bill, and returned home. And thus much concerning the twenty-two taken at Islington. The Story and cruel Handling of Kichard Yeoman, DOCTOR TAYLOR'S CURATE AT HADLEY, CONSTANTLY SUFFERING After the story of these twenty-two taken at Islington, proceeding now (the Lord willing), we will prosecute likewise the taking and cruel |