Mary. Dr. Chedsey, there walking up and down; to whom, because he was A.D. able in such a case to do pleasure, and for that he had been of his old 1558. acquaintance in Oxford, he was very desirous to speak to him ere he

Wims

hurst

to commission

ers.

went through. Chedsey, perceiving that Robin Caly did attend upon him, said that he durst not meddle in the matter. "Yes," saith little Robin, "you may talk with him if it please you, master doctor!" To be short, Alexander openeth his case, and in the end desireth, for old acquaintance' sake, that he would find means he might be rather brought before Dr. Martin to be examined, than any other. "Nay," saith he (alleging the words of Christ unto Peter in the last chapter of St. John), "you remember, brother, what is written in the gospel: 'When thou wast young, thou didst gird thyself, and wentest whither thou wouldest but being aged, other men shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not."" Thus abusing the Scripture to his private meaning, whereas notwithstanding he might easily have accomplished so small a request, if it had liked him.

Thence was he carried to Story and Cook, commissioners, there to brought learn what should become of him: before them he did use himself boldly and stoutly, as they on the other side did urge him with captious questions very cruelly. When they had baited the poor man their fill, they asked him where his whore was. "She is not my whore," said he, "but my lawful wife." "She is thy whore," said they. "She is not my whore," said he again, "but my wife, I tell you." So when they perceived that he would not give place unto them, nor attribute to prison. to them so much as they looked for at his hand, according to the ordinary manner, they commanded him to prison.

Wimshurst com

manded

And now mark well the providence of God in his preservation. He was brought into Cluney's house at Paternoster-row, thence to be carried to Lollards' Tower out of hand, but that Cluney (as it happened), his wife, and his maid, were so earnestly occupied about present business, that as then they had not leisure to lock up their prisoner. In the hall where Alexander sat, was a strange woman, whose husband was then presently in trouble for religion, which perceived by some one occasion or other, that this man was brought in for the like cause. "Alack, good man," saith she, "if you will, you may escape the cruel hands of your enemies, forasmuch as they be all away, that should look unto you. God hath opened the way unto you for a deliverance, and therefore lose not the opportunity thereof, if you be wise." With those and such like words being then persuaded, he gat out of the doors, dence to and went away without any haste-making at all; so that if any had followed, he might have been easily recovered again. But undoubtedly, it was God's will that he should so escape the fury of his escape. adversaries, and be preserved from all dangers of death and imprison

Good counsel sent of God.

A way made by

God's provi

Alex

ander Wimshurst to

ment.

THE STORY OF ONE BOSOME'S WIFE.

As the works of the Lord are not to be kept secret, whatsoever the persons be in whom it pleaseth him to work; so cometh to remembrance the story of one Bosome's wife, not unworthy to be considered. This good woman, being at Richmond with her mother, was greatly called upon, and urged to come to church. At length, through

importunate crying and calling upon, she granted unto them, and came. Mary. Being in the church, and sitting with her mother in the pew, contrary A.D. in all things to the doings of the papists, she behaved herself: to wit, 1558. when they kneeled she stood; when they turned forward she turned backward, etc.

wife sum

This being notorious in the church, at length the constable, and Bosome's churchwarden named Sanders, attached her in the queen's name, moned to charging her with her mother, the next day to appear at Kingston, Par at who, at their command, so did.

appear

wife

God's help

The next day, according as they were assigned, they came to Bosome's Kingston to appear before the foresaid officers, who, at the same through time (as it chanced), were going over the ferry, and meeting them by escapeth." the way, saluted them by their names; but at that time had no further power to speak unto them. Afterward, as they were in the boat. going over, they knocked their hands, stamped and stared, lamenting that they had let them so pass their hands. This the ferry-man declared unto them, and what they said in the boat. Whereupon the good woman, taking her journey to London, escaped their cruelty, through the secret working (no doubt) of the Lord, who in all his works, and evermore, be praised; Amen.

THE LADY KNEVET, OF WYMONDHAM IN NORfolk.

Among the number of the godly, that were kept under the providence of the Lord in those perilous days, I may not forget an ancient good lady of much worship, called lady Anne Knevet, who, till her death, dwelt in Norfolk, in a town named Wymondham, six miles from Norwich; which said good lady, in queen Mary's days, being judged by the common people to be more than a hundred years of age, and by her own estimation well toward a hundred, kept herself from their popish church, or having any papistical trash ministered in her house, but only the service that was used in the latter days of king Edward the sixth, which daily she had said before her, either by one master Tollin, who was then by God's providenee preserved in her house, or else by one of her gentlewomen or household servants, that could serve the place in the said master Tollin's absence.

Knevet

bishop.

Now this worshipful lady continuing in this manner of true serving The lady of God, she and her family were many times threatened by messen- threatengers, that the bishop would visit her there-for. Unto which mes-ed by the sengers she would always answer, that if his lordship sent word before what day he would come, he should thereafter be entertained at her hand. But God, whose providence ruleth the raging seas, never suffered them all that toiling time to molest her: although oftentimes, when she had service before her, there were very great enemies to the truth, and of much authority, that came in, and kneeled to prayer among them, and yet had no power to trouble her there-for.

This good lady, gentle reader, kept good hospitality, as any in that country, of her living. She also succoured many persecuted, that came to her house in the said queen Mary's days. Were they never so simple, they were esteemed of her as the friends of the gospel, and The great departed not from her without money and meat. Born she was long age of the before king Edward the fourth died, and ended her life in the Lord vet.

lady Kne

Mary. Jesus's peace, about the beginning of the second year of our most A. D. sovereign lady queen Elizabeth's reign, as one in blessed peace, falling 1558. into a most sweet sleep. Unto whom not unworthily may be comThe lady pared the lady Elizabeth Vane, who likewise, being a great harbourer Elizabeth and supporter of the afflicted martyrs and confessors of Christ, was great re- in great hazards and dangers of the enemies, and yet notwithstanding, through the merciful providence of the Lord, remained still untouched. But of this lady Vane thou hast read before.

Vane a

liever of

God's people.

John Davis, a

child un

age of

years,cast

to be

JOHN DAVIS, A CHILD UNDER TWELVE YEARS OF AGE.

Anno Domini 1546, and the last year of king Henry the eighth, John Davis, a child of twelve years and under, who, dwelling in the der the house of master Johnson, apothecary, in the town of Worcester, his twelve uncle (using sometimes to read of the Testament and other good English books), was complained of by Alice Johnson his mistress; burnt for which Alice, being an obstinate person, consulted with one Thomas Articles, Parton, and one Alice, wife to Nicholas Brooke, organ-maker, with by God's certain of the canons, and master Johnson, chancellor to Dr. Heath, their bishop. The means whereby he was entrapped were wrought preserv- by the foresaid Alice Brooke, who procured Oliver her

the Six

and yet,

provi

dence,

ed.

son, schoolfellow with the said John Davis, to feign friendship with him, and, under pretence to be instructed, to see his English books, and especially to get something of his writing against the Six Articles; which being had, was soon brought to the canons of the church, and the chancellor. Whereupon Thomas Parton, whether being sent, or of his own mind, came to apprehend him, and his uncle was forced against his will, to bind the poor boy's arms behind him; and so he was brought to the officers of the town, where he lay from the 14th of August, till the last of September. Then was he commanded to the freeman's prison, where one Richard Hawborough, coming to persuade him from burning, willed him to prove first with a candle; who then holding his finger, and the other a candle under it, a good space, yet (as the party himself to me assureth) felt no burning thereof; neither would the other that held the candle believe him a great while, till he had looked, and saw no scorching of the candle at all appeared.

Then was the child removed from thence to an inner prison, called Peephole, where the low bailiff, called Robert Yould, laid upon him a pair of bolts, so that he could not lift up his small legs, but leaning on a staff, slipt them forward upon the ground; the coldness of which irons he feeleth yet in his ancles, and shall so long as he liveth: with these bolts his lying was upon the cold ground, having not one lock of straw nor cloth to cover him, save only two sheep-skins; neither durst father or mother, or any of his friends come at him. Besides this, and many great threats of the papists, there was a madman put to him in the prison, with a knife about him, wherewith he ofttimes, in his frantic rage, proffered to thrust him in.

After this came to him one Joyliff and N. Yewer, two canons, which had his writings against the Six Articles, and his ballad, called, "Come down, for all your shaven crown," to see whether he would

(1) Thus she saw eight monarchs, exclusive of the lady Jane, in about ninety years.-ED.

A. D.

stand to that he had written. Which done, with many great raging Mary. words, not long after sat master Johnson, the chancellor, in the Guildhall, upon the poor lad; where first were brought in his accusers, and 1558. sworn. Then were sworn also twenty-four men which went on his quest, and found him guilty; but he never came before the chancellor. Upon this he was sent to the common gaol among thieves and murderers, there to tarry the coming of the judges, and so to be had straight to execution. But the mighty mercy of the Lord, who helpeth the desolate and miserable when all other help is past, so provided for this silly condemned lad, that the purpose of all his hard-hearted enemies was disappointed; for before the judges came, God took away Henry the eighth out of this life, by reason whereof the force of the law was then stayed. Howbeit he was nevertheless arraigned, being holden up in a man's arms at the bar before the judges, who were Portman and Marven; who, when they perceived that they could not burn him, would have him presently whipped; but master John Bourne, esquire, declared to the judges, how he had whipping enough. After that he had lain a week more in prison, he had him home to his house, his wife anointed his legs herself with ointment, which then were stiff and numbed with irons, till at length, when master Bourne and his wife saw they could not win him to the belief of their sacrament, they put him away, lest he should infect their son Anthony, as they thought, with heresy.

Thus John Davis, of the age aforesaid, in what damage he was for the gospel ye see, and how the Lord preserved him, ye understand. He endured in prison from the 14th day of August, till within seven days of Easter, who is yet alive, and a profitable minister this day in the church of England: blessed be the Lord, "qui facit mirabilia

solus."

MISTRESS ROBERTS, OF HAWKHURST, IN SUSSEX.

raculous

mistress

Guilford a

Furthermore, to both these may be also associate another gentle- The miwoman, to make the third, named Mrs. Roberts,' yet living and deliverdwelling (as I understand) in the town of Hawkhurst, in Sussex. ance of She, being earnestly addicted to the truth of Christ's gospel, and no Roberts. less constant in that which she had learned therein, so kept herself during all the brunt of queen Mary's time, that she never came to their popish service, nor would pollute her conscience with hearing their idolatrous mass. There dwelt the same time not far off a Sir John justice, called sir John Guilford, who being as fervent on the contrary troubler side to set forward the proceedings of queen Mary, thought to prove of mismasteries with this gentlewoman, in forcing her into the church. And berts. first, sending his wife, he attempted her by fair words and gentle persuasions to conform herself to the prince's laws, and to come, as other christian people did, to the church. Notwithstanding she, constantly persisting in the sincerity of the truth, would by no persuasions be won to do therein against her conscience; and so kept at home a certain space, till again, the second time, master Guilford, thinking not to give her over so, sent his officers and servants to her, by force and power to hale her out of her house to the church; and

(1) This gentlewoman was a great succourer of the persecuted that came to her house, and specially of good Woodman, whom ye heard of before; and to her he wrote a letter. [See p. 347.-ED.]

tress Ro

Mary. so did where, by the way, she for grief of conscience swooned, and A.D. so of necessity was brought home again, and falling into an ague, was 1558. for that time dispensed withal.

Guilford

pose by

The third time, yet the unquiet spirit of master Guilford being not content, after the time that she recovered health again, he would needs come in his own person to compel her, wil'd she, nil'd she, to Sir John the church. But, as the proverb goeth, "Who can let that, God stopped of would have done?" for when master Guilford had purposed as pleased his pur him, the Lord so disposed for his servant, that as the said master Guilford was coming up the stairs toward her chamber, suddenly his old disease the gout so took him, and terribly tormented him, that he could go no further. And so he, that purposed to carry her to the church against her will, was fain himself to be carried home to his house to his pain; protesting and swearing that he would never from henceforth trouble that gentlewoman more; and no more he did.

God's working.

Mistress

Anne Lacy.

Tiben

ham,

ble, per

MISTRESS ANNE LACY, A WIDOW IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.

In this number of good gentlewomen being in trouble and danger for God's word, is not to be omitted the memory of one mistress Anne Lacy, widow in Nottinghamshire, who was in great danger in queen Mary's time, insomuch that the process was forth against her, and she ready to have been apprehended, being so nearly pursued, that she was driven to hide her Bible and other books in a dunghill. Master Lacy her brother was then justice of peace; but to whom (as I have heard) she was but smally beholden. Nevertheless, where kindred faileth, yet God's grace never faileth such as stick to him for in this mean time, as the process came out against her, queen Mary died, and so she escaped.

CROSMAN'S WIFE, OF TIBENHAM, IN NORfolk.

;

Barber of One Crosman's wife, of Tibenham Long-row in Norfolk, in queen Mary's time, for not going to church, was sought for at her house by consta- one Barber of the said town, then constable of the hundred, who when secutor. he came to her house, she being at home, with a child sucking in her Example arms, stepped into a corner on the one side of the chimney; and they seeking the chambers, the child never cried (although before they came it did) as long as they were there: and so by this means the Lord preserved her.

of God's

gracious providence.

The story of a con

inSuffolk.

THE CONGREGATION AT STOKE IN SUFfolk.

There were some likewise which avoided the violent rage of the gregation adversaries by means only of their number, and mutual concord in at Stoke godliness, wherein they did so hold together, that without much ado, none well could be troubled: whereof we have example in a certain town of Suffolk called Stoke. After the three sharp years of queen Mary's persecution being past, yet notwithstanding, the inhabitants of the town aforesaid, especially the women, came not to their church to receive, after the popish manner, the sacrament; who, if they had been but few, they could by no means have escaped imprisonment, but because there were so many, the papists thought it best not to lay