Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant MartyrsFoxe, John
HistoryHistory
Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs
Foxe, John
Church history; Martyrs; Persecution
How long this poor sufferer remained in prison is uncertain. By the
testimony of one John Paylor, register of Gloucester, we learn, that
when Dowry was brought before Dr. Williams, then chancellor of
Gloucester, the usual articles were presented him for subscription. From
these he dissented; and, upon the doctor's demanding of whom and where
he had learned his heresies, the youth replied, "Indeed, Mr.
Chancellor, I learned from you in that very pulpit. On such a day
(naming the day) you said, in preaching upon the sacrament, that it was
to be exercised spiritually by faith, and not carnally and really, as
taught by the papists." Dr. Williams then bid him recant, as he had
done; but Dowry had not so learned his duty. "Though you," said he, "can
so easily mock God, the world, and your own conscience, yet will I not
do so."
After the death of the above, the following three persons suffered at
Beccles, in Suffolk, May 21, 1556. Thomas Spicer, of Winston, labourer;
John Denny, and Edmund Poole.
_Preservation of George Crow and his Testament._
This poor man, of Malden, May 26, 1556, put to sea, to lade in Lent with
Fuller's earth, but the boat, being driven on land, filled with water,
and every thing was washed out of her; Crow, however, saved his
Testament, and coveted nothing else. With Crow was a man and a boy,
whose awful situation became every minute more alarming, as the boat was
useless, and they were ten miles from land, expecting the tide should in
a few hours set in upon them. After prayer to God, they got upon the
mast, and hung there for the space of ten hours, when the poor boy,
overcome by cold and exhaustion, fell off, and was drowned. The tide
having abated, Crow proposed to take down the masts, and float upon
them, which they did; and at ten o'clock at night they were borne away
at the mercy of the waves. On Wednesday, in the night, Crow's companion
died through fatigue and hunger, and he was left alone, calling upon God
for succour. At length he was picked up by a Captain Morse, bound to
Antwerp, who had nearly steered away, taking him for some fisherman's
buoy floating in the sea. As soon as Crow was got on board, he put his
hand in his bosom, and drew out his Testament, which indeed was wet, but
no otherwise injured. At Antwerp he was well received, and the money he
had lost was more than made good to him.
June 6, 1556, the following four martyrs suffered at Lewes, in Sussex:
J. Harland, of Woodmancote, carpenter; John Oswald, of the same place,
husbandmen; Thomas Avington, of Ardingly, turner; and Thomas Read.
June 20, at the same place, were burnt the Rev. Thomas Whood, and Thomas
Mills. June 24, the Rev. Wm. Alderhall; and June 28, John Clement,
wheelright, died in the King's Bench prison, and were buried on the
dunghill in the backyard. June 21, a young man, the servant of a
merchant, was burnt at Leicester.
_Executions at Stratford-le-Bow._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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