English literature -- England -- Lancashire; Legends -- England -- Lancashire
"Divers of Justice Barton's servants were here again, not an hour ago,
who have charged thy brother Robert and thy cousin William Marsh to seek
for thee, and by to-morrow, ere noon, to render thee up at Smethells.
They are now gone to Atherton, and elsewhere, for aught I know."
"Then may I not tarry here to-night?"
"Nay, I beseech thee, flee for thy life. In tarrying here shall thou not
escape; for a man's enemies are now truly those of his own household."
Marsh, after a pause, determined to listen to her advice, and departed.
Cold and weary, he retraced his steps, going beyond Dean Church, where,
at a friend's house, he staid for the night, "taking ill rest," as he
quaintly expresses it in his journal, "and consulting much with myself
of my trouble." He expected, or at least hoped, that some intimation
would be vouchsafed from his Master as touching the way he should
pursue, but none was granted; and he lay there, full of tossing and
unquiet, the greater part of the night. On the following morning, at his
first awaking, which was early, being still in heaviness, and not
knowing what to do, came another friend to his bedside, who advised him
that he should in no wise depart, but abide boldly, and confess the
faith. At these words he felt so convinced, and, as it were, suddenly
established in his conscience, that he doubted not, as he says, but the
message was from God. He thenceforth consulted not with flesh and blood,
but resolved on immediately presenting himself before his persecutors,
and patiently bearing such cross as it might please Heaven to lay upon
him.
He arose betimes, and as his custom was, recited the English Litany,
with other prayers, kneeling by his bedside; after which he prepared to
go towards Smethells, calling, as he went, at the dwellings of several
whom he knew, desiring them to pray for him, to commend him to all his
friends, and to comfort his mother and his little children, for, as he
then said, he felt assured that they should not see his face any more.
Taking leave, with many tears and much, sorrow of heart, he came nigh to
the residence of Sir Roger Barton, a bigoted persecutor, and an avowed
enemy of the reformed church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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