LXIII. "lawful princes and governors; the King and Queen's Ma- CHAP. "jesty, for redress hereof, do by this their present procla-. "mation declare and publish to all their subjects, that Anno 1558. "whosoever shall, after the proclaiming hereof, be found to "have any of the said wicked and seditious books, or find"ing them, doth not forthwith burn the same, without "shewing or reading the same to any other person, shall, in "that case, be reputed and taken for a rebel, and shall, "without delay, be executed for that offence, according to "the order of martial law. Given at our manor of St. "James, the 6th day of June." mark thereon. Confutat. of Dorman. fol. Of which proclamation Alexander Noel, a learned and a Noel's regood man, living in these times abroad, afterward dean of St. Paul's, made this remark: "This is the proclamation pro"cured by Papists against our books, the bringers in, sell- 48.b. "ers, buyers, readers, or keepers of them: assigning the 66 penalty of cruel and sudden death by law-martial, without “examination, question, verdict, and judgment: not only 460 "unusual in this realm, but more hasty and cruel than is "used for any murderers, rebels, or traitors." book. There was one book indeed, that came out this year, Goodman's which this proclamation might have a particular eye to, viz. Christopher Goodman's book. It was entitled, How superior Powers ought to be obeyed of their Subjects, and wherein they may lawfully, by God's law, be disobeyed and resisted: wherein is declared the cause of all this present misery in England, and the only way to remedy the same. Printed at Geneva, by John Crispin, MDLVIII. The preface is writ by Will. Whittingham, then also at Geneva. Though a little book in decimo sexto, it is full of bitterness, and encourageth to take up arms against Queen Mary, and to dethrone her; and that upon this reason, among others, because it is not lawful for women to reign. As it had Whittingham's preface at the beginning of it, so had it William Kethe, another divine at Geneva, his approbation in verse at the end; which verses will shew the intent of the book: СНАР. Anno 1558. verses on it. a Queen Jane. Bentham, an exile, becomes gation in London. Whom fury long fostered by suff'rance and awe, Rebellion is ill, to resist is not so, A public weal wretched, and too far disgraced, Where the right head a is off-cut, and a wrong instead placed; More meet to be ruled, than rule over men. A marvellous madness, if we will behold, What sighs shall assure men, to see themselves sold. And yet when from slavery their friends would them free, Such treating of the Queen as this was, did, no question, irritate her much, and provoke her to issue out such angry declarations of her mind, and resolutions of taking vengeance of all such like book-writers or book-readers. But to proceed with our history. Many congregations of gospellers continued in London throughout this reign, from minister to the beginning to the end of it, in spite of the hardships the congre- thereof, and notwithstanding the taking off so many of their members. There was one chief congregation above the rest, the pastor whereof was as superintendant. These pastors were, Mr. Scamler, afterwards bishop; Mr. Fowle; Rough, a Scot, afterwards burnt; Aug. Bernher, Latymer's faithful servant. The last year of the Queen, succeeded in this office Thomas Bentham, lately an exile in Germany, (afterwards bishop of Litchfield,) who, as it seems, was sent 461 thence, or went voluntarily, chiefly by the persuasion of Mr. Lever, and became preacher to this congregation, administered the sacraments, and performed the whole office of a minister; and, besides, governed the church, in appointing and ordering the matters thereof, according as things oc LXIII. curred. To him they betook themselves for resolution in CHAP. cases of conscience; whereof there were three happened this year: one was about a young woman married in her non- Anno 1558. age to a certain person, with whom she was altogether unwilling to live, but was forced to it: the second was about going to the papistical courts, and following their suits and causes there: the third was about paying tithes and duties to the popish priests. Which cases, though Bentham himself did give his resolution to, yet he thought good, for the better satisfaction of his people, to send beyond seas for the judgment of the eminentest learned exiles there, and for Peter Martyr's opinion also. For which purpose he wrote this letter to Mr. Lever, (a person of great fame among the exiles for his learning and piety,) then pastor of the English congregation at Arow in Switzerland. "The grace and favour of Almighty God be with you Foxii MSS. "and your godly congregation, Amen. cerning the secution. "My duty binding me to remember my dear friends, Bentham to " and our great dangers moving me to desire their help, in- Lever, con"force me at this present, both to write unto you, and de- present per"sire your most godly and effectuous prayers, dere brother “and lovyng freynde, Mr. Levir. For now I stand in the 66 gapp, whereas you have so earnestly talked with me. "Now therefore help me with your prayers, and I shall "think, that you stand present at my back, or on my right "hand. Whiles I was in Germany, at liberty of body, "havyng sufficient for it for the time, I was yet many tymes in great greyf of mynd, and terrible torments of “hell; and now here beying every moment of an hour in "danger of takyng, and fear of bodily death, I am in mynd, "the Lord be praysed, most quiet and joyful, seyng the "fervent zeal of so many, and such increase of our congre"gation in the myddest of thys cruel and violent persecution. "What shold I say, but A Domino factum est. There were VII "men burned in Smithfield, the 28th day of July, altoge"ther; a fearful and cruel proclamation beyng made, that "under payne of present death, no man shold either ap 66 CHAP. "proche ny unto theym, touche theym, nather speak unto, LXIII. "nor comforthe theym: yet were they so mightily spoken Anno 1558.❝unto, so comfortably taken by the hands, and so godly "comforted, notwithstandyng that fearful proclamation, and "the present threatnyngs of the sheriff and sergyants, that "the adversaryes themselves were astoyned. And synce "that tyme, the Byshop of London, either for fear or craft, "carryed seven more, or six at the least, forthe of his cole"house to Fulham, the 12th day of this moneth, and con"demning theym there the 13th day at one of the clock at "afternone, caused them to be carryed the same tyme to "Braneford besyde Syon; where they were burned in post“haste the same night. This fact purchaseth hym more "hatred than any that he hath done, of the common mul❝titude. 66 462 "This I signify, that you, knowyng owr great daungers, may the rather move your godly company to pray more 66 earnestly for us. "It is constantly wrytten by letters to London, that "two townes a little from Nottyngham, about the 4th "or 5th day of this month, were wonderfully beten and "shaken with thounder, and such storms, many were slayn, "and mo were hurt, with great wonders: which I take "to be a token of God's great displeasure for synne, who "will make heaven and earth wytness agaynst wickedAnd yet men, for the most part, were never more "careless, nor malyciously merry, than they are now. God ❝ amend theym. ❝ness. "I would gladly have your counsel, and Mr. Martyr's, "in these three questions, if you have leasure at any tyme "to walk to Zuriche. First, Whether a yong woman mar"ryed at non-age against her will, and so kept by force, be "a lawful wife, or not, unto hym with whom she ys compelled to remayne against her wyll. Secondly, Whether "the professors of the gospel may prosecute theyr right "and cause in any papistical court, or answer, beyng called "thereunto; or take administration of goods in such court. Thirdly, Whether the professors of the gospel, not com 66 LXIII. “municating with Papists, may yet as well pay their tithes CHAP. "and such dutyes to the Papists, as tribute, custome, and "subsidy to evil rulers and wicked magistrates. I trust, Anno 1558. "that I have answered some of my frynds in these questions 66 according to the truth; yet wold I have your judgment, "both for greater confirmation and comforth unto theym, "and for my further instruction also. If you can shortly "send me word of these, you shall greatly comforth me, "and help to confirme my fryends in the ryght ways. I pray you commend me to all your company by name “most hertily in our Lord Jesus Christ, who bless and keep you, to the comforth of his congregation. Written at "London, the 17th of July. "Salute all my friends at "Zurich by name, I pray. "By yours, to his power, "Thomas Bentham." "To his dear friend and godly brother, Mr. Levir, Smithfield. At the burning of those seven in Smithfield, mentioned Bentham in this letter, was Bentham himself present; and could well present at the burning testify what he wrote, that little regard was had to the se- of some in vere proclamation, that none should speak to them, or comfort them, or pray for them. For he himself, as soon as he saw fire put to them, cried aloud to the people, "We know 66 they are the people of God; and therefore we cannot "choose but wish well to them, and say, God strengthen "them :" and added, "God Almighty, for Christ's sake, "strengthen them." And he was presently answered by multitudes, "Amen, Amen," to the amazement of the officers. In October, Sir Edward Carne, knt. and doctor of laws, Goldwel, that had been long ambassador at Rome with the Pope, was bishop of St. Asaph, now, upon his desire, called home; and the Queen was upon to be despatched to despatching Thomas Goldwel, the bishop of St. Asaph, in Rome. his room; a person, as she wrote to the Pope in her letters 463 credential, well approved by him. For he had lived long abroad for the sake of the Roman Catholic religion, and |