a time, then he was sent to Bury prison, and from thence to the Counsell, & then into the Fleete, and so hee lay in prison from the beginning of haruest till it was nygh Christmas, & he sayd God gaue him such answers to make when he was examined, that he was deliuered with quietnes of conscience. And hauing his liberty, he came againe vnto the foresayd towne: and because he would not go to masse, his liuinge was taken awaye, MarginaliaMayster Browne cōfessor.and he and hys wife were constrayned to flee, here and there, for his life and conscience. In the laste yeare of quene Maries regyn God did take him out of this life in peace. And out of the fore sayde towne was constrayned to flee Robert Beell and Ihon Trapne, because they wold not go to masse, receaue the sacramēt of the altar. &c. And the saide Robert Blomefielde, being taken verye sicke, continentlye after he had apprehended the said Broune, as it is aforesaid, at that time he was a welthy men, and of a great substaunce, beside his land, which was better then twenty pound a yeare: and after this time, god so plaged his houshold, that his eldest sonne died, and his wife had a pining siknes, till she departed this life also. And then maried he another, a richer wydowe, but all would not help, and nothing would prosper. For he had a sore pining sickenes, wherby he so pined and wasted, both in body and goods, with botches and sores, til he died. So whē he died, he was aboue. ix. score poundes in debt, & it was neuer hearde of any repentaunce he had. But a litle before his death, he bragged and threatned a good man, one Symon Harlstone
Simon Harlstone, whose name appears several times in Foxe's book, was Archbishop Matthew Parker's brother-in-law. Although he prudently does not labour the point, Foxe must have enjoyed recording Harlstone's opposition to wearing the surplice which the archbishop insisted all clerics had to wear.
MarginaliaElizabeth Lawnson confessor.
Copies of the sentence condemning Elizabeth Lawson survive in Foxe's papers as BL, Harley MS 421, fos. 164r-165r and 177r-178v.
ters. In the mean time there was burnt her sonne and many other, whereby she woulde often say: Good Lorde, what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee wyth thy chyldren? wel good Lord, thy blessed wil be done, and not myne. And when our Quenes maiestye, that now is, came into her state royall, shee remayned styl in Bury prison, tyl she was bailed vp on sureties, as she was. For she beinge a condemned person, neither the temporaltye, nor yet the spirituall authoritye woulde discharge her without sureties. Now she beyng abroade, and her sureties made afraid by wicked men, sayd they woulde cast her agayne in prison, except she would see them discharged. Then she got a supplication, to go vnto the Quenes maiesty, and came to a frede of hers to haue his counsel therein. Who wylled her to stay a whyle, because she was old, the dayes shorte, and great expenses, and the Wynter foule (for it was a little before Christmas) that she should tary vntyl Sommer. In the meane tyme God brake the bonde, and shortned her iourney. For he didde take her home to hym selfe out of this lyfe, in peace. This good olde womā, long before she went to prison, had the falling sicknes, & she told a frende of hers, one Symon Harlston after she was apprehended shee hadde it neuer more, but lyued in good health, and ioye of harte, throughe her Lorde Christ. she had a very vnkind man to her husband, and while she was in prison, he solde away her raiment, and woulde not helpe her, & after she was out of prison, she went home vnto him, and he would shew her no kindnes nor helpe her neither, and yet the house and land that he dwelt in, he had by her, as longe as she lyued: she was found of the congregation till she died.
[Back to Top]There was one Robert Hollons wife of Mickefyeld, in the county of Suffolke, husbād man, and sister to the said Elizabeth Launson persecuted out of the said towne, and a young man her sonne with her, because they would not go to the church to heare masse, & receiue the sacrament of the altar.
Item, there was one Robert Stegolde, an old husband mā, persecuted out of Erle Stonham, in the sayd Countye, for the same causes that Iohn Hollond and hys mother were, as is afore sayde.
There was persecuted out of Rekengale, in the County of Suffolke, mother Birlyngam, and her twoo Sonnes, and Agnes her daughter, and Katherin Browne a good vertuous maide, because they would not go vnto the church to heare Masse, nor allowe the ceremonies, nor receiue the sacrament of the aultar, not yet shew any sygne to worshyp it.
[Back to Top]There was persecuted out of Cornefeld one Spurdance, and afterwarde he was taken by