(fl. 1558)
Vice-chancellor of Cambridge. Bonner's chaplain. Native of Bedfordshire. (DNB)
Philpot spoke briefly with Cosin, Bonner's chaplain, before returning to his imprisonment in Bonner's coal house. 1563, p. 1393, 1570, p. 1965, 1576, p. 1692, 1583, p. 1799.
Philpot's ninth examintion was before Bonner and his chaplains, including Cosin. 1563, pp. 1420-24, 1570, pp. 1983-85, 1576, pp. 1707-09, 1583, pp. 1815-16.
Philpot's eleventh examination, on St Andrew's day, was before Durham, Chichester, Bath, Bonner, the prolocutor, Christopherson, Chadsey, Morgan of Oxford, Hussey of the Arches, Weston, John Harpsfield, Cosin, and Johnson. 1563, pp. 1425-34, 1570, pp. 1986-92, 1576, pp. 1710-15, 1583, pp. 1817-22.
One of Bonner's chaplains (probably Cosin) was present during Philpot's twelfth examination. 1563, pp. 1434-37, 1570, pp. 1992-96, 1576, pp. 1715-17, 1583, pp. 1822-24.
Cosin was present at the degrading of Cranmer. 1563, p. 1492, 1570, p. 2059, 1576, p. 1776, 1583, p. 1881.
Of unknown occupation. Of Colchester.
After her imprisonment in the Mote-hall in Colchester, Elizabeth Folkes was delivered to her uncle, Holt. 1570, p. 2201, 1576, p. 1899, 1583, p. 2008.
[Uncle to Elizabeth Folkes.]
(fl. 1556 - 1574)
Clothier. Alderman of Colchester (1562 - 1570).
Elizabeth Folkes was servant to Nicholas Clere. 1570, p. 2201, 1576, p. 1899, 1583, p. 2008.
[No relationship to Benjamin Clere.]
Owner of the White Hart Tavern, Colchester.
Outspoken catholic. In 1560 he was fined £10 for 'blasphemy'. In 1562 he was arrested for praising the duke of Guise and publicly hoping for the restoration of catholicism in England. [See Mark Byford, 'The Price of Protestantism' in The Reformation in English Towns, 1500-1640, ed. Patrick Collinson and John Craig (Basingstoke, 1998), pp. 158-62.]
[Back to Top]The day before she was condemned, Elizabeth Folkes was asked if she believed that there was a catholic church of Christ, to which she replied that she did. Boswell then delivered her to her uncle Holt. Folkes became concerned that people might believe she had recanted her beliefs. She subsequently defied the papists when she met with them at Cosin's house at the White Hart in Colchester, and so was condemned. 1563, p. 1610, 1570, p. 2202, 1576, p. 1900, 1583, p. 2008.
[Back to Top]['Cosin's house' refers to Richard Cosen's tavern in Colchester.]
MarginaliaAnno 1557. August.vse nor frequent none of them all, by the grace of God, but vtterly detest and and abhorre them from the bottome of our hart, and all such trumpery.
Then read they the sentence of condemnation against her. In which time MarginaliaD. Chadsey wept.Doct. Chadsey wept, that the teares trickled downe his cheekes. So the sentence being read, she kneeled downe on both her knees, lifting vp her hāds & eyes vnto heauen, MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes prayseth God at her owne condemnation.with feruent praier in audible voyce praysing God that euer shee was borne, to see that moste blessed and happy day, that þe Lord would count her worthy to suffer for the testimony of Christ: MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes prayeth for her enemies.and Lord, sayd she (if it be thy will) forgeue them that this haue done against me, for they know not what they doe. Then rising vp, she exhorted al those on the Benche, to repentaunce, especially those who brought her to prison, as Robert Maynard the Bayliffe, and such like: which Maynard commonly when he sate in iudgment vpon life and death, would sit sleeping on the Bench many times: so careful was his mind on his Office. MarginaliaSleeping Maynard.
[Back to Top]Further, shee willed halting Gospellers to beware of bloud, for that would cry for vengeaunce, &c. And in þe end she told them all, laying her hand on the Barre, if they did not repent their wicked doynges therin, that vndoubtedly the very barre should be a witnes agaynst them at þe day of iudgement, that they had there that day shed innocente bloud.
[Back to Top]This Elizabeth Folkes, the day before she was condemned, was examined onely vpon this article, whether she beleued that there was a Catholicke Church of Christ or no. Vnto which she answered, Yea. Then was she immediately (by Bowsels meanes the Scribe) deliuered vnto her vncle Holt, of the same towne of Colchester, to keep who caried her home vnto hys house: & shee being there, might haue departed thence many tymes, if she had wold: for there was meanes offered to conuey her awaye. MarginaliaElizabeth Folkes might haue escaped and would not.But she hearyng that some doubted that shee hadde yealded to the Pope (although it was most vntrue) would in no wise content her selfe, but wept, and was in suche anguishe of minde and terrour of conscience, that (no remedye) shee woulde to the Papistes agayne, for any perswasions that could bee, and commyng before them at Cosins house at the white Harte in Colchester,
Richard Cosin was the owner of the White Hart tavern in Colchester. Cosin was an outspoken catholic who would be fined £10 for 'blasphemy' in 1560 and who would be arrested in 1562 for praising the duc de Guise and hoping for the restoration of catholicism in England. (Mark Byford, 'The Price of Protestantism: Assessing the Impact of Religious Change in Elizabethan Essex: the Cases of Heydon and Colchester, 1538-1594' [Unpublished D. Phil. thesis, Oxford University, 1988], pp. 158-62).
[Back to Top]MarginaliaW. Munt condemned.WIlliam Munt of Muchbentley in Essex, of the age of 61. yeares, sayde: that the sacrament of the Aultar was an abhominable Idoll, and that if he should obserue any part of their popish proceedinges, he should dysplease God, and bring his curse vpon him, and therfore for feare of his vengeāce he durst not doe it. This good father was examined of many thinges, but God be thanked, he stoode to the truth and in the end therfore had sentence of condemnation read agaynst hym.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaIohn Iohnson condemned.Iohn Iohnson of Thorpe in Essex, wydower of þe age of xxxiiii. yeares, was examined as the rest, and made answere in suche sorte, as the Papistes counted them none of theirs, and therefore condemned him with theyr bloudye sentēce, as they had done the rest before. This Ioh. Iohnson affirmed, that in the receauing of the sacrament, accordyng to Christes institution, he receiueth the body of christ spiritually. &c.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAlice Munt condemned.Alice Munt, the wife of the sayde William Munt, of þe age of xli. yeares, being also examined as the rest, sayd and confirmed the same in effect as her husband dyd, and was therefore also condemned by their bloudy sentence in lyke maner.
MarginaliaRose Allen.Rose Allyn mayd, the daughter of the sayd Alice Munt of the age of twenty yeares, being examined of auricular confession, goyng to the church to heare Masse, of the Popish seuen sacramentes &c. aunswered stoutlye MarginaliaRose Allins aunsweres.that they stanke in the face of God, and she durst not haue to do with them for her life, neyther was she (she sayde) anye member of theirs: for they were the members of Antichriste, and so shuld haue (if they repented not) the reward of Antichrist. Being asked further, what she could saye of the Sea of the Bishop of Rome, whethere she would obey hys authoritie or no: she aunswered boldly, that she was none of hys. As for hys See (quoth she) it is for Crowes, kytes, owles and Rauens to swimme in, such as you be, for by þe grace of God I shall not swimme in that See, while I lyue, neither will I haue any thing to doe therewith. MarginaliaRose Allin condemnedThen read they the sentence of condemnation agaynst her, and so sent her vnto prison agayne vnto the rest, where she song with
[Back to Top]great ioy, to the wonder of many.
Thus these poore condemned Lambes, beyng deliuered into the handes of the secular power, were committed agayn euery one vnto þe Prison from whence they came, where they remayned wt much ioy and comfort (in continuall reading, and inuocating the name of God) euer looking and expecting the happy day of their dissolution. In which time the cruell Papistes left not their mischieuous attemptes agaynst them (although they would seeme now to haue no more to doe with thē) for bloudy Boner, whose throte neuer cryed ho, shortly after got a writ for the burning of the foresayd ten good creatures, and to shewe the more dilligence in the cause, he sent hys owne trusty man downe with it, named Edward Cosin, and with hym also his letter for the furtheraunce of the matter, the thirtye daye of Iuly, the next month after the condemnation.
[Back to Top]I.e., the writ from the lord chancellor authorizing the execution.
The second day of August. 1557. betwixt sixe and seuen of þe clock in þe morning, was brought from Mote Hal vnto a plat of ground hard by the towne wall of Colchester on the outward side, William Bongeor, William Purcas Thomas Benold, Agnes Siluerside aliâs Smith. Helene Euring & Elizab. Folkes aforenamed, which being there, & al things prepared for theyr martyrdome at the last these said constant martyrs kneeled downe and made theyr hūble prayers to God, but not in such sorte as they woulde: for the cruel tyrants would not suffer them: especially one Mayster Clere among the rest (who sometyme had bene a Gospeller) shewed hymselfe very extreme vnto them: the Lord geue him repentaunce (if it be hys good will) & grace to be a better man. Whē they had made their prayers, they rose, & made them ready to the fire. And Elizabeth Folkes when she had pluckt off her Peticote, woulde haue geuen it to her mother, (which came and kist her at the stake, and exhorted her to be strong in the Lord) but the wicked there attending, woulde not suffer her to geue it. Therefore taking the sayd peticote in her hand, she threw it away from her saying: Farewell all the world farewell fayth, farewel hope: and so taking the stake in her hand, sayde: Welcome loue &c. Now she being at the stake, and one of the Officers nayling the chayne about her, in the striking of þe staple, he mist the place and strake her with a great stroke of the hammer on the shoulder bone: wherat she sodenly turned her head lifting vp her eyes to the Lorde, and prayed
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