MarginaliaAnno 1556. September.Shee answered that shee beleeued, that the same was not according to Gods word, but false and corrupted, and that they which did goe thereunto, did it more for feare of the law, then otherwise.

Then hee againe asked her if shee woulde goe to the Churche and heare Masse, and pray for the prosperous estate of the king, being then abroad in his affaires.

Whereunto she said that she defied the Masse with all her heart, and that she would not come into any Churche wherein were Idols.

After this the Bish. obiected vnto them certaine articles, to the number of 18. The tenor whereof (because they touch only such common & trifling matters as are already mentioned in diuers & sondry places before) I do here for breuitie sake omit and passe ouer: geuing you yet this much to vnderstand, that in the matters of faith, they were as soūd, and answered as truly (God be therfore praised) as euer any did, especially the woman, to whom the Lord had geuen the greater knowledge and more feruentnes of spirit. Notwithstanding, according to þ^e measure of grace that God gaue them, they both stood most firmly vnto the truthe. And therefore to conclude, the 10. day of Sept. they were (with Rafe Allerton, of whō ye haue heard) brought againe before the bishop within his chappell at Fulham, where he speaking vnto them, said first on this wise: Austoo, doest thou knowe where thou art nowe, and in what place, and before whom, and what thou hast to doe?

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Yea (quoth Austoo) I knowe where I am: For I am in an idols temple.

After which wordes their articles being againe red, & their constancie in faith perceiued, Boner pronounced against either of them seuerally the sentence of cōdemnation, and deliuering them vnto the sheriff there present, did rid his hands (as he thought) of them: but the Lorde in the ende will iudge that: to whome I referre his cause.

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MarginaliaMargery Austoo terrified in prison.It so happened vpon a night, 

that as this Margerie Austoo was in þ^e bishops prisone (which prison I suppose was his dogge kennel, for it was, as is reported, vnder a paire of staires) by þ^e bishops procurement there was sent a stoute champion (as appeared) about 12. of the clocke at nighte, who suddenly opened the doore, and with a knife drawen or ready prepared, fell vppon her, to the intent to haue cut her throte. Which she by reason of the clearnes of the Moone perceiuing, and calling to God for helpe, he (but who it was she knewe not) geuing a grunt, and fearing (belike) to commit so cruel a dede, departed his waies without any more hurt doing.

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The next night following, they caused a great rumbeling to be made ouer her head, which semed to her to haue bene some great thūder, which they did for to haue feared her out of her wittes, but yet thanks be to God, they missed of their purpose.

MarginaliaExamination of Richard Roth.

IN the godly felowshipof the forenamed three Martyrs, was also this Rich. Roth, as is alreadye specified. Who being apprehended and brought vp vnto the bish. of London, was by him examined þ^e 4. day of Iuly: at what time the bish. did earnestly trauel to induce him to beleeue that there were 7. sacraments in Christes churche, and that in the sacrament of the altar (after the words of consecration duely spoken) there remained þ^e very substance of Christes body and bloud and none other. Wherunto, (at þ^t present) he made only this aunsweare: that if the scriptures did so teach him, and that he might be by the same so perswaded, he would so beleue, otherwise not. But at another examination (which was the 9. day of Sept.) he declared plainly, that in the said sacramēt of the altar (as it was then vsed) there was not the very body and bloud of Christ, but that it was a dead God, and that the Masse was detestable and contrary to Gods holy woorde and will, from the which faith and opinion he would not goe or decline.

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The next daye being the 10. day of the same moneth of September, the Bishop at his house at Fulham (by waye of an article) laid and obiected against him: that he was a comforter and boldener of hereticks, and therefore hadde wrytten a letter to that effect vnto certaine that were burned at Colchester: the copie whereof ensueth.

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MarginaliaA letter of Richard Roth.O Deare brethren and sisters, how much haue you to reioyce in God, that he hath geuen you such faith to ouercome thys bloud thirsty tyrants thus far: and no doubt he that hathe begon

that good worke in you, wil fulfil it vnto the end. O dear hearts in Christ, what a crowne of glory shall ye receiue with Christe in the kingdom of God? Oh that it had bene the good will of God, that I had ben ready to haue gon with you. For I lie in my lords little ease in the day, and in the night I lie in the Colehouse, frō Rafe Allerton, or any other: and we loke euery day whē we shall be condemned For he said that I shoulde be burned wythin ten daies before Easter: but I lie still at the pooles brinke, and euery man goeth in before mee: but we abide paciently the lordes laisure, with many bandes, in fetters and stockes: by the whiche we haue receiued great ioy in God. And nowe fare you well deare brethren and sisters, in this worlde: but I trust to see you in the heauens face to face.

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Oh brother Munt, with your wife and my deare sister Rose, how blessed are you in the Lord, that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake: with all the rest of my deare brethren & sisters knowen & vnknowen. O be ioyful euen vnto death. Feare it not, saith Christ: for I haue ouercome death, saith he. Oh deare hearts, seeing that Iesus Christ will be our helpe, oh tary you the Lordes laisure. Be strong, let your hearts be of good comfort, & wait you stil for the Lord. He is at hand. Yea the angel of the lord pitcheth his tent rounde about them that feare him, and deliuereth them which way he seeth best. For our liues are in the lords hands: and they can doe nothing vnto vs before God suffer thē. Therefore geue all thankes to God.

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Oh deare hearts, you shall be clothed with long white garments vpon the mount Sion, with the multitude of Saintes, and with Iesus Christ our Sauiour, which will neuer forsake vs. Oh blessed virgins, ye haue plaied the wise virgines part, in that you haue taken oyle in your lamps, that ye may go in with the bride grom when he commeth into the euerlasting ioy wyth hym. But as for the folish they shalbe shut out, because they made not thēselues ready to suffer with Christe, neither goe about to take vp his crosse. O deare hearts, howe precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord? for deare is the death of his saintes. O fare you well, and pray. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you all, Amen, Amen. Pray, pray, pray.

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By me Rich. Roth, wrytten with
mine bloud.

This letter he confessed in dede (vpon the sayd examination) to haue wrytten with his bloude, & that he meant to haue sent the same vnto suche as were condempned at Colchester for the gospel of Iesus Christ, and were afterwardes burned there, as ye haue already heard.

The bish. then farther asked him, what he thought hys prison fellow Rafe Allerton to be?

He aunsweared MarginaliaThe testimony of Rich. Roth of Rafe Allerton.that he thought hym to be one of the elect children of God: and that if at any time heereafter he happened to be put to death for his faith and religion, hee thought he shoulde die a true Martyr. And moreouer finding him selfe agreued with the Bishoppes priuie and secrete condēning of Gods people, he said vnto him in this sort: My Lord, because the people should not see & behold your doings, ye cause me and others to be brought to our examinatiōs by night, being afraid (belike) to do it by day.

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