¶ The Depositions or attestations producted vpon the aunsweres of Willyam Flower. 

Commentary    Close

The depositions against Flower appear to have taken as part of an inquiry conducted by Bishop Bonner and were probably kept with other records of Flower's case in a court book which is now lost.

RObert Graunt of Westminster, examined vpon the sayd aunsweres of William Flower, sayeth and deposeth: That he did heare and see the sayde Flower, acknowledge and recognise the sayde answeres, and subscribe to the same with his owne hande: And also was present in the churche of sainct Margarets in Westminster, whan the sayde William Flower dyd smyte and wound the priest, when (as he saythe) he was mynystrynge the sacramēt: And how this Examinate, emongest other, preased towardes hym, to take hym, and was hurte thereby vppon his chynne: and after he was taken, this Examinate holpe to conducte hym to the Gatehouse at Westmynster.

RIcharde Dodde of Westmynster, examyned vppon the sayde answeres, saythe and deposeth: that he dyd heare and se the sayd Flower acknowledge and recognise the sayde aunsweres, and subscribe to the same with his owne hande: And also dyd se and was present, when the sayde Flower vppon Easter day last paste, drewe his wodknyfe, and strake the priest vppon the head, hande, and arme: who beyng wounded therwith, and hauyng a chalice, with consecrated hostes therin in his hande, sprinkeled with the sayde priestes blood, was hopen & rescued by this examinate: and the saide Flower caryed to the Gatehouse at Westmynster, and his woodknyfe taken awaye by this Examinate.

William Pampyon, one of the churchwardens of the sayde parishe church of Saint Margaretes in Westminster, examined vppon the sayd answeres of the sayd Flower, saythe and deposeth, that the same answeres be true, and in his syght were subscribed with the hande of the sayd Flower. And that vpon Easter day last paste, aboute a leuen of the clocke in the forenoone, in the parishe churche at sainct Margaretes in westminster, emonge a great numbre of the people ready to be houseled, the priestes backe beyng turned toward the sayd Flower, he the sayd Flower, sodeynly drewe foorth his woodknife, and strake sir Iohn Chelteham the priest, bothe vppon his head, hande, and arme, whereby he was wounded, and bled abundantlye, and the chalice with consecrated hostes beyng in his hand, wer sprinkled with his blood: and the people in great feare cryed out lamentably, and thought they should presently haue been kylled.

Robert Smalwood of westminster, examined vpon the sayd answeres saith and deposeth: that he did heare and see the sayde Flower, acknowledge and recognise the sayde answeres, and subscribe the same with his owne hande:

And saieth further, touchyng the strikynge and wounding the priest in saint Margarets church in westminster, vpon Easter day last, this Examinate saithe, he was not there whan the facte was doone: but immediatly after, he came to churche, and founde sir Iohn hurt, and wounded in the heade, hande, and arme by the sayde Flower: and the people in great heauines, by reason therof. Also the people did report (as this Examinate saith) that Flower dyd the dede, as the priest had the chalice in his hand, ministring the sacrament to the people.

William Iennings of westminster, beynge examined vpon the answeres of the sayd William Flower, sayth and deposeth by vertue of his othe: That he dydde heare and see the sayde Flower, acknowledge and recognise the sayde aunsweres, and subscribe to the same with his owne hande in the consistorie place: And further deposeth, that he (vpon Ester day last past) was presēt in þ^e church of sainct Margaretes in westminster, where Flower strake the sayde sir Iohn Cheltham priest, first vpon the head, and afterward vpon his arme. ii. sore strokes, wher by the sayd priest is lyke to lose his hande. Also this Iurate deposed, that the sayde syr Iohn Cheltham hadde a Chalice with certayne consecrated hostes therin, (in his hand) which were sprinkled with the blood of the sayd priest: and after the said Flower was apprehended by this Examinate, and others, they caried hym immediatly to the Gatehouse in westminster.

Iohn Bray one of the churche wardeyns of the parishe church of sainct Margaretes in west mynster, sworne aud examined vpon the sayde answeres, saieth and deposeth, that he dyd here and see the sayd Flower acknowledge, and recognise the sayd answers, and also subscribe vnto the same. And further deposeth of Flowers striking the priest, in effect, as the rest of the Examinates doo, and that this sayde Iurate was present there at the dede dooyng.

After the depositions of these forsayde wytnesses beyng taken, publyshed, and denounced, the sayde byshop speakyng to william Flower asked hym, yf he knewe any matter or cause why his sentence should not be redde, and he to bee pronounced as an heretike. wherevnto the martyr of God aunswereth agayne, as followeth: I haue nothyng at all to say. For I haue all ready sayde vnto you all, that I haue to say. And that I haue sayd, I wyll not go from, and therefore dooe what ye wyll. &c.

Whiche whan he had spoken, the byshoppe procedeth to the sentence, condemnyng and excommunicatyng hym for an heretike: and after pronounced hym also to bee disgraded. And so was he commytted to the secular power, M. w. C. there beyng shiriffe.