For he is malicious, and a bloudsucker and bereth an old hatred against me, and he wil handel you the more cruelly, because of displeasure against me. I feare him not (quod the yonge man). he shal do no more to me then God wyll geue him leaue: and happy shall I bee if God wyll call me to die for his truthes sake. After this talke, they then went vp to the persone, who at the first asked him. Fellow, what saiest thou to the sacrament of the altar? I say, (quod he) as ye vse the matter, ye make a shamefull idoll of it, and ye are false idolatrous priests al the sort of you. I tolde you, quod the person, he was a stoute heretike. So, after long talke the persone committed him to warde. And the next day rode he vp to London, and caried the yong man with him, and so came the yong mā no more agayne to Hadley. But after long imprisonment in Newgate, 

Commentary    Close

In the 1563 edition, Foxe correctly identified John Alcock with the 'John Awcock' whom he had mentioned earlier as dying in Newgate (1563, p. 1117; 1570, p. 1731; 1576, p. 1478 and 1583, p. 1651). But on this same page, he also states that Alcock was burned at Smithfield. Foxe corrected this error in subsequent editions.

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Thus see you what lamentable estate the churche of Hadley was in after the death of D. Taylour. Many through weakenes and infirmitie fell to the Poperie: and suche as were more perfect, lyued in great feare and sorowe of hart. Some fled the towne, and wandred frō place to place. And some fled beyond the seas, leuing all that euer they had to God, and committing them selues rather to banishment and pouertie, then they would against their conscience do any thyng that should displease God, or in any point sound against his holy worde. God be praysed for this goodly tryall, wherein suche as feared God, were lyke gold in the furnace purified, and suche as were weake haue learned to knowe them selfes, and henceforth to leane to Gods strength, and to praye for his helpe, that they may be more strōg, and walke more firmely in the waye of Gods worde in tyme to come.

To God our almyghtie father, through Iesus Christ our sauiour, be all honour and glorie, and the Lord graunt vs his holy Ghost, to strengthen and comfort out weakenes, and to leade vs through this wretched worlde, so that we may come to that blessed rest ordeyned for his chosen sainctes, Amen. God be praysed for euer, Amen, Amen.

ALthough somewhat was touched before cōcerning Iohn Aucoke, who died in pryson as is before declared, pag. 1117. yet because he was an Hadley man, and we hauyng more to wryte of hym, we thought the place here present not vnmete to express the same.

THis Iohn Alcocke or Aucock, of whome mention is made before pag. 1117. was a very faithfull and honest man, by his occupation a woad setter, singu-

larly well learned in the holy scriptures, and in all his conuersation a iuste and ryghteous man, that feared God, and studied to dooe in dede that thyng that he had learned in the scriptures. Nowe after that Syr Rychard Yeomā was dryuen away, and the people on sondays and other dayes came to the churche, and had no man to teache them any thinge (for as yet person Newall was not come to Hadley to dwell, nor had gotten any Curate. Besydes that, the lawes made by kynge Edwarde were in force, and the Latin mumblynges not yet receiued euerye where.) Iohn Alcock therefore toke the Litanie booke, exhorted the people to praye with him, & so red the litanie before thē: and moreouer he gaue them godly lessons and exhortations out of the chapters that he red vnto them. For this, the byshop of Wynchester Stephen Gardiner sent for him, cast him into Newgate at London, where after many examinations and troubles, for that he would not submitte him selfe to aske forgeuenesse of the Pope, and to be reconciled to the Romysh religion, he was cast into the lower doungeon, where with euil kepyng, and syckenesse of the house he died in pryson. Thus died he a martyr of Christes veritie, whiche he hartely loued and constantly confessed, and receiued the garland of a well foughten battell at the hande of the Lorde. His bodie was cast out and buried in a donghyll. for the Papistes woulde in al thynges be lyke them selues: therfore woulde they not so much as suffer the dead bodies to haue honest and conuenient sepulture.

He wrote twoo Epistles to Hadley, whiche followe here.

GRace be with you, MarginaliaGal. 1.and peace from the father and oure Lorde Iesus Christe, which gaue hym selfe for our sinnes, that he myght deliuer vs from this present euill worlde, accordinge to the wyll of God our father, to whome be prayse for euer and euer, Amen.

Oh my brethren of Hadley, why are ye so sone turned from them which called you in the grace of Christ vnto an other doctrine, whiche is nothing els but that there bee some whiche trouble you, and entend to peruert the Gospell of the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse, though these shold come vnto you that haue bene your true preachers, and preach an other way of saluation, then by Iesus Christes death and passion, hold them accursed. Yea if it were an Aungell came from heauen, and wold tel you that the sacrifice of Christes body vpon the crosse, once for all euer, for all the sinnes of all those which shalbe saued, MarginaliaHebr. 9.10 Christes sacrifice. were not sufficiēt: accursed be he. If he were an Aungel, or what so euer he were, that would saye that our seruice in Englysh were not right Gods seruice,