¶ A true report of the late horrible murder committed by William Sherwood, Prisoner in the Queen's Bench, for the profession of Popery, the 18. of june, 1581.  
I Am the more loath at this time, to lay open unto the view of the whole world, that late foul murder committed by Sherwood, because I would not speak much of them which be gone, & be thought to bite them by the back which are dead, and so be like unto those Papists which being hot in cruelty, did not only curse the dead contitinually, but did take up and burn the hones of divers good men into ashes, to signify unto the world, that no drink could cool their thirst, but blood, no Sacrifice could content them, but the warm heart blood of Martyrs, & the death of the Saints of God. But my intent is this, for as much as their scabs now break out, and that their cruelty seeketh no corners, but setteth itself upon a Stage to be beheld of all men, to give all good Christians warning, that as they shall hear of their naughtiness, and see it so, they will learn to spew them out of their stomachs for ever. It was wont to be said often, and to be true: Envy braggeth, but draweth no blood. But now it may be as truly said: the malice of a Papist, it braggeth little, but it is hardsie satisfied, but with abundance of much ●●od.  
Their desired time of revenge is not past, and their malice hath not yet vomited his gall. We may see this, that because opportunity offereth not itself, to let them delight their eyes with beholding our channels, running and reeking, with the warm blood of Protestants: rather than they will want this delight, they will wash their hands in the blood of their own brethren, in their own chambers. This is the portion of their cups, which if they might, we should be made to drink to the dregs.  
These are the Boars which destroy the Vineyard, who because they are not baighted with Dogs, and their ears torn off, they will play like mad Dogs themselves, biting all that come in their way.  
They give out in their libels which they scatter, ●●●ndlie advertisements, as Indas ●ff●●● a ●aindlie ●isse. They cast themselves 〈◊〉 ●●ke and Subjects, at the feet of our gr●tions ●●uer●●●me, but their long ears d●●●●wray their conditions. Their throats are open Sepulchres, they flatter with their tongues: and so is it their kind, for it is as natural for a Dog to bark, as to wag he tail: If the common wealth be not purged of this infection, the plague will be so great, that upon every good Protestants d●●●e, ●ord have mercy upon us, may shortlis be written.  
But I will briefly deliver out this fearful Tragedy, in the which I will set out nothing that in false, nor willingly keep any thing bac●e that is true. In the queens Bench, there were two detained for Popery: The one called Richard Hobson, borne in the isle of Wight, of good Parentage, young in years (but as time offereth) many young & green heads, are seasoned Papists. The other named William Sherwood, a Gentleman, born● to some Lands, in yorkshire, at Walkington, by Byverley, a man condemned in a Primanerie, for extolling the Supremacy: a derider of God's Ministers, a disturber of Preachers, a contemner of the service confirmed by her Majesty, calling it devilish: one well liked of many Papists, but best liked of himself, because he was so disobedient, they accounted him stout: because he prated much, they accounted him learned: but because he hath shamed them much, they would now account him mad. It fortuned before the death of Hobson, about six weeks, that Sherwood for want of payment was removed from his lodging, well shackled, to the common gail, whose misery being pitied by this young man, was also relieved by his means, (as at sundry other times he was). The quarrel as I am creddibly informed was this: Hobson gave his word for the money that Sherwood owed: a friend of Sherwoods' shortly after, had sent five pounds for the payment of his charges, which Hobson receiving, disbursed it for himself, and within few days after, satisfied the residue, because this money was not paid to Sherwood first: at Dinner time with open words he protested, that he could not abide Hobson. This young man moved him oftentimes earnestly to be reconciled, showing his grief unto him, in that he took offence at him, but nothing might move his mind that thirsted, or stay his hands that itched to commit murder. It is a speech commonly used, that love waxeth and waneth oftentimes with the Moon, but it may be as commonly seen, that the hatred of a Papist never waxeth and waneth, but still waxeth, still increaseth: he that hath been planted in Popery, his Grapes are Grapes of Gall: his clusters are always bitter. If the Pope hath once given them a Sop, they are lightly never sober after: if he have once powered his licker into them, their Vessels can hardly be made clean. But to be brief, the day grew on, which was the 28. of june, about 8. of the clock in the morning, at which time he had determined, to murder his fellow Papist, and that the matter might more easy be brought to pass, he caused the night before the Keeper to rea●●●ue all Hobson's weapons, so that the next morning, as Hobson was coming down through Sherwoods' Chamber, from his prayers, Sherwood shutting his Chamber ●oore, assailed him with a knife, and a stool tressel, a ●●ouishing him, afterwards gave him a large wound, keeping him down and struggling till he bled to death, Hobson often crying, help Father Throckmorton, he killeth me with his knife: master Throckmorton and others, hearing this noise, came upon Sherwood, and by force broke up his doors, found the young man all to be soused in his own blood, and gasping for breath: who after a few faint words, yielded his soul into the hands of God. Sherwood perceived a great many busy about Hobson, began to practise to escape, but by heed taking of one Master Smiths man, he was brought to the marshals hands, and imbrued in his fellows blood: who being examined, he denied the manifest murder, which by witness was proved, and he being brought to the slain body, the blood which was settled, issued out a treshe. Thus he stew this young man, in deed and cause, miserably in form & fashion, cruelly and beastly.  
Let us advisedly now weigh and cou●●der, what manner of bifor this is, that cutteth so sharp: If they be thus unable to master their passions, and thus like blood ●uckers, do open them against their own feliowe prisoners, what shall we look for at their hande●, Quibus sepibus tam immanes bell●a● conti●●bimus: What hedges can be made strong enough, to keep in these beasts. Tully, writing against Anthony. Phillip. 7. saith thus: Qui fa●ilierem iug●laret, quid hic occasions d●ta faci●● i●imice? Et qui illud animi causa, fee●vit hunc prede causa quid facturum putetis? He that will kill his familiar friend, what will he do, if occasion be offered, to his enemy: And he that will do this of stomach, what will he offer to do for spoil?  
Surely, so they will do as they have done: they will devour poor Protestants, as Beasts eat grass, keeping them under: we shall (if time served) not only be choked with the smoke of Popery, but we shall be burnt up with the fire.  
Their imprisonments, have so enriched them 〈◊〉 that they abound in all manner of wealth, especiallies no men better furnished for war, for rebellion, than they. In this great time of mercy, they do nothing but ●●ther heaps of stones to throw at us. They are making of the halters, to hang us: they are whetting of their knives, to cut our throats. These tie Dogs, when they shall be let lose, they will bite us, nay, they will hayts us to death.  
It is time to cut of the Hydra his heads, a●● to strangle him within his Cave, for how soever it cometh to pass they lift up their heads on high, Papistry began to wa● dead and to be cold in the mouth: it beginneth now to wax warm again and to neese, we poo●e Protestants are afraid, but that God & our gracious Prince is with us and hath broke still the arm of the wicked, our hearts would mell like wax in the midst of our bowels: the Lord hath delivered her Majesty, hitherto from them, as Dow from the hand of the Hu●●●r, and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler, and God gr●●nt they be never taken for good subjects, till they become jubiect to God and his Gospel. This subjection of theirs and false Protestation of faith to her Majesty is a false colour, we win●●● hard or else we be blinded if we perceans it not, God remove such Subjects from so good a Prince. It is piety that these black Havens should go for Birds with the rest: I hope God will so bless us, especially all Magistrates, that they will look to it at the last that they shall not be in account with them as to be the finger next the thumb.  
But now to return to his end, Qualis Vita, finis ita, as he lived so he died.  
Being arraigned at Croyden, he continued still obstinately denying the fact, hoping for some help by pardon, but a just judge prevented an ungracious hope.  
The 12. of july he was returned home manacled with an other, who was condemned for a rape: his behaviour the night before he suffered, was according to his accustomed usage, resolute in opinion, though false and dissolute in behaviour, driving of his Christian brethren that exhorted him, with dry scoffs, and no marvel, for scoffing mocking and moweing, licking of Chalices and all manner of toying, is the life of their religion.  
The next day was the 13. of july, the appointed time, for the execution: In the morning certain devout Christians had access unto him, whom at the first entrance he cut of, or hearing a small time, despised. The time of the execution drew nigh, which was performed, over against the queens Bench, where the murder was committed by the under Sheriff of Surrie, and the bailie of Southwark, from the white Lion, to the place where he should suffer, after many vain words of conceived reprieve had by the way, he was caused to climb the Ladder, on which being placed, he entered this kind of discourse.  
I beseech all Romish Catholics to help me in this my extremity, with their virtuous and godly prayers, for other which are of a contrary profession, as I abhor their religion, so I will none of their prayers. But if there shallbe here present any one of the true Catholic Romish faith: I beseech them of their prayers in my behalf.  
The people hearing these his obstinate speeches, with sundry exclamations, cried out, hang him, hang him, there be none here of his profession.  
Nevertheless he continued his wicked speeches, proclaiming the Pope of Rome the supreme head of the Universal Church, Christ's vicar here upon earth. Yet notwithstanding, though by evident reasons he was confuted, yet the God of this world had so blinded him, that no reason could prevail with him.  
And farther, whereas the Preacher persuaded him to lay his hope on Christ whose mercy was infinite, he vehemently cried out, away with the Wolf, he perverteth the truth, and troubleth me, away with the Wolf.  
Being farther inquired of the murder, he persisted in his unjust denial, laying contrary to all evidence and probability, the death of the young man Hobson to his own charge.  
When no hope of confession or recantation was to be conceived, the Sheriff caused him to be removed higher, to the end that execution might be performed, wishing him by earnest and devout prayers, to call for mercy and repentance, to crave grace.  
But he by these tokens perceiving death at hand, contrary to a meek Lamb, as he termed himself, fled down the Ladder to fly from the Butcher, thereby showing the unstableness of his faith, so that the hangman was enforced to undo the Halter which he had fastened to the jibbet, and to put it about his neck below, and so by little and little to draw him up.  
Where resting, after many persuasions by the Sheriff and the Preacher, and no profit in the midst of his Latin Pater noster, was turned off to the mercy of God.  
I am persuaded if all the rest were thus handled, no one faithful subject should draw less breath, and then I am sure (through God's great goodness) the happy peace of this land should be made perfect, you see how boldly he embraced foreign jurisdiction, all they which be Papists, heartily do the like, I pray God that if they be not haltered, yet that they may be bridled with shorter Rains, that they be not so headstrong, as this man was.  
If a Sheep wearier be well cougeled at the first, he forfaketh his trade: so if Papists were thoroughly dealt withal, they would forget to make the Pope supreme head of the Church of England.  
I beseech those that be in authority to look to it, and thus committing the poor (yet quiet) estate of the Church of England, to the old and wont care of our gracious Prince, and the rest that bear any office, I end, not willing to spend many words upon so vile and carrenly a generation, but as Peter, Act. 2. exhorted his scholars in many words, saying, Save yourselves from this froward generation, so I with few words, exhort all estates to look to themselves, and to take heed of this viperous and pestilent generation from ancient cruelty, of the which the Lord deliver this whole land of England both now and for ever. Amen.   

¶ Imprinted at London by John Charlewood and Edward White. 1581.