engraved title page … TA ·PRUDENTIA· ·DIEU·ET·MON·DROIT· A declaration of the life and Death of john Story, Late a Romish Canonical Doctor, by profession. 1571. ¶ Imprinted at London, by Thomas Colwell. ¶ The special Contents of this declaration. First, wherefore john Story was imprisoned in the Queen's Bench. His breaking of that Prison and flying into Flaunders. His traitorous and naughty dealing there. The cause and manner of his conveyance from thence into England. The manner of his arainement, and judgement. The manner of his death and execution. An Epilogue or short conclusion of his Life. GEntle Reader in this short declaration, I purpose briefly to note unto thee, part of the life and the manner of death of john Story, late a Romish & Canonical Doctor by profession. If I should discourse the common places of description of persons, his parents, his education and bringing up, his sundry outrageous doings executed by him in the persecuting of the members of Christ, & the manner of his life from time to time, namely in the time of K. Henry the eight, when the statute of six Articles was first set forth, & all his cruelty used sithence, to the day of his death: it would ask a volume as great as 〈◊〉 book of Martyrs: a great part of which book is stuffed with his tyrannous and cruel tragedies, executed against God and his poor members. As for the wilful and wicked course of his younger years, a great part whereof he spent in the University of Oxford●, to report all the parts, it would requ●●e a long story. One Prank may stand in stead of many. And although Christian charity require us alway, and of all men, to report the best, specially of them that be departed: Yet no charity forbiddeth a man with sobriety and modesty to report the truth for the benefit of good example to other: Or else all writing of histories after the party's death (when they be most truly written) should be condemned, & the bridle of just infamy perilously taken away from wicked men. About the year of our Lord 1529. Story being a student of the civil law in Hinkse●e Hall in Oxford, and on a time lodging abroad alone as often times his manner was to do, in the company of a woman, whom he had at his commandment, was fet home from thence late in the night, and carried aloft through the open streets with a solemn procession of the whole company of his house, every man carrying a candle burning before him, as a token of his virginity, and singing merely together, Qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus, Sobrius, castus fuit, & quietus, Vita dum presence. etc. as if they had been S. Nicholas clerks. After that, about the year of our Lord, 1538. the said Story being then Doctor and principal of Broadgates' in the said universytie of Oxford, and mistrusting a young gentleman for over familiar resorting to his acquaintance in the town, gave him earnest charge, with terrible threats, as he loved his life to come there no more, for Love & Lordship can brook no fellowship. Therefore on a certain time for his good chaste purpose, taking occasion to walk abroad, and having his man with his sword waiting upon him, & passing through the Church yard of S. Olaf'S he met the said young gentle man returning home from the town, being utterly without weapon, & having only his study gown cast upon him. And he imagining that he came from such places as he had so often for bidden him, in great fury and heat of mind, being also fired with jealousy towards his love, he reached back suddenly unto his man and drew his sword, & having the gentleman at advantage in the corner of two walls, ran him thorough both sides, & left him for dead. Immediately a cry was raised, the people assembled, Doctor Story was apprehended by the officers, & laid in Bocardo: where he continued until it was perfectly known, that the young gentleman so wounded was past all danger. For God by his gracious providence so directed the sword, that notwithstanding it pierced through both sides, yet it perished not one part of all the entrails. He that writeth these words is a witness hereof and saw the party dressed, & the towels drawn through his body. The party so wounded is named N. Brierton, and is yet alive. These are the first fruits of Doctor Stories good Doctorly doings, agreeable with his life that followed after ward. A kindly bear will bite by tyme. Now I will begin the rest of this Declaration at the beginning of the Reign of the most virtuous, godly, learned and hopeful Prince, King Edward the sixth: who after the death of the most noble and famous prince, King Henrye the viii his Father, took upon him, as of right appertained unto him, the Regal state and government of this Realm. And first, and before all other things, he seeking the high advancement of God's honour restored unto us the sincere doctrine of the Gospel of our Saviour jesus Christ, and made most Godly Laws for the abolishing of all superstition and idolatry. At which time, john Story being then of the parliament house and a great enemy to the glorious light of Christ's Gospel, did vehemently inveigh against the godly doings of that virtuous Prince, namely, for setting forth the book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments in English: where he did not only slanderously speak of the Doctrine, but also maliciously and seditiously spoke of that godly Prince (alleging the sentence of Ecclesiastes: That woe is to that Realm whose king is but a child, wresting the same text against that noble Prince, even to the same sense that gave chief occasion to the rebellion in the same kings time, and meaning that both the Prince & the realm did they wist not what. And shortly after that he had thus declared his rebellious heart & cankered judgement, he then fled this realm into the parties beyond the seas, and there abode all the life of that virtuous Prince. After his death, as soon as the late Queen Mary possessed the crown, the aforesaid Story returned again from beyond the Seas, and obtained of Queen Mary by the help of Bishop Boner, that he become a commissioner, and a cruel perpersecutor of Christ's members, wherein he travailed with such vehemency and in such a tyrannous manner, as never was there any before him did, and in that state he continued all the days of Queen mary's life. After the death of Queen Mary, so soon as our most dear sovereign Lady came to the possession of the crown, and that she had called a parliament, chiefly for the restitution of God's blessed word and the true administration of the Sacraments to God's high honour, and also for the amendment of the decayed state of this Realm. The said Story being of the parliament house who was an enemy to all godly reformations, did with great vehemency speak against the bill that was there exhibited for the restitution of the book of common prayer, & said these words: I did often times in Queen Mary's time, say to the Bishops that they were to busy with Pecora campi, (for so it pleased him to term the poor commons of England) chopping at twiges, but I wished to have chopped at the root, which if they had done, this gear had not come now in question, and here in most traitorously he meant the destruction of our dear & sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth. For the which words spoken in such an audience and in such vehement manner, there was no honest nor true heart that heard him but did utterly abhor him. And soon after that he had declared his traitorous heart to the Queen's highness, and his conscience accusing him, he fled and lurked about in sundry corners, as did Cain when he had murdered his brother Abel. But at the last he was taken in the west country riding before a Male in a frise coat like a serving man, and was apprehended in the highway by one master Ayleworth a gentleman one of the Queen's servants, and brought before the counsel, and after sent to prison to the Queen's Bench (for more than suspicion of Treason) in the first year of her highness reign. And after the said Story had remained there a while he espying his time and by the help of his friends (as commonly such lewd papists lack none) he broke the said prison and fled again beyond the Seas, namely into Flaundyrs, and there not only practised diverse wicked & treyterous enterprises towards our Sovereign lady the queens majesty and the state of this realm, by sundry conferences that he had with such as have of late rebelled & conspired the destruction of the same. But also he become an open & common enemi to every good subject of this realm of England, and obtained in Flaundyrs of the Duke of Alna a commission and authority to practise his old cruetie & to arrest & apprehend all such Englishmen'S goods as should arrive in those countries, or that did traffic out of England into those parts, or from thence into England, and to confiscate the same by reason of which authority, he used there such extremity that he was the spoiler & undoer of diverse merchants, and of more would have been, if he had longer continued: wherefore the said merchants were in forced to study and devise some remedy, and to practise some way or mean how to remove this cumber some man from them. And among other devices, they having experience of him to be a greedy and ravenous wolf, put into his head (by such as he suspected not) that there was a prey for him of English goods in a Ship that lai● in a certain place which was named unto him, where he should find such a treasure of goods to be confiscate, as would be sufficient for him during his life. The wolf being hungry and desirous of this great prey, set forward, and came into a Ship that promised to bring him to the place where the pray was. But to be short ●●ssone as he was entered the ship, the s●●e brought him clean a way out of Flaundirs into England, and landed him at Harwyche in the month of August last paste. And soon after, knowledge being given to the Queen's honourable counsel of his landing, he was brought to London and there he was committed to prison to the Lollards' tower in Paul's where he continued a while that he might well peruse that place wherein he had most cruelly tormented many a good christian. But he lacked there one thing, which was the monstrous and huge Steckes, that he and Boner his old faithful friend had used to turmoil and persecute the poor and Innocent christians in, hanging sum therein by the heel's so high, that only their heads lay on the ground. Some were stocked in both feet & arms, some also were stocked by both their feet and by both their thumbs, and so did hung in the Stocks. And some also were stocked by both their feet, & chained by the neck with collars of Iron made fast behind them to a post in the wall, and such other devilish and tyrannus engines and devices by him practised these at his being in the lolardes' Tower he missed, and great pity it was that he had not tasted of them: But alack the good Bishop Gryndall late bishop of London had brent and consumed them with fire. But to return where I left, after that Story had contynnued a certain of time in the Lollards' Tower, & had been divers times examined, he was from thence removed to the Tower of London, where he remained until the xxvi day of may. 1571. And then was he● brought from thence into westminster hall before the judges of the Queen's Bench, and there arraigned. And after the indictment had been read unto him, th'effect whereof was, that where as Richard Norton, Thomas Markenfelde, Christopher Neuyll, Frances Norton & Thomas jenny alias jennings with other traitors, after their offences committed in the north; and being thereof indicted in the xii year of the Queen's highness reign before the right honourable Thomas earl of Sussex lord precedent of the Queen's counsel in the north parts, john lord Darcye etc. they after their indictment did the xxiii of june in the year aforesaid embark themselves in sundry Ships and fled this realm unto Antwerp in Brabant, which is under the government of king philip, and there contrary to their allegiance did lead their lives, and the aforesaid john Story. D. W. P and I PEA, being borne in England and the Queen's subjects, did with them conspire, compass and Imagine the Queen's death, and her highness to depose and deprive. And by divers persuasions and letters did also procure strangers to invade this realm of England, and to levy war against the Queen, and her highness to depose. And that the aforesaid john Story etc. knowing the abovesaid Norton and others to have committed their treasons here in England, did receive, comfort and help them at Antwerp aforesaid, against their allegiance. etc. And after the indictment read he being called upon by the court to answer to the same, pleaded that he was not the Queen's subject nor had not been these seven. years, but was the subject of the most catholic and mighty prince king Philip king of Spain, to whom he was sworn, and had in Fee of him one hundredth pound by the year, therefore said he I am not bound to answer to that indictment, neither will I answer unto it. And here he used many pretty taunts as well to the judges as also pleasing himself with giving of pretty nips and girds. And very stowtlye, he maintained his former plea, affirming also, that they were not his lawful judges, neither that they had law to proceed against him being none of the Queen's subjects. And then being demanded where he was borne? he answered in England. Then said they it followeth that you are subject to the laws of this realm, and should be so to our Queen Whereunto he replied and said, that God commanded Abraham to go forth from the land and country where he was borne, from his friends and kinsfolk into another country. And so he following his example, for conscience sake in religion did forsake his country● and the laws of this realm & the prince also, and had wholly given himself to the service of a foreign governor king Philip king of Spain. And hereupon he stood very stoutly, but to small purpose. Then when he perceived that they would proceed in judgement against him, he said, they had no law so to do. And with that he turned him about to the people, and said: good people, I trust ye see how violently I am used and how unjustly and contrary to all justice and equity they use me. And he added that he had good hope that he was not destitute of some friends there that would give notice and knowledge to the most catholic prince his master how cruelly they dealt with him. And then again, being called upon to answer, one said unto him, master Story, because you think it violence that is showed unto you in stead of law and justice, you shall know that we do nothing but that we may do both by law and equity. And then one of the judges said: this is Scarborowes case. Nay, said Story, my case is not Skarboroughes case: but in deed I had Skarborough warning to come to this arraignment, for I knew nothing thereof until vij of the clock in the morning. Then, there was a book delivered him to read, wherein he might see what they might do by law: and after he had read it, the judge demanded of him how he liked it? And he answered, God have mercy upon me. Then the Lord chief justice gave him judgement to be drawn, hanged and quartered, and so was he again sent unto the Tower. And as he went by the way: certain persons in several places met with him and one said: O Story, Story: thou art a strange Story: Remember Master Bradforde that godly man, his blood asketh vengeance on thee Story: repent in time. Another cried on him and said: Story, call to mind the rigour that thou showdest upon Master Read, a Gentleman, whom thou didst utterly destroy: ask God forgiveness Story for that wicked deed. Another cried unto him and said: Blessed be God, Story, that hath made thee partaker of such Bread, as thou wast wont to deal to the innocent members of jesus Christ. Another also cried out upon him, and said: Story, Story: the abominable cup of fornication and filthiness that thou hast given other to drink, be heaped up topful, that thy plagues may be the greater at the terrible day of God's wrath & vengeance, unless thou ask mercy for thy filthy, corrupt & stinking life. And yet again, another cried out unto him and said: I pray God that thy heart be not hardened, as was Pharaos', and made harder than the Adamant stone, or the steel, that when he would, he could not repent and call for grace. And among all the rest, one came to him at London Stone, and saluted him with this meeter, saying: Master Doctor Story, For you they are right sorry The Court of Louvain and Rome: Your holy father the Pope, Cannot save you from the rope, The Hangman must have your gown● To whom he answered not one word▪ THe first day of june, the said Story was drawn upon an herdell from the Tower of London unto Tiborn: where was prepared for him a new pair of Gallows made in triangle manner. And by the way as he went, many people spoke unto him, and called upon him to repent his Tyranny and wickedness, and willed him to call upon God for mercy: But he lay as though he had been a sleep, & would not speak to any person. And when he was taken from the herdell and set in a cart, he made there a solemn protestation, and said: ¶ I am come hither to die: and truly, if this death were ten times more fierce and sharp than it is, I have deserved it? I have lived the space of threescore &. seven. years: and now my body must abide this temporal pain and punishment provided for me here in this life, by mean whereof, my days shallbe cut off. But where at the first I stood in fear of death, I thank God, this night passed I have been so comforted with good and godly men, that the fear of death is taken from my sight. And now I appeal to God the Father, trusting in the Passion of his Son Christ jesus, and hoping, by the shedding of his blood only to be saved. And although of a long time I could not apply the virtue of his Passion and death to the use & benefit of my soul, because of my long hover in fear: Yet now, I thank God, I know how to apply this medicine, as for example: Apothecary may have a Medicine lying in his shop vij years, that may help a sick or diseased man by the counsel of a Physician: But if this medicine be not applied to the patient, but still remaineth in the Apothecary's shop it profiteth nothing: Not more (said he) could the benefit of Christ's Death help me: because, though I knew the medicine good, I did not apply it unto my Soul health: Stories years were many and evil spent. But now that it hath pleased Almighty God to call me to account of my lxvij years, which now must have an end, and this corrupt body must feel a temporal punishment, for my sins have deserved it (as I said before) I am now come to the proof of this Medicine. David, when he had committed Adultery with Barsabe the wife of Urias (whose Husband also he caused to be put in the Front of the Battle, and so was he murdered:) he for that trespass felt a temporal punishment by the loss of the life of his son, which he loved tenderly. Also, when he numbered his people, he greatly displeased God: And for his offence and transgression, he felt a temporal pain: and choice was given unto him from above, to choose one of these iij temporal and bodily punishments: that is to say: Three days Pestilence: the Sword, that is to say, bloody Battle vij years: or Famine vij years. And he thought to choose the lest: and he chose three days Pestilence. But this Scourge took away an infinite number of his subjects. So now as my sins deserve a temporal pain, which here have an end, even in this flesh: I am of the same mind that the Prophet David was: And with him I agree saying. Inuoco te Domine. etc. Lord I call upon thee in this day of my trouble, hear me O Lord out of thy dwelling place. etc. But now to speak a little of my arraignment: when I was at Westminster, I alleged in my plea that I was no Subject of this Realm, His hand is to the contrary. as I did likewise before the queens Commissioners, Sir Thomas Wroth, Master Thomas Wilbraham late Recorder of the City of London, M. Peter Osborne, Master Marsh, and M. Doctor Wattes: where the Recorder of London made like demand as was demanded of me at Westminster: and that was whether I was borne in England, or no? Whereunto I answered I was. Then said he, it followeth that you are and aught to continued the queens faithful subject. I lie before the Commssioners. Whereunto I replied then as I do now, saying: I am sworn to the noble King, defender of the ancient Catholic Faith, King Philip King of Spain: And he is sworn again by a solemn and corporal Oath, to maintain and defend the University of Louvain, Stories hand is to the contrary of his voluntary confession. whereof I am a member, and therefore no subject of this Realm, no yet subject to any Laws thereof: For it is well known, that I departed this Realm being freely licenced thereunto by the Queen, who accounted me an abject and castaway, and I came not hither again of mine own accord: but I was betrayed. And although I had an inckeling given me before of such a thing pretended towards me, Story was not betrayed, but by God's provision delivered to be cut off, as a naughty & corrupt member. yet I could not shun nor escape it: For sure it was God that made dim mine understanding, and blinded mine eyes, so that I could not perceive it. But holy writ commandeth me to love my enemies, & here I forgive them freely with all my heart, beseeching God that they take no harm for me in another Country, I would be right sorry they should, although they betrayed me. I travailed with them from Ship to Ship, by the space of eight days and mistrusted no peril to be at hand until I was clapped fast under the Hatches. But sure, sure: it was God that wrought it: Yea, and although I was accounted a Poller of the english men of your country: I stand now here before God, and by the death I shall die, I had never out of any Ship more than two Pieces of Gold, and forty Dallers that was laid in my hand. But once again, to my arraignment, where there were certain Letters laid to my charge, wherein I should go about to provoke the Nortons', the Nevils & oth●● to rebel, I never meant it: Yet will I discharge my conscience freely & frankly and tell you truth. Here Story before he was war, hath told you that he was a rank Traitor. There was a Commission for a like matter sent into Scotland, which I wrote with mine own hand: But it contained a Proviso, wherein the Queen of England and her Dominions were excepted. There are yet two things that I purpose to talk of: namely, for that there are here present a great number of Youth: And I would to God I might say or speak that which might bring all men to the unity of the Church: for there is but one Church, one Flock and one Shepherd: If I could this do, I would think myself to have wrought a good work. The first Point toucheth my cruelty, wherewith I am sore burdened: And the second concerneth my Religion. As touching the first, there were three in Commission, of the which I was one that might do lest, for I was the last of the three. And though I might by persuasion assay to 'cause them to revoke the articles that they had maintained, and to confess the presence, wherein I stand: You know that he that chideth, is not worthy to be condemned for fighting: Not more am I worthy to be counted cruel for chiding: It was the Bishop that pronounced the Sentence Excommunicamus, and against that I could not do, for I was one of the laity. Yet often times the Bishop to whom I was servant was bold with me when he had so many Prisoners that he could not well bestow them. For at one time the Lord Rich, sent him out of Essex. xxviij. And at another time xxiiij Also at another time xvi and xiiij and some of them were sent to me, which I kept in my House with such fare as I had provided for myself and my Family, at mine own cost and charge. And to prove that I was not so cruel as I am reported to be, A pretty tale, and it were long enough and true enough. let this one tale suffice: There were at one time xxviij condemned to the Fire, and I moved the Dean of Paul's to tender and pity their estate, which after was Abbot of Westminster, a very pitiful minded man: I think the most part of you know him, it is M. Fecknam, and we went up and persuaded with them, and we found them very tractable. And Master Fecknam and I laboured to the Lord Cardinal Poole, showing that they were. Nescientes qùid fecerunt. The Cardinal & we did sue together to the Queen, & laid both the sword together, and so we obtained pardon for them all, saving an old woman that dwelled about Paul's Churchyard, she would not convert, and therefore she was burned. There 〈◊〉 of them received absolution, and that with all reverence: search them Register and you shall find it. Yea, & it was my procurement that there should be no more burnt in London, for I saw well that it would not prevail, and therefore we sent them into odd corners into the country. Wherefore I pray you, name me not cruel, I would be loath to have any such slander to run on me. But sith I die in charity, I pray you all of charity to pray for me, that God may strengthen me with patience to suffer my death: to the which I yield most willingly. And here I make a petition to you my friends that would have bestowed anything on me, I beseech you for charity sake, bestow it yearly on my wife, who hath four small children, and God hath now taken me away that was her staffs and stay: And now my Daughter Weston and her three children are gone over ●nto her, and I know not how they shall do for food, unless they go a begging f●●m door to door for it: although in deed no English persons do beg but of English, being helped by the Lady Dorm. ●nd Sir Francisco: I have good hope that you will be good unto her, for she is the faithfullest wife, the lovyngest and constantest that ever man had. And twice we have lost all that ever we had, and now she hath lost me to her great grief I know. The second point that I thought to speak of, is concerning my Religion, for that I know many are desirous to know what faith I will die in, the which I will briefly touch: I say with Saint Iherome that ancient father and pillar of the old ancient, catholic, and Apostolic Church grounded upon the Patriarches; Prophets and Apostles, that in the same faith that I was borne in, Which is not the church wherein S. Hierome lived. I purpose to die. And as the ark that No and his Family did possess, figured the ship of Christ's Church, out of which whip who soever is can not be saved. In tha● ship am I: Example. A ship that 〈◊〉 tossed on the floods is often in danger of loss on the sands, and sometimes on the rock. But when the men that are in the ship espy present peril at hand, there is a Cockboat at the tail of the ship, whereunto they fly for secure: So likewise, I being in the Ship of Christ, once fell out of the same ship and was in present peril and great danger. But then I following the example of a good mariner, took the Cockboat, thinking to drive to land: and at the last, being in the boat, I espied three Oars, that is to wit: Contrition, Confession & Absolution. And I held all these fast, and ever sense I have continued in the ship of Christ, of which, the Apostle Peter is the guide and principal, & in the faith catholic of my king I die. Then said the Earl of Bedford, are you not the queens subject? Not, said Story, & yet I do not exclude the Queen but I pray for her, her Counsel and the Nobility of this Realm long to continued. Then said the Lord Honsdon: Are you not the queens Subject, you were borne in England? Then said Story: Every man is free borne, and he hath the whole face of the Earth before him to devil & abide in where he liketh best: and if he can not live here, he may go else where. Then was there (as I think one of the Ministers) hearing him to make so light of our noble Queen and Country, demanded of him whether she were not next and immediately under God, Supreme head of the Churches of England and Ireland? whereunto he answered: I come not hither to dispute, but if she be, she is: my nay will not prevail to prove it otherwise. And then they cried, away with the ●arte: And so he was hanged according to his judgement. An Epilogue, or a brief Conclusion, of the life of the aforesaid john Story. THe aforesaid john Story, beside that he was an obstinate Papist and a rank Traitor, he was also in Queen mary's time, the cruelest tyrant & persecutor of the innocent members and blessed professors of Christ, that ever was to his power, sithen that cruel tyrant Nero. For his whole delectation and pleasure was, in racking, stocking, whipping, manakling and burning of innocents, without respect either of age, virtue, learning, weakness of wit, or of a simple boy, or childish wench: and all was fish that came to the net. And he often and openly said (in the hearing of many) in the time of Queen Mary, that the burning of Heretics (as he termed them) was to gentle a death for they had too much scope to prate and talk what they lust: But said he, if I live, I will have a clo●e Cage of Iron made for them, with a door in the side, like to the Brazen Bull of perillus, where they shallbe enclosed, and the door made fast, and the fire to be made under them. And then (said he) they shall know what friing is, and their mouths shallbe stopped from blowing out their pestilent Doctrine. So that by the premises, it may manifestly appear, that there hath not been a wickeder man toward God, his Prince & country, than he hath been. ¶ God save the Queen, and confound her enemies. ¶ Seen and allowed. etc.