THE BOOK OF MARTYRS  
Wherein are set down the names of such Martyrs as suffered persecution, and laid down their lives for witness-bearing unto the Gospel of CHRIST JESUS; drawn down from the Primitive Church, to these later times, especially respecting such as have suffered in this Land under the tyranny of Antichrist, in opposition to Popish Errors.  
LONDON, Printed by I. B. 1639.   

A Brief CATALOGVE of such Martyrs as suffered persecution, and laid down their lives for witness-bearing unto the Gospel of Christ jesus; drawn down from the Primitive Church, to these later times, especially respecting such as have suffered in this Land under the tyranny of Antichrist in opposition to Popish Errors.  

I Sing their deaths who dying made death yield,  
By Scriptures sword, & faiths unbatterd shield,  
Whom Satan, men, or monsters could not tame,  
Nor force them to deny their Saviour's Name.  
Evangelists, that did the Gospel write,  
Apostles and brave Martyrs, that did fight  
'Gainst death and hell, and all the power of sin,  
And boldly died eternal life to win.  
john Baptist by King Herod lost his head,  
Who to the world repentance published,  
Our blessed Redeemer in his love did follow,  
And conquered death man's sinful soul to hollow,  
He was the death of death, and he did quell  
The sting and power of Satan, sin, and hell,  
And under his great standard, valiantly,  
A number numberless have dared to dye.  
Through bondage, famine, slavery, sword and fire  
Through all devised torments they aspire  
Victoriously to gain th'immortal Crown,  
Of never ending honour and renown.  
Saint Steven was the third that lost his breath,  
And (for his Master's sake) was stoned to death:  
And after him in Scripture may be read,  
Th'Apostle james was brained and butchered.  
Saint Mark th'Evangelist in fire did burn,  
And Bartholomew was flayed, yet would not turns  
Saint Andrew like a valiant champion died,  
And (willing) on a cross was crucified  
Mathias, Philip, Peter, and Saint Paul,  
Stoned, crucified, beheaded, Martyrs all.  
Th' Apostles of their lives, no reckoning make,  
And think them well spent for their Saviors sake  
The Tyrant Emperors, in number ten,  
(Most cruel, barbarous, and inhuman men)  
Moore Christians by their bloody means did slay  
Then for a year five thousand to each day.  
And many Romish Bishops in those days,  
Were Martyred to their high Creator's praise;  
And though each day so many thousands bleed,  
Yet doubly more and more they daily breed.  
As Camomile grows better being trod,  
So death and tortures draws more unto God.  
Or as the Vine that's cut and pruned bears more  
In one year, than it did in three before:  
This bloody persecution did outwear  
After Christ's death the first 300. years:  
Thus did the Primitive Church first endure,  
Being Catholic, Apostolic, and pure:  
Then over all the world was truly known,  
That Romish Bishops claimed but their own  
In their own Diocese to be chief Pastor.  
And not to be the world's great Lord and Master.  
And now our Britain's glory will I sing,  
From Lucius reign, the world's first Christian King  
Unto these days of happy peaceful state,  
A Catalogue of Martyrs I'll relate:  
First Vrsulae, and eleven thousand with her,  
All Virgins, for Christ's faith did die together.  
Then Hengist with the Saxons hither came,  
Who many killed with sword and furious flame.  
Besides eleven hundred Monks were killed.  
At Bangor Abbey all their bloods were spilled.  
And when the Saxons race to end was run,  
The Danes came in; and all the Kingdom won.  
Before whose swords did many thousands fall,  
Which on the name of jesus Christ did call.  
Then William Conqueror with a multitude.  
Unto the Normans yoke this Land subdued,  
The Pope then caused all Priests to leave their wives,  
To lead foul Sodomitick single lives.  
Then afterward in second Henry's reign,  
Was saucy Saint Thomas Becket slain;  
A Popish Saint and Martyr made, because  
He died a traitor to his Sovereign's Laws.  
King Henry and King Richard dead and gone,  
Their brother john (by right) ascends the throne,  
Whom all his life the Pope of Rome did vex,  
And with oppressions all the Realm perplex;  
With candle, book, and bell, he cursed and blessed,  
And Bulls and Legates did the King molest;  
Until such time he on his knees fell down,  
And to the Pope surrendered up his Crown.  
At last, because he durst the Pope withstand,  
He died empoisoned by a Friar's hand.  
When thus by treason they had killed King john,  
Then the third Henry England's Crown put on:  
Then England bought the Romish doctrine dear,  
It cost her threescore thousand marks a year.  
For Agnus Dei, pardons, Peter pence,  
For which the Pope had all this coin from hence:  
King Henry died, than Edward took the sway,  
His son and grandchild, England did obey,  
The first of them called Long shanks, conquests won,  
Lost by Carnarvan his unhappy son,  
Who by his Queen was in a dungeon cast,  
Till (being murdered) sadly breathed his last.  
Edward the third, a brave victorious King,  
Did Frenchmens pride into subjection bring.  
Richard the second next to Reign began,  
Who lost more than his royal Grandsire wan.  
Then began john Wiekliffe boldly to begin  
To preach against Antichrist, that man of sin;  
Who many troubles stoutly did abide,  
Yet (spite the Pope) he naturally died;  
And being dead, from out his grave was turned,  
And had his martyred bones to ashes burned;  
Which ashes they did cast into a brook,  
Because he had the Romish faith forsook.  
Yet whilst the second Richard here survived,  
No Martyrs were by fire of life deprived.  
Henry the fourth was in the Throne invested,  
In whose reign many were too much molested.  
And William Sautre first his life did give  
Through flames of fire, who now in heaven doth live.  
The next john Badby in the furious flame,  
And William Thorp, but won immortal fame.  
Then the fifth Henry, a victorious Prince,  
The Realm of France did conquer and convince.  
The good Lord Cobham then (Oldcastle named)  
By Popish Priests an Heretic was proclaimed,  
Was hanged and burned by the unlawful doom,  
Of Satan's servants, slaves to hell and Rome.  
And leaving some unnamed, john Browne Esquire,  
john Beverly a Preacher died in fire.  
Besides a number from the Lollards tower,  
Racks, tortures, halters, and the flame devour.  
john Hus a glorious Martyr of the Lord,  
Was in Bohemia burned for God's Word.  
And reverend jerom did to Constance come,  
From Prage, and stoutly suffered martyrdom.  
In Smithfield one john Claidon suffered death,  
And with him Richard Turming lost his breath,  
At this time sixteen godly folks in Kent,  
The Antichristian vassals did torment.  
Then death cut off the fifth King Henry's reign,  
The Crown the sixth King Henry did obtain.  
And William Tailor a true zealous Priest,  
Did pass through fire unto his Saviour Christ.  
Good Richard Hoveden, with him William White,  
Each unto God (through fire) did yield his spirit,  
Duke Humphrey (though no Martyr) killed in's bed,  
And Richard Wych a Priest was burned dead.  
Then Saintlike good King Henry was deposed,  
By the fourth Edward in the Tower enclosed:  
Then Edward fled, and Henry once again,  
By Warwick's power the Kingdom did obtain.  
Thus did the various state of humane things,  
Make Kings of Captive, and of Captives Kings:  
Until at last King Edward turned back,  
Brought Henry's royalty to final wrack:  
In whose reign john Goose (as the story saith)  
Was the first Martyr, burned for Christ's Faith.  
King Henry in the Tower was stabbed to death,  
And Edward yieldeth up his life and breath,  
His son young Edward, of that name the fifth,  
Whom the third Richard from his life did lift.  
Who by foul murders, blood, and tyranny,  
Usurped the throne of England's Monarchy;  
Till valiant Henry of that name the seven,  
Killed him, and made uneven England even:  
Then first joan Broughton, & a man called Babrane  
By Faith (thorough fire) went to old father Abram.  
An old man was in Swithfield burned, because  
He did resist against the Roman Laws.  
One jerom hanged and burned on the Gallows,  
In Florence, with two other of his fellows:  
And William Tilsworth, Thomas Bernard, and  
james Morton, cause they did the Pope withstand  
Burned all, and Father Rogers, and old Rhine,  
Did die by fire, a better life to gain.  
One Thomas Novice, and one Thomas Chase,  
Died constant Martyrs by the heavenly grace.  
A woman and a man called Laurence Guest,  
By death gained everlasting life and rest:  
Besides a number past men's reckoning up,  
For jesus sake drank of afflictions cup.  
Some carried faggots through a world of mock  
Some racked, some pined, some fettered in the stocks:  
Some naked stripped and scourged with a lash,  
For their rejecting of the Romish trash.  
Some branded in the cheek did always bear  
The badge and mark of their Redeemer dear.  
Thus the insulting tyrannising Pope,  
With cursings, faggot, fire, and sword and rope.  
Did force the souls, and consciences of men,  
To run despairing to damnation's den.  
And they that valiantly his power withstood,  
Did seal their resolution with their blood.  
Before his triple, treble, trouble Crown,  
(In adoration) Emperors must fall down,  
Were they as high as any Caesar borne,  
To kiss his feet they must not hold it scorn.  
Henry the sixth the Emperor did fall down,  
Whom with his feet Pope Celestine did crown.  
Henry the fourth his Empress and young son,  
All three to Rome did barefoot go and run:  
And three days so, these three did all attend  
His holiness, a godless ear to lend,  
Which afterward was granted on condition,  
That he should give his crown up in submission,  
Pandulphus the Popes Legate, with a frown,  
Did make King john of England yield his crown.  
King Henry of that name the second, he  
Kneeled down, and kissed the Romish Legates knee.  
The Emperor when Pope Adrian was to ride,  
Did hold his stirrup on the mere wrong side,  
For which his Holiness in angry sort,  
Disdainfully did check the Emperor for't.  
When as the Pope doth ride in Cope of gold,  
Kings (like to footmen) must his bridle hold:  
In pomp he must be borne upon men's shoulders,  
With glorious show, amazing the beholders.  
Whilst Kings and Princes must before him go,  
To usher him in his vainglorious show:  
This being true, as no man can deny,  
Those that will not be blind may plainly spy,  
That their insulting proud commanding Priest,  
Is absolute and only Antichrist;  
H'exalts himself 'bove all that's called God,  
Upon the Emperor's neck he proudly trod:  
He is th'abomination (void of grace)  
That mounts himself into the holy place:  
He makes the Princes of the earth drink up,  
And quaff the poison of the cursed cup,  
Who being drunken with the dregs of sin,  
They have his sworn and forsworn vassals been,  
Bewitched with his soul enchanting charms,  
'Gainst one another they have rose in Arms;  
By foreign and domestic bloody broils,  
Whilst he hath filled his coffers with their spoils:  
His double dealing too too plain appears,  
In setting Christian Princes by the ears,  
Whilst he into his avaricious hands,  
Hath seized their persons, moveables, and lands:  
And as the Christian kings themselves made weak,  
The Turk into their Kingdoms began to break;  
And thus the Turk and Pope joined with the devil,  
Have been the authors of all Christian evil.   

The second BOOK.  
When the 7th Henry in his grave was laid,  
And the 8th Henry England's Sceptre swayed,  
Rome's bloody persecution raged more  
In England, than in ten Kings reigns before:  
And therefore Reader, in this little Book,  
For every Martyr's name thou must not look:  
But men of chiefest note, respect and fame,  
That died in England, only those I name.  
And first the Papists tyranny began,  
In murdering Richard Hun, a zealous man,  
For being kept in prison by their power,  
They closely hanged him in the Lollards Tower.  
And then they all in general decreed,  
Reporting Hun himself had done the deed.  
And sixteen days just after this was done,  
They burned the foresaid corpse of Richard Hun.  
Then to the number of full thirty five,  
The furious flames did all of life deprive;  
In several places of this woeful Land,  
Because they did the Pope of Rome withstand.  
At which time Thomas Bilney did begin,  
To preach and teach against Antichristian sin;  
Where in Saint George's Church in Ipswich town  
The Papists from the Pulpit plucked him down  
And as in doleful prison he did lie,  
He put his finger into the flames to try;  
He proved, & God did give him strength to bear  
His death, to live with his Redeemer dear.  
The next of note was one john Frub, a man  
Of learning great, a Martyr's fame he won.  
Then learned Luther, and grave Zwinglius,  
With Calvin, Beza, Oecolampadius,  
All glorious, gracious reverend lamps of light,  
Were instruments to clear bleared England's sight.  
In Flanders William tindal for God's Word,  
Was sacrificed to glorify the Lord.  
john Lambert valiantly his death did take,  
And burned in Smithfield for his Saviour's sake.  
About this time, that honourable man,  
Lord Cromwell, life, and timeless death began;  
He like an earthquake made the Abbeys fall.  
The Fryeries and the Nunneries all.  
This famous noble, worthy Essex Earl,  
This gem, this jewel, this most Orient Pearl,  
Was for his truth from all he had discarded.  
And with his heads loss, all his Faith rewarded,  
The next of worthy note by fire that died,  
Was good 
* Daughter of Sir 〈◊〉 Ayscough, Knight  Anne Ayscough, who did strong abide,  
Racks, tortures, & the cruel raging flame,  
To magnify her high Creator's name.  
Then'gan the king's eyes to be opened quite  
Enlightened by the everlasting light.  
He banished superstitious idle fables,  
And packed the Papists hence with all their babbles.  
Then Bonner, Gardner, brethren both in evil,  
Factors and actors, bloodhounds for the Devil,  
Their burning fame to infamy soon faded,  
They godless, graceless, were disgraced, degraded.  
The King then having this good work begun,  
He died, and left the Kingdom to his son.  
Then reigned young Edward, that sweet princely child.  
By whom all Popery was clean exiled.  
But he too good to live amongst wicked men,  
Th'Almighty took him hence to heaven again:  
No sooner Edward was laid in his Tomb,  
But England was the slaughter-house of Rome.  
Gardner and Bonner were from prison turned,  
And whom they pleased were either saved or burned,  
Queen Mary imitating lezabel,  
Advanced again the Ministers of hell:  
Then tyranny began to tyrannize,  
Tortures and torments than they did devise;  
Then Master Rogers with a faith most fervent,  
Was burned, and died (in Smithfield) God's true servant.  
Next unto him did Laeurence Sanders die,  
By fire (for jesus sake) at Covenerie;  
He did embrace, and kindly kiss the stake,  
To gain heaven's glory, did the world forsake.  
Good Bishop Hooper was at Gloster burned,  
'Cause he against the Romish doctrine spurned;  
And Doctor Tayler a true zealous man,  
At Hadley burned, eternal glory wan.  
Then Bishop Farrer next his life did spend  
In fire, to gain the life shall never end.  
Next William Flower, first did lose his hand,  
Then burned, because he did the Pope withstand  
In Essex, Thomas Hawkes, with faith victorious  
Did die with fire to gain a life most glorious.  
Master John Bradford (for his Saviour's sake)  
In Smithfield burned, a godly end did make.  
Two reverend Bishops, Father Latimer,  
And Ridley, each of them a heavenly star,  
Lived in God's fear, and in his favour died;  
At Oxford burned, and now are glorified.  
John Philpot gladly did the fire embrace,  
And died, and lives in his Redeemers grace.  
Then that grave Father, and religious man,  
Archbishop Cranmers' troubles hot began,  
His pomp, his state, his glory, and his pride,  
Was to know jesus, and him crucified:  
He lived a godly Preacher of God's Word,  
And died a glorious Martyr of the Lord.  
john Careless in close prison carefully,  
Did change his cares for joys eternally.  
But this small volume cannot well contain,  
One quarter of the Saints in England slain.  
In Henry's reign and mary's, (cruel Queen)  
Eight thousand people there hath slaughtered been  
Some by the sword, some hanged, some burnt in fire  
Some starved to death in prison all expire:  
Twelve thousand and seven hundred more beside  
Much persecution trouble did abide,  
Some racked, some whipped, some tortured, some in stocks,  
Some doing penance with a world of mocks;  
Some with an Iron in the faces burned,  
Some out of all their goods to beggary turned.  
Some bar-foot, bearing faggots on their shoulders  
Were made a wondering stock to the beholders:  
All this and more, much more they did endure,  
Because they would not yield to live impure:  
But now to speak the law less cause wherefore,  
And why these people troubled were so sore,  
Because they would not make their plaints and moans  
To senseless images, dead stocks & stones,  
Because they said the sacramental bread,  
Is not the Lord which shall judge quick & dead.  
Because they not believed a Purgatory,  
And held the Pope's decrees an Idle story.  
Because they would not creep unto the cross,  
And change Gods sacred Word for human dross  
Because they held the Mass an Idol soul.  
At once which picked the purse and damned the soul  
Because they knew the Pope and all his crew,  
Hellhounds whom heaven (in rage) on earth did spew.  
And in a word, they thus were over-trod,  
Because they truly served the living God.  
This was the main and only cause of all,  
Because they would not offer unto Baal.  
The Pope's outrageous and contagious actor,  
Was Bishop Benner, hell's most truly factor:  
Rome's hangman, & the firebrand of this Realm,  
That with a flood of blood did overwhelm,  
The true believers of Gods holy truth,  
He butchered, not regarding age or youth.  
With him was joined a man almost as il,  
Who took delight God's servants blood to spill;  
Called Steven Gardner, England's chancellor,  
And Bishop of the See of Winchester:  
These two did strive each other to excel,  
Who should do greatest service unto hell;  
Until at last God heard his servants cry,  
And each of them did die immediately.  
Thus when jehovah heard the just complaints,  
Of his beloved, poor, afflicted Saints;  
Then this too cruel Pope defending Queen,  
(The bloodiest Princess that this land hath seen)  
She did decease, and persecution ceased,  
And tired woeful England purchased rest.  
Queen Mary being dead, her welcome death  
Revived our joys in blessed Elizabeth,  
Innumerable were her woes and cares,  
Abundant were the subtle wiles and snares,  
Which Satan and his Ministers oft laid,  
To rave the life of that most harmless maid.  
She was accused, abused, reviled, miscalled;  
She was from prison unto prison haled:  
Long in the Tower she was close prisoner shut,  
Her loving servants all away were put:  
From thence to Windsor, thence to Woodstock sent,  
Closely mewed up from all the world's content:  
But God whose mercies ever did defend her,  
Did in her greatest sorrows comfort send her.  
He did behold her from his Throne most high,  
And kept her as the apple of his eye,  
Let Hell and Hellhounds still attempt to spill,  
Yet the Almighty guards his servants still.  
And he at last did ease her sorrow's moan,  
And raised her to her lawful awful throne;  
This royal Deborah, this princely Dame,  
Whole life made all the world admire the same.  
As judith in Bethulia's same was spread,  
For cutting off great Holophernes head:  
So our Eliza stoutly did begin,  
Vntopping and beheading Romish sin,  
She purged the Land of Papistry again,  
She lived beloved of God, admired of men:  
She made the Antichristian Kingdom quake,  
She made the mighty power of Spain to shake:  
As far as Sun or Moon dispersed their rays,  
So far and further went her matchless praise.  
She was at home, abroad, in every part,  
Lodestar and Loadstone to each eye and heart  
Supported only by Gods powerful hand,  
She four and forty years did rule this Land,  
And when she left this royal princely seat,  
She changed earth's greatness to be heavenly great.  
Thus did this western world's great wonder die,  
She fell from height to be advanced more high.  
Terrestrial Kings and Kingdoms all must fade.  
Then blessed is she that is immortal made.  
Her death filled woeful England full of fears,  
The Papists longed for change with itching ears.  
For her decease was all their only hope,  
To raise again the doctrine of the Pope.  
But he whose power is all omnipotent,  
Did their unhappy hopeless hopes prevent.  
Succession lawfully did leave the Crown,  
Unto a prince whose virtue and renown,  
And learning doth outstrip all Kings as far,  
As doth the Sun obscure a little star.  
What man (that is but man) could baffle more  
Rome's seven headen purple whore,  
How wisely hath he Bellarmine confuted,  
And how divinely hath he oft disputed.  
How zealously he doth God's faith defend,  
How often on God's word he doth attend.  
How clement, pious, and how gracious good,  
Is he, as fits the greatness of his blood.  
Wert not for him, how would the Muses do?  
He is their pattern, and their patron too.  
He is th'Apollo, from whose radiant beams,  
The Quintessence of Poetry out-streames.  
And from the splendour of his piercing rays,  
A world of worthy Writers wins the bays.  
Yet all the worthy virtues so transparent,  
And so well known in him, to be inherent,  
Cannot persuade Papists leave their strife,  
With cursed treasons to attempt his life:  
For when their disputations helped them not,  
They would dispute in a damned powder-plot.  
In which the Romish went beyond the Devil,  
For hell could not invent a plot so evil.  
But he that placed him on his royal throne,  
(The God of Jacob's, judah's holy one)  
That God (for jesus sake) I do beseech,  
(With humble heart, and with unfeigned speech)  
That he and his, may Britain's Sceptre sway;  
Till time, the world, and all things pass away.   
FINIS