THE PERSECUTION
BY
THE DUKE DE ALVA,
IN
THE NETHERLANDS.

 

            WHEN the light of the gospel was much spread abroad in the Netherlands, King Philip of Spain sent the Duke de Alva with a great army to root out the pro­fessors of it, who exercised unparalleled cruelty against all sorts of persons, both of the nobility and commons, permitting his. soldiers to ravish honest matrons and virgins, many times causing their husbands and parents to stand by and behold it. This duke, on a time, boasted at his own table, that he had been diligent to root out heresy; and that, besides those which he had slain in the war, in the space of six years he had put above 18,OOO persons into the hands of the common hangman.

            His son, Don Frederic, being sent by him to Zutphen, was received by the burghers, without any opposition. He was no sooner entered, but he fell to murder, hang, and drown many of the inhabitants, spewing infinite cruelties upon wives and virgins, not sparing infants. From thence marching to Naerden, in Holland, the in­habitants made an agreement with him, and he entered the town peaceably. But never did Turks or Scythians commit more abominable cruelties; for when the burghers had given the best entertainment they could to him and his soldiers, he caused it to be proclaimed, that they should all assemble themselves together in the chapel of the hospital, where they should be made ac­quainted with the laws, according to which they should hereafter govern themselves. But when these poor people were thus assembled, he commanded his soldiers to murder them all, without sparing one. The men were massacred. The women were first ravished, and then mur­dered. The children and infants had their throats cut. In some houses they tied the inhabitants to posts, and then set fire to the houses, and burnt them alive. So that in the whole town, neither man, wife, maid, nor child, old nor young, were spared. At last the town was wholly razed to the ground.

After this, Don Frederic besieged Haerlem, which held out against him for a long time, but at last, their pro­vision being spent, they lived upon. the flesh of horses, dogs, cats, and such like. At last, this also failing them, they were forced to surrender the town upon composition, by which they were to pay 24O,OOO florins, to redeem themselves and town from spoil. Don Frederic, having thus got the town into his hands, commanded, that at the tolling of the great bell all the burghers and soldiers should bring in their arms into the state-house; that the townsmen should go into the cloyster of Zyel, the women into the cathedral-church, and the soldiers into another church. This done, all the ensign bearers were singled out and imprisoned, and whilst the poor burghers were guarded in the church, the perfidious Spaniards plun­dered their houses. The next day Don Frederic caused 3OO men to be hanged and beheaded. The next day Captain Riperda and his lieutenant were beheaded, and a godly minister, called Stcnibach, was hanged, and 247 soldiers were drowned in the sea of Haerlem. The next day a great number were executed, and the day following 3OO more soldiers and burghers lost their heads, and with them a godly minister, called Simon Simonson. Presently after three of the principal men lost their heads, and shortly after all the English and Scotch were beheaded before the hospital door. In the mean time a party of soldiers that lay without in a sconce, were all starved to death.

            Not long before, the strong town of Valenciennes, in Hainault, having set up the free exercise of the reformed religion amongst its inhabitants, was besieged by an army under the Seignior of Noircarmes. The siege lasted about three months; and the citizens having no hopes of relief, at last treated, and surrendered the city upon good conditions. But Noircarmes, being entered, he kept the city gates shut for several days, and most perfidiously hanged all the French soldiers, with all the ministers and Protestant merchants, and confiscated their goods.

            Hitherto we have seen an account of the general perse­cution; let us now take a view of some particular martyrs. In 156O, there was in Flanders one JOHN HERWIN, a sol­dier, of a very dissolute life. God having put it into his heart to go into England, he accordingly came to London, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and by God's good providence was entertained in a brewer's family, where both master and servants feared God. His master caused him to go often to the Dutch church, where, by the ministry of the Word, he first began to taste, and after­wards more and more to increase in the saving knowledge

of CHRIST. And after a while he returned back into Flan­ders, and was laid wait for by the popish bailiff at Furne.

            This occasioned his removal to Honscot. The bailiff, being informed of him there also, went in the night with his serjeants, and apprehended him. By the way they met with some drunkards in the streets; whereupon the bailiff said, " They say, we have many gospellers in this town, but it little appears by these disorders." Herwin hearing him, said, " Is drunkenness a sin, Mr. Bailiff? The bailiff answered, " What of that?" Herwin replied, "Why then do you not commit these men to prison, seeing it is your officeto punish vice, and protect them that fear God?" To this the bailiff answered not. Then Herwin was put into prison, where he behaved himself so virtuously, that every one admired him. It being somewhat long before he was called before the magistrate, he was much troubled at it, his heart being inflamed with an holy zeal to confess Jesus CHRIST before his judges. Yet many of the brethren were very fearful off him, considering what his former life had been, and what a novice he was, as yet, in the profession of the gospel. At last, accord­ing to his heart's desire, he was brought before the sheriff.

            There was a priest provided to dispute with him; to whose questions Herwin answered, with such soundness of judgment and modesty, that it easily appeared, he had profited well in CHRIST's school. He admonished his judges to examine the doctrine of the church of Rome by the true touchstone of God's Word, whereby they might easily see how contrary it was to the Scriptures.  Having made a confession of his faith, he craved justice one way or other; but they still urged him to, recant.  To which he answered, "My faith is not built upon man's opinion, but the Lord has taught me to eschew evil, and to do good." He was then returned to prison.

            In prison he used to recreate himself by singing of psalms, and the people often flocked together to the prison door, to hear him. This so enraged the popish clergy, that they sought to hinder him from singing; and for this end, they caused two desperate malefactors to be put into the same room with him. But within a few days, these villains broke prison and escaped, leaving Herwin' an opportunity to escape also; but he, fearing that his flight might be prejudicial to other godly persons in the city, upon whom it would be charged, resolved rather to remain there, than to flee. Presently after, news was brought him, that sentence of death was passed upon him; whereupon he thanked God for advancing him to so high an honor, as to be accounted worthy to suffer for his name.. He testified the joy which he felt in his soul, by a letter he wrote to the Brethren, wherein he exhorted them to constancy, and perseverance in the doctrine of the truth, which they had received from God. Within a few days after, he was carried forth to hear his sentence at which time the magistrate, by earnest entreaties, and large promises, sought to bring him to a recantation; promising, that thereupon he should be presently released. Herwin, refusing their offer of life upon those terms, was bound and carried into a chapel, where they celebrated the mass; but he, to show his detestation of their idolatry, turned his back, winked with his eyes, and stopped his ears. At the elevation of the host, one asked him, if Jesus CHRIST was not now between the priest's hands? To which he answered, " No, he is in heaven, at the right hand of his Father." Then sentence of death was read against him.

            As he was going to execution, he said to the people, See here, how this wicked world rewards the poor servants of Jesus CHRIST. Whilst I was a drunkard, a player at cards and dice, living in all dissoluteness and ungodly behavior, I was never in danger of these bonds; yea, then I was counted a good fellow, and at that time, who but I? But no sooner I began, through God's grace, to seek after a godly life, than presently the world made war upon me, and became mine enemy. Yet this dis­couraged me not; for the servant is not better than his Lord. Seeing they persecuted him, no question but they will persecute us." At the place of execution, one gave him his hand, and comforted him. Then he began to sing the 3Oth psalm, whereupon a friar interrupted him, saying, " Oh John, turn, there is yet time and space." The martyr, disregarding his words, turned his back upon him; and some of the company said to the friar, " Turn You, you hypocrite." Then Herwin finished his psalm, many joining with him therein. Then said the friar,

            " Be not offended, good people, to hear this heretic sing of God." The people answered, " Hold thy peace, you Balaamite, here is nobody offended." There were present at least 4OO, that encouraged the martyr to continue to the end, as he had well begun. He answered, "Brethren, I fight under the standard, and in the quarrel of my great Lord and Captain Jesus CHRIST." Then he prayed, and so went into the cabin made with faggots, saying to the people, " I am now going to be sacrificed. Follow ye me, when God of his goodness shall call you to it." He was then first strangled, and afterwards burnt to ashes.

            In 1561, one JOHN DE BOSCANE was apprehended in Antwerp, who, for his constancy in religion, was con­demned to death. But the magistrate fearing an uproar if he should put him to death publicly, (knowing. that he was a man free of speech, and beloved of the people) resolved for this cause to drown him secretly in the prison. For this end, a tub with water was provided, and an executioner sent to drown him. But the water was so shallow, and the martyr so tall, that he could not possibly be drowned therein. Then the executioner gave him many wounds and stabs with a dagger, and so this holy martyr ended his life. About the same time, another servant of Jesus CHRIST, whose name was JOHN DE BUISONS, having made a bold confession of his faith, was in the same city sentenced to death: and because they durst not execute him publicly, they sent and beheaded him pri­vately in prison.

            In 1568, there were apprehended in Antwerp, one SCOBLANT, JOHN DE HUES, JORIS COOMANS, who, being cast into prison, were very joyful, confessing that nothing befell them, but by God's Divine providence. In a letter, which they wrote to the brethren, were these words, « Seeing it is the will of God that we should suffer for his name, and in the quarrel of his gospel, we certify you, dear brethren, that we are joyful. And however the flesh continually rebels against the Spirit, counselling ever and anon according to the advice of the old serpent, yet we are all assured, that CHRIST, who has bruised, and will still bruise the serpent's head, will not leave us comfortless. We are indeed sometimes pricked in the heel; yet we are not discouraged, but keep our faith close to the promises of God. Be not therefore dismayed for our bonds and imprisonment, for it is the good will of God towards us; and therefore we pray that he will give us grace to persevere constantly unto the end." Shortly After, Scoblant was brought to his trial, where he made a good confession of his faith, and so was con­demned. Returning to prison, he earnestly requested the-jailor that he would not suffer the friars to come and trouble him: " For," said he, a they can do me no good, seeing the Lord has already sealed up the assurance of my salvation in my heart, by his Holy Spirit. I am now going to my spouse, and putting off this earthly mantle, to enter into his celestial glory, where I shall be freed from all superstitions. Would to God that I might be the last that these tyrants should put to death, and that their thirst. might be so quenched with my blood, that the poor church of CHRIST might henceforth enjoy rest and quiet." Before he went forth to execution, he sung the 4Oth psalm with his fellow-prisoners, then said the Lord's prayer, and so kissing each other, they commended one another unto God with many tears. Being led forth and tied to the stake, he was burned alive, calling upon the name of the Lord.

            JOHN HUES died in prison, whereupon Joris wrote thus to his friends, " Brethren, I am now left alone, whereas we were three in number. John Hues is now dead in the Lord:' and yet I am not altogether alone, seeing the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is with me. He is my exceeding great reward, and will not fail to reward me so soon as I shall have laid down this earthly taber­nacle. Pray unto God that he will strengthen me to the end; for every hour I expect the dissolution of this house of clay." When he was brought before the judges, and examined of his faith, he answered freely, and proved what he said by the holy Scriptures. Being asked, whether he was resolved to die for the faith which he professed, he answered, " I will not only venture to give my body, but my soul also for the confirmation of it." Being condemned, he was shortly after burnt, dying with much comfort.

            The persecution growing hot in Flanders, one GILES ANNIC$, and JOHN his son, removed to Emden. But by reason of their sudden departure, they could not take their wives with them; whereupon in the year 1568,they returned back to fetch their wives, who were at Renay.  On account of the danger, they durst not go into the town openly, but took up their lodging in the evening at an honest man's house, called Lewis Meulin. That very night, the enemies had appointed to make a secret search after such as professed the gospel. As they passed by this house, they saw the light of a candle in it; wherefore they forced open the door, and took these two, together with their host, prisoners; God having appointed them to bear witness to his truth. After they had been in prison a while, they were all three condemned for heretics; and presently after, Giles, the father, was burned. John, the son, being fetched to execution, when he saw the man that first apprehended him, he called to him, saying, " I forgive thee my death:" and so he, with Lewis Meulin, were both beheaded.

            About the same time there was also a godly widow apprehended and cast into prison. Her crime was, that about two years before she had suffered a minister to preach in an out-house on the backside of her dwelling. She was very charitable in relieving the poor, and every way showed the fruits of a true saving faith. After seven months' imprisonment, she was condemned to die, and a priest coming to hear her confession, she spoke to him with such a divine grace, and with a spirit so replenished with zeal, that he went from her with tears trickling down his cheeks, saying, " I came to comfort you, but I have more need to be comforted of you." When she was carried to execution, she went with much boldness and joy of heart, and having her head cut off, sweetly slept in the Lord.

            There was also one CHRISTOPHER GAUDERIN, that at first was brought up under the abbot of Henane; but the abbot dying, he betook himself to the weaving of linen, and quickly grew expert in his trade. But having been trained up in a bad school, when the Sabbath came, he spent riotously what he had gotten all the week. Through God's mercy, it so fell out, that a godly man working with him, would often tell him of the danger of his present condition, exhorting him rather to distribute his gettings to the poor, assuring him, that if he spent his money so wastefully, God would call him to account for it. These, with the like exhortations, wrought so upon him, by the grace of GOD, that he began to change his course, and instead of frequenting taverns, he became a diligent hearer of sermons, and gave himself much to reading of the holy Scriptures; so that not long after, he was called by the church to the office of a deacon, which he discharged carefully and faithfully. Shortly after, having occasion to go to a place called Oudenard, to dis­tribute some alms to the poor there, he was apprehended. The bailiff, who had formerly seen him in the abbot's house, asked him, how he came to turn heretic? " Nay," said he, " I am no heretic, but a right believing Christian, and what I learned of him, I am now ashamed to remember." In prison he had many disputes about his faith, which he so maintained and defended, by the Word of GOD, that he silenced all his adversaries. Some told him, that he would cast himself away in his youth, being but 3O years old. He answered, "Man's life consists but of two days; the day of his birth, and the day of his death, and therefore he must needs die once. And for my part, I am now willing by death to pass into eternal life."

            When news was brought him in the evening, that he must die the next day, he retired, and poured out his soul in prayer unto God till ten o'clock. After he had rested, he did the like the next morning. Having ended his prayer, he put on a clean shirt, and washed himself, saying to his fellow prisoners, " Brethren, I am now going to be married; I hope, ere noon, to drink of the wine of the kingdom of heaven." When he came down, he found three other prisoners that were to suffer with him. These four exhorted and encouraged one another to suffer patiently. Then came a friar, saying, That he came to convert then." To whom CHRISTopher said, "Away from us, you seducer of souls, for we have nothing to do with thee." The hangman coining to put gags in their mouths, one of them said, " What? shall

we not have liberty at this our last hour to praise God with our tongues?" CHRISTopher answered, " Let not this discourage us, the more wrong our enemies do to us, the more assistance we shall find from God;" and so ceased not to comfort them, till himself was gagged also. Their sentence was, that they should be hanged for hearing sermons; and so with admirable constancy, they yielded up their souls to God. One of them, being a woman, was condemned to be beheaded, because she had sung psalms, and exhorted her neighbors out of the Word of God. Her body was grown very feeble, so that she was caused to sit on a stool, where she received three blows with a sword; yet she constantly sat till she re­ceived the crown of martyrdom.

            About the same time there was in a town, a mile dis­tant from Ghent, a minister, whom it pleased the Lord to illuminate with the saving knowledge of his gospel. Whereupon he became a diligent and faithful preacher of it, both in his life and doctrine; yea, he went from house to house, exhorting and comforting every one as he had occasion, out of the Word of God; and above all, labor­ing with them to beware of the abominable superstitions of the papacy. The popish clergy of Ghent, having in­telligence thereof, fearing lest by this means, their doc­trine and authority would come into contempt, caused him to be apprehended and cast into a dark hole, where he remained bearing his affliction patiently, and calling upon God night and day, praising him for accounting him worthy to suffer for his name's sake. Whilst he lay there, many good people came to visit him, receiving such in­structions and consolations from him, that they could not be drawn to leave him, till necessity enforced; nei­ther then could they depart, without abundance of tears. The priests and friars sought by all means to draw him to a recantation, but to no purpose, for he still kept himself close to the Word of GOD, which so vexed them, that at last they procured his condemnation to be hanged. The Spanish soldiers, who carried him to execution, would needs have him burned, binding him and straining him exceedingly with cords, and on the way, abused him shamefully with mocks and scoffs, thrusting him forwards, and striking him. The captain also gave him a blow on the face with his gauntlet, which much disfigured him. At last they thrust him into a little cabin, piled with faggots, and so burnt him, continually calling upon GOD, till he resigned his spirit.

            In 1568, there was a goldsmith of Breda, who had long been a deacon of the church in that place, named PETER CouLoGUE. The church often met in his house, for the service of God. The popish adversaries, being much enraged thereat, cast him into prison; at which the faith­ful were much grieved, and endeavored to visit and comfort him. The enemies taking notice of this, removed him to the castle. During his abode there, though all others were excluded from him, yet his maid-servant brought him his food daily, never ceasing to comfort him out of the Word of GOD, as well as she was able; for which, at length, they imprisoned her also. This she was right glad of, thinking herself happy to suffer for righteousness' sake. Not long after, Coulogue was put to torment, which he endured patiently. Then they fetched Betkin, the maid, also to it; whereupon she said, “My masters, wherefore will you put me to this torture, seeing I have no way offended you? If it be for my faith's sake, you need not torment me; for as I was never ashamed to make a confession thereof, no more will I now; but will, if you please, freely show you my mind therein." Yet for all this, they would have her to the rack, whereupon she again said, " If I must needs suffer this pain, I pray you give me leave to call upon my God first." This they consented to; and whilst she was fer­vently pouring out her prayers unto GOD, one of the commissioners was surprised with such a fear and terror, that he fell into a swoon, and could not be recovered again, by which means the poor maid escaped racking.

            Shortly after, they were condemned to be burnt, and as they were led to execution, there was much lamenta­tion among the people. Peter and Betkin prayed ear­nestly unto God to strengthen them, and perfect the good work that he had begun. The courage and con­stancy of the maid so wrought upon many of the people, that not considering the danger, they brake through the multitude, embracing the prisoners, and praising God for their constancy, saying, " Fight manfully, for the crown is prepared for you." At the place of execution, Betkin, with a cheerful and amiable countenance, spoke thus to the people, " Dear brethren and sisters, be always obe­dient to the Word of GOD, and fear not them that can kill the body, but have no power over the soul. As for me, I am now going to my glorious spouse, the Lord Jesus CHRIST." Then falling upon their knees, they prayed to the Lord with great devotion. The executioner, fastening them to the stake, strangled Peter, Betkin encouraging him till he yielded up the ghost, and till the fire had taken hold of herself. In the flames she was heard to magnify the Lord, till she yielded up her spirit into his hands.

 

THE PERSECUTION

OF THE

CHURCH OF GOD IN IRELAND,

In the year of our Lord 1642.

 

            THOUGH the barbarous cruelty, used by the Irish against the English, goes usually under the name of rebellion, yet I rather look upon it as a persecution, because their cruelties were exercised upon Protestants only: neither were the English Papists murdered; but ined with the Irish in murdering their brethren. Be­sides, the Jesuits, priests and friars, were the chief insti­gators to these murders, stirring up continually all sorts, both of the gentry and commonalty, to show their utmost zeal therein; and when their design was so surely laid, that they thought it impossible to be prevented, they recommended, in their public devotions, the good success of a great design, tending much to the advance­ment of the Catholic cause. And that they might stir up the people with greater animosity to put it in execu­tion, they every where declaimed loudly against the Pro­testants, saying, "That they were heretics, not to be suffered any longer to live amongst them: that it was no more sin to kill one of them than to kill a dog; and that it was a mortal and unpardonable sin to relieve or protect any of them." When their plots were ripe for exe­cution, we find their first proceedings against the English were various. Some of the Irish only stripping and ex­pelling them; others murdering men, women, and chil­dren, without mercy; yet all resolving universally to root all the Protestants out of Ireland; yea, so deeply mali­cious were they against the English Protestants, that they would not endure the very sound of that language, but would have all those punished that spoke English; and the names of all English places they would have changed into the old Irish. The priests gave the sacrament unto divers of the Irish, upon condition, that they should not spare man, woman, nor child of the Protestants, saying, a That it did them a deal of good, to wash their hands in their blood. One Halligan, a priest, read an excommunication against all those, that from thenceforth should relieve or harbor any English, Scotch, or Welsh; or give them alms at their doors, whereby many were famished to death. The friars with tears exhorted them not to spare any of the English. They boasted, that when they had destroyed them in Ireland, they would go over into Eng­land, and not leave the memorial of an Englishman under heaven.

            The day before this massacre was to begin, the priests gave the people a dismiss at mass, with free liberty to go out and take possession of all their lands, which they pretended to be unjustly detained from them by the Eng­lish; as also to strip, rob, and despoil them of all their goods and cattle; the Protestants being, as they told them, worse than dogs, for they were devils, and served the devil, and therefore the killing of such was a meri­torious act, and a rare preservative against the pains of purgatory; for that the bodies of such of them as died in this quarrel, should not be cold, before their souls should ascend up into heaven.

The chief gentlemen of the Irish, when this persecu­tion first began, persuaded many of their Protestant neighbors, that if they would bring their goods and cattle to them, they would secure them from the rage of the com­mon people. Hereby they got abundance peaceably into their hands, whereof they cheated the Protestants, re­fusing to restore them. Yet, the Protestants were so confident at first of their good dealing in regard of former familiarity, that they gave them inventories of all they bad: nay, they digged up such of their best things as they had hid in the ground, and deposited them in their cus­tody. They also got much into their hands by fair pro­mises, and deep oaths and engagements, that if they would deliver them their goods, they would suffer them with their wives and children, quietly to depart the country; yet, having got what they could, they after­wards murdered them. Having thus seized upon all their goods and cattle, ransacked their houses, and gotten their persons under their power; the next work was to strip men, women, and children stark-naked, and so turn them out of doors; not suffering them so much as to shelter themselves under bushes, or in the woods. All the Irish were strictly prohibited under great penalties, to give them any relief as they passed in the highways. Their great design herein was, that they on whom they would not lay their hands, might miserably perish through cold, nakedness, and want; and therefore if any of them got any old rags to cover their nakedness with, they stripped them again and again, sometimes twice or thrice over. The Irish women were very active herein, and taught their very children to do the like. They would. not leave the women so much as a smock or an hair-lace; so that many of them being starved, fell down dead in the highways. Others that got to any English town, by reason of famine and cold suffered so by the way, that they died as soon as they came thither.

In the town of Colerain, many thousands of these miserable people that fled thither for succor, died in two days. The living not being able to bury their dead, they laid their carcases in great ranks in waste and wide holes, piling them up as close and thick as if they had been pack­ing up herrings together. One Magdalen Rednman deposed that she, and divers other Protestants, among whom were twenty-two widows, were robbed and then stripped stark­naked, and when they had covered themselves with straw in an house, the papists threw burning straw in amongst them to burn them. Then they drove them naked into the wild woods in frost and snow, so that the snow covered their skins, and lay a long time upon them un­inelted. Some of their children died in their arms with extremity of cold. Some of these poor creatures went towards Burre for shelter, but the Irish turned them back again, saying they should go to Dublin. When they went towards Dublin, they beat them back, saying they should go to Burre; and so they tossed them to and fro, till some of them died. Many of those, who through many difficulties got to Burre, died there; and those that sur­vived, lived miserably, by reason of their many wants.

            Having disarmed the English, robbed them of their goods and cattle, stripped them of their clothes, and having their persons in their power, they furiously broke out into all manner of abominable cruelties, massacres, and murders, so that it would make any Christian's ear to tingle, and his heart to ache, to hear the mention of them. There were multitudes murdered in cold blood; some while they were at plough; others as they sat peaceably in their houses; others traveling upon the highways; all without any manner of provocation given by them, were suddenly destroyed.

            Near 15O men, women, and children were consumed with fire in the castle of Lisgoole. One hundred were slain together at the castle of Moneah. At the castle of Tulla, which was delivered to Mac Guire upon compo­sition, and faithful promises of fair quarter, as soon as he and his men entered the court, they began to strip the people, and most cruelly put them to the sword, mur­dering them all without mercy. At Lissenskeali they hanged and killed above 1OO of the Scottish Protestants, showing them no more favor than they did the English. The country thereabouts being well planted and peopled, was in a most horrible manner quite destroyed. In the counties of Armagh and Tyrone, where the Protestants were more numerous, their murders were multiplied, and with greater cruelty, if possible, than in other places. Mac Guire coming to the castle of Lissenskeah, desired in a friendly manner to speak with Mr. Middleton. He was admitted in, and as soon as he entered, he first burned the records of the county which were kept there. Then he demanded one thousand pounds of Sir William Balfore's money which was in his custody; as soon as he had got it, he caused Mr. Middleton to hear mass, and to swear that he would never alter from it, and then im­mediately caused him, his wife, and children, to be hanged. IIe hanged and otherwise murdered above 1OO persons besides in that place.

            There were 1OOO men, women, and children carried in several companies to Portendown bridge, and all un­mercifully drowned in the river; the bridge being broken in the midst, and the people driven and forced on, till they tumbled into the water. In that county there were 4OOO persons drowned in several places, the barbarous papists driving the poor in, when they had miserably stripped them, unto the places of their sufferings like swine; and if any were slack in their pace, they pricked them forward with their swords and pikes. To terrify the rest, they killed and wounded some. When they were cast into the river, if any assayed to swim to the shore, the rebels stood and shot at them. In one place 14O English were taken and driven like cattle for many miles together. They carried other companies out under pretence of safe conduct, thereby causing them to march cheerfully till they had got them to some place fit for execution, and then mur­dered them there. They sent 115 men, women, and children, with Sir Phelim O'Neale's pass, till they brought them to Portendown bridge, and then forced them all into the water. Such as by swimming or other means sought to escape, they either knocked on the head, or shot to death in the water. One Mrs. Campbell being forced by them to the river, and finding no means to escape their fury, suddenly clasped one of the chief of them in her arms, and so both tumbling into the river, they were drowned together. At another time 14O Protestants being thrown in at the same place, as any of them swain to the shore, the villains with the butt-ends of their muskets, knocked out their brains.

            O'Cane gat together all the Protestants about Armagh, pretending to conduct them to Coleraine: but before they were gone a day's journey, they were all murdered; and so were many others, though they had protections from Sir Phelim O'Neale. The aged people in Armagh were carried to Charlmont, and there murdered. Pre­sently after, the town of Armagh was burnt, and 5OO persons of all sorts were there murdered and drowned. Forty-eight families were murdered in Killoman. Twenty­two Protestants were burned in one house. All the inha­bitants in Kilmore were stripped and massacred, being 2OO families. Some they set in the stocks and then mas­sacred them. The whole country was a common butchery, where many thousands perished in a short time, by sword, famine, fire, water, and all other manner of deaths, that rage and malice could invent.

            These villains showed so much favor to many as to despatch them presently. Others they imprisoned in filthy dungeons full of dirt and mire, and there clapping bolts on their legs, suffered them to perish at leisure. One told JOHN COWDER that they would kill him, but first bid him say his prayers, and when he kneeled, down to pray, they presently cut off his head. When some, upon their knees, begged but leave to pray before they were slain, they would bid them bequeath their souls to the devil. Others would ask them, cc Why do you desire to pray P your souls are already with the devil." And so would immediately slaughter them. At Cassel they put all the Protestants into a loathsome dungeon, where they kept them twelve weeks in great misery. Some they barbarously mangled, and left languishing upon the high­ways, crying out but for so much mercy as to be dispatched out of their pain. Some they hanged up twice or thrice. Others they buried alive. Some when they were half hanged, they cast into pits, covering them with a little earth, where they sent out most lamentable groans for a good while after.

            In the Queen's county, an Englishman, his wife, five children, and a maid, were all hanged together, then put into a hole. The youngest child, not being dead, put up the hand, and cried mammy, mammy, and yet without mercy they buried it alive. THOMAS MASON, in Laugal, was extremely beaten and wounded, yet his wife and some others carried him away; whereupon the villains cruelly hacked, slashed, and wounded them, and then dragged Mason into an hole, and there threw stones on him, with the weight whereof they kept him under. There he lay languishing and groaning, till his own wife, to put him out of pain, stopped his breath with her handkerchief. At Clownes, seventeen men were buried alive, so that their pitiful cries were heard afar off. Some were deadly wounded, and so hanged upon tenter-hooks. Some with ropes about their necks were drawn through the water. Some with ropes about their middles were drawn through brakes and bogs.

In Castle-Cumber, one of these cut-throats took two boys, and wounding them, hung them up upon a butcher's tenters. Some were hanged up, and taken down several times, to make them confess where their money was, which when they had done, they presently murdered them. Some were hung up by their arms, and then they tried how many blows an English Protestant could endure before he died. Some had their bellies ripped up, and so left with their guts running about their heels. An ancient woman coming -towards Dublin, was stripped seven times in one day; and one time they bade her go and look for her GOD, and bid him give her her clothes again. In Kilkenny they cruelly beat an English woman, till they forced her into a ditch, where she died. Then they took her child, a girl of about six years old, ripped up her belly, and let out her guts. One man they forced to mass with them, and afterwards ripped up his belly, took out his guts, and left him alive. A Scotchman they stripped and knocked on the head, who afterwards coming to himself, Went into the town naked. Then they took him again, and hewed him in pieces. They also ripped up his wife's belly, so that a child dropped out of her Womb. They hung up many other women great with child, they ripped

them; bellies, and let their infants fall out. Sometimes they gave their children to be devoured by swine and dogs. They took and hung up one John Stone, with his

son, two sons-in-law, and their wives. One of the young women, being great with child, they ripped rip her belly, took out her child, and used such beastly, barbarous actions to her, as are not fit to be mentioned. At Newry they ripped up a woman's belly, that was great with two children, throwing them to be devoured by swine. Also, another woman, being delivered of a child in the fields, they, who had formerly killed her father and husband, killed her also, with two of her children, and gave the new-born infant to be devoured by dogs.

            In the county of Armagh, they robbed, stripped, and murdered abundance of Protestants, whereof some they burnt, some they slew with the sword, some they hanged, and others they starved to death. They soon after met with two gentlewomen, Mrs. HOWARD and Mrs. FRANK­LAND, with six of their children, and themselves great with child, whom they murdered with their pikes, and ripped open the women's bellies, took out their children, and threw them into a ditch. A young Scotch woman's child they took by the heels, and dashed its brains out against a tree. They did the like to many other children. ANNE HILL, going with a young child at her back, and four more by her side, was met by those villains, who pulled the child from off her back, and trod it to death. Then they stripped her, and the other four children stark­naked, whereby they died of cold. Some others they meet with, and hanged them up on a windmill; and before

they were half dead, cut them in pieces. Many other Protestants, especially women and children, they pricked and stabbed with their forks and swords, slashing, cutting, and mangling them in their heads, faces, breasts, arms, and other parts, yet killed them not, but left them wal­lowing in their blood, to languish, starve, and pine to death; and when they desired them to kill them out of their pain, they refused. Sometimes, after they had lain a day or two in the utmost misery, they would dash out their brains with stones or clubs, which they accounted as a great favor.

            The castle of Lisgoole, being set on fire by these mer­ciless papists, a woman leaped out at a window to save herself from burning, but they presently murdered her. The next morning her child was found sucking at her breast, which they also murdered. Many Protestants, with their-wives and children, fled into vaults and cellars to hide themselves, and were all murdered there. They stabbed one JANE ADDIS, and then put her child, of a quarter old, to her breast, saying, cc Suck, you English bastard;" and so left it there. One MARY BARLOW had her husband hanged before her face, and she, with six children, were all stripped stark-naked in frost and snow. Afterwards, sheltering themselves in a cave, they had nothing to eat for three weeks,, but two old calf-skins, which they beat with stones, and so eat them hair and all, her children crying to her rather to go out and be killed, than to stay there and famish. In the cold wea­ther many thousand Protestants, of all ranks, ages, and sexes, being turned out stark-naked, perished with cold and hunger. Some thousands were drowned, cast into ditches, bogs, and turf-pits. Multitudes were inclosed in houses, which being set on fire, they were miserably burnt. Some that lay sick of fevers, they drew out of their beds and hanged. Men, women, and children they drove into boggy pits; and if any of them endeavored to get out, they knocked them on the head.

            These barbarians forced their own children to carry some aged men and women to the river, where they were drowned. Some children were otherwise compelled to be the executioners of their own parents. Wives were forced to help to hang their husbands, and mothers to cast their own children into the water; after all which, they were murdered themselves. In Sligo, they forced a young man to kill his own father, and then hanged him up. In another place they forced a woman to kill her husband, then caused her son to kill her, and then imme­diately hanged her son: and this they did that they might destroy both soul and body. Yea, such was their detest­able malice against the English Protestants, that they taught their children to kill English children. One of these villains' wives was very angry with their soldiers, because they did not bring the grease of a fat gentle­ woman, whom they had slain, with them, for her to make candles of. The Irish women, that followed the camp, urged on the men to cruelty, always crying out, “Kill them all; spare neither man, woman, nor child." They took the child of one Thomas Stratton, being about twelve years old, and boiled him to death in a caldron. One Mrs. LIN, and her daughter, were carried into a wood, where they first hanged the mother, and then the daughter by the hair of her mother's head. Some women and children of the Irish, meeting an English woman great with child, stripped her to her smock, and so rent and abused her, that the poor woman falling into labor, both she and her child died under their hands.

            In some places they plucked out the eyes, and cut off the hands of the Protestants, and so turned them out into the fields to wander up and down till they perished. The very women, in some places, stoned the English women to death, together with their children. One man they shot through both his thighs, then digging a hole in the ground, they set him in it upright upon his feet, and then filled up the hole, leaving out only his head, where they left him, till he pined and languished to death. They held another man's feet in the fire till he was burnt to death. In Munster they hanged up many ministers. One minister they stripped stark naked, and drove through the town, pricking him forwards with darts and rapiers, and so pursued him till he fell down dead. They stripped One WILLIAM LOVERDEN naked, then killed him before his wife and children, cut off his head, and held it up for them to gaze at; and after his wife had buried him in his garden, they digged him up, and threw him into a ditch. Divers ministers' bones, that had been buried some years before, they digged up, because they were, as they said, patrons of heresy. One ELLEN MILLINGTON they put into a hole, fastening her with stones, and left her there to languish to death, bragging how many of them went to see her kick and toss in the hole. They boasted upon their success, that the day was their own, and that ere long they would utterly destroy every one that had but a drop of English blood in him. Their women cried out, "Slay them all; the English are fit meat for dogs, and their children are bastards." Yea, so implacable was their malice, that they vowed, that they would not leave an English beast alive, nor any of the breed of them. How grievous was it to any Christian heart to hear a base villain boast, that his hands were so weary with killing and knocking down Protestants into a bog, that he could not lift up his arms to his head Another boasted, that he had been abroad, and had killed 16 of the rogues. Others boasted, that they had killed so many, that the fat which stuck upon their swords would make an Irish candle. Two boys boasted, that at several times they had murdered and drowned 36 women and children.

            These merciless Papists having set a castle on fire, wherein were many Protestants, they rejoiced exceed­ingly, saying one to another, O how sweetly do they fry! At Kilkenny, when they had committed many cruel murders, they brought seven Protestants' heads. One was the head of a reverend minister. All these they set upon the market-cross, on a market-clay, triumphing, slashing, and mangling them. Then putting a gag into the minister's mouth, they slit up his cheeks to his ears, and laying a leaf of a Bible before it, they said, "Now preach, for your mouth is wide enough." It cannot be imagined with what scorn and derision they acted these things, and with what joy and exultation their eyes beheld the sad spectacle of the Protestants' miseries; what greedy delight they took in their bloody executions. An English woman, whom they had stripped stark-naked, got a little straw, which she tied about her middle, to cover her nakedness; but these villains set fire to it, boasting what brave sport they had, to see how the fire made the English jade dance.

            At Kilmore they put many Protestants, men, women, and children together, in a thatched house, and then set it on fire, boasting of the lamentations and outcries that they made whilst they were burning, and how the children gaped when the fire began to burn them; taking pride, and glorying in imitating those cries. They took one Mrs. MAXWELL, being in labor, and threw her into a river, boasting that the child's arm appeared, and that it was half-born when the mother was drowned.

            These bloody persecutors took great pleasure and de­light in their cruelty; and to increase their misery, when they butchered them, they used to say, "Thy soul to the devil." One of them coming into an house, with his hands and clothes all bloody, made his boasts, that it was English blood, and that his skean, (a long knife so called in Ireland,) had pinked the clean white skin of many of them, even to the hilt thereof. When any of them had killed a Protestant, many of them would come one after another, each of them stabbing, wounding, and cutting his body in a most despiteful manner, and then leaving it naked to be devoured of, dogs, beasts, and fowls; and when they had slain any number of them, they would boast that they had made the devil beholden to them, in sending so many souls to hell. But it is no wonder that they carried themselves so towards these innocent Chris­tians, when they spared not to belch out their execrable blasphemies against God and his holy Word.

            In one place they burnt two Protestant Bibles, and then said it was hell-fire they burnt. Other Bibles they took, cut in pieces, and then burnt them saying, "They would do the like to all Puritan Bibles." In the church at Powerscourt, they burnt the pulpit, pews, chests, and Bibles belonging to it. Others took the Protestant Bibles, and wetting them in dirty water, several times dashed them in the faces of the Protestants, saying, " I know you love a good lesson; here is an excellent one for you. Conic to-morrow, and you shall have as good a sermon as this." They took the Bible of a minister, called Mr. Edward Slack, and opening it, they laid it in a puddle of water, and then stamped upon it, saying, " A plague on it; this Bible has bred all the quarrel, and that they hoped, in a few weeks time, all the Bibles in Ireland should be used as that was, or worse." They did most despitefully upbraid the profession of the truth to those blessed souls, whom neither by threats nor terrors, pains nor torments, they could draw to forsake their religion. And though some by extreme torments were drawn to profess the change of their religion, yet did they find no more favor with these hell-hounds, for they would after­wards murder them, and with great scorn say, " It was fit to send them out of the world whilst they were in a good mood." At Glaslow, a priest with some others, drew about 4O or 5O English and Scotch Protestants to be reconciled to the church of Rome; and then he told them, "They were in good faith, and for fear they should turn heretics, he with his companions immediately cut

their throats."

            JOHN NICHOLSON, and ANNE his wife, being received into the protection of one Fitz-Patrick, he labored to persuade them to go to mass, and to join in the present massacre; but they professed, " That rather than they would forsake their religion, they would die upon the point of the sword." Then he would have the woman burn her Bible; but she told him, "Rather than she would burn her Bible, she would die the death;" where­upon, the Sabbath morning after, they were both of them cruelly murdered. But he that acted this villainy, was so tormented in his conscience, and dogged with appa­ritions of them, as he conceived, that with inward horror he pined away.

            In the county of Tipperary, near the silver works, some of the Papists met with eleven Englishmen, Pro­testants, ten women, and some children, whom they first stripped of their clothes, and then with stones, pole­axes, swords, &c. they massacred them all. This was done on a Sabbath evening, the day having been very fair and clear. But just at that time, God sent a fearful storm of thunder, lightning, wind, hail, and rain, so that the murderers themselves confessed it was a sign of God's anger against them for this cruelty; yet they persisted in this bloody act, hacking, hewing, slashing, and stabbing them, so that most of them were cut to pieces; then tying withes about their necks, they threw them into a hole which they made for that purpose; yet it pleased GOD, that one Scotch and an English man, though they had many grievous wounds, and were left for dead, after awhile revived, and with much difficulty escaped with their lives. But as God showed his great mercy in pre­serving them, so he showed his just judgment upon Hugh Kennedy, the chief of those murderers, who presently fell into a most desperate distraction, neither resting day nor night. About eight days after he drowned himself.

            In the county of Mayo, about 6O Protestants, whereof 15 were ministers, were, upon covenant, to be safely conveyed to Galway, by one Edmund Burk and his sol­diers; but by the way, this Burk drew his sword, teaching thereby the rest of his company to do the like; and so they began to massacre these poor Protestants. Some they shot to death; some they stabbed with their skeans; some they thrust through with their pikes, so that very few of them escaped. In the town of Sligo, 4O Pro­testants were stripped and locked up in a cellar; and about midnight a butcher, provided for the purpose, was sent in amongst them, who, with his axe, knocked theca all on the head. In Tirawly, 3O or 4O English, who had formerly yielded to go to mass, were put to their choice, whether they would die by the sword, or be drowned? They chose the latter, and so being driven to the sea­side, these villains, with their naked swords, forced them into the sea; the mothers with their children in their arms wading to the chin, were afterwards overcome by the waves, where they all perished. The son of Mr. Montgomery, a minister, aged about 15 years, met with one of these blood-suckers, who had formerly been his school-master, who drew his skean at him, whereupon the boy said, " Good master, whip me as much as you will, but do not kill me;" yet he murdered him without all pity.

            In the town of Sligo, all the Protestants were stripped and robbed of all their estates: afterwards they were summoned to go into the gaol, and such as refused were carried in; and then about midnight, they were all stripped stark-naked, and there some of them being women great with child, their infants thrust out their arms and legs at their wounds; after which execrable murders, they laid the dead naked bodies of the men upon the naked bodies of the women in a most immodest posture, where they left them till the next day to be looked upon by the Irish, who beheld it with great delight. Isabel Beard, great with child, hearing the lamentable cries of those that were murdered, ran forth into the streets, where she was murdered, and next day was found with the child's feet coming out of the wounds in her sides. Many others were murdered in the streets: but by God's judgment, the river of Sligo, which was before very full of fish, whereby many were nourished, for a long time after afforded none at all. A prior also, that had a hand in the murder of Isabel Beard, and of casting her into the river, presently after fell mad.

            About Dungannon were 316 Protestants in the like barbarous manner murdered: about Charlemount above 4OO: about Tyre 2O6. One Mac Crew murdered 31 in one morning. Two young villains murdered 14O poor women and children that could make no resistance. An Irish woman with her own hands murdered 45. At Por­tendown-Bridge were drowned above 3OO. At Lawgh were drowned above 2OO. In another place 3OO were drowned in one day... In the parish of. Killaman there were murdered 12OO Protestants. Many young children they cut into quarters and gobbets. Eighteen Scotch infants they hanged upon a clothier's tenter-hooks. One fat roan they murdered and made candles of his grease. Of another Scotchman they ripped up his belly, took one end of his small guts, tied it to a tree, and forced him round about it till he had drawn them all out of his body, saying, "That they would try whether a dog's or a Scotchman's guts were the longest."

            By the command of Sir Phelim O'Neale, Mr. JAMES MAXWELL was drawn out of his bed, being sick of a fever, and murdered: and his wife being in child-birth, the child half born, they stripped her stark naked, drove her about a flight's shot, and drowned her in the black­water. The like, or worse, they did to another English woman in the same town. They took one Mr. WATSON, and cutting two collops out of his buttocks, they roasted him alive. Of a Scotch woman great with child, they ripped up her belly, cut the child out of her womb, and so left it crawling on her body.

            Mr. STARKEY, schoolmaster at Armagh, being above 1OO years old, they stripped stark naked; then took two of his daughters, being virgins, whom they stripped stark naked also, and forced them to lead their aged father a quarter of a mile to a turf-pit, where they drowned them all three, feeding the lusts of their eyes and cruelty of their hearts with the same object. They used also to send their children abroad in troops, armed with long wattles and whips, wherewith they used to beat dead men's bodies about their privy members, till they beat them off, and then would return very joyful to their parents, who received them as it were in triumph for their good actions. Some of them brake the back-bone of a youth, and left him in the field. Some days after he was found, having for hunger eaten all the grass round about him like a beast. Yet neither would they kill him out-right, but removed him to a place of better pasture; wherein was fulfilled that saying, " The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty."

            In the county of Antrim they murdered 954 Protestants in one morning, and afterwards 12OO more in the same county. Near Lisnegarvy they forced above 24 Protes­tants into a house, and setting fire to it, burnt them all, counterfeiting their outcries in derision to others. Sir Phelim O'Neal boasted that he had slain above 6OO at Garvagh; and that he had left neither man, woman, nor child alive in the barony of Munterlong. In other places he murdered above 2OOO persons in their houses; so that many houses were filled with dead bodies. About 12,OOO were slain in the highway as they fled towards Down. Many died of famine. Many were starved to death for want of clothes, being stripped of all in a cold season. Some thousands were drowned. The English Papists were nothing inferior to the natural Irish in their cruelty against the Protestants that lived amongst them; yea, they rather exceeded them, for they were never satisfied with their blood till they had seen the last drop thereof.

            Anne Kinnard testified, that 15 Protestants being im­prisoned, and their feet fixed in the stocks, a popish boy, not above 14 years old, slew them all in one night with a skean. Another not above 12 years old, killed two women in another place. An English Papist woman killed seven men and women, her neighbors, in one morning. And it was usual for the Papists' children to murder the Protestants' children, and sometimes with their wooden swords, sharp and heavy, they would ven­ture on people of riper years. Some of these villains compelled an English woman, who was newly delivered of two children, in her great pain and sickness to rise from her bed; then they took one of the infants that was living, and dashed out his brains against the stones, and afterwards threw him into the river of Barrow. The like they did by many other infants. Many more they hanged without all pity.

            The Lord Mont Garret caused divers English soldiers that he had taken about Kilkenny to be hanged, hardly suffering them to pray before their death; they died very patiently, and resolute in the defense of the Protestant faith; and one of them, being an Irishman, had his life offered if he would turn Papist, but he rather chose to die, and so was executed with the rest. Some of these persecutors meeting a poor young girl that was going to see her friends, they first half hanged her, and then buried her whilst yet alive. One Fitz Patrick enticed a rich merchant, that was a Protestant, to bring all his goods into his house, promising safely to keep them, and to re-deliver them to him. But when he had thus gotten them into his possession, he took the merchant and his wife and hanged them both. He did the like to divers others. A poor Protestant woman going to Kilkenny, with her two children, upon some business, these bloody miscreants baited them with dogs, stabbed them with skeans, and pulled out the guts of one of the children, whereby they died. Not far from Kilkenny they took divers men, women, and children, and hanged them. One of the women being great with child, they ripped up her belly as she hung, so that the child fell out in the caul alive. They drew some up and down after they were hanged, till their bowels were torn out.

            In the province of Ulster alone, 15O,OOO persons were murdered by different kinds of torments and deaths. And the number of the slain, in the other three pro­vinces, certainly was very great; as may be gathered from these passages, found in a general remonstrance of the distressed Protestants in the province of Munster.  " Nile may (say they,) compare our woe to the saddest parallel of. any story. Our churches are demolished, or which is orse, profaned by sacrifices to idols. Our habitations are become ruinous heaps. No quality, age, or sex, were privileged from massacres, and lingering deaths, by being robbed, stripped naked, and so exposed to cold and famine. The famished infants of murdered parents swarm our streets, and for want of food, perish before our faces. All this cruelty is exercised upon us, we know not for what cause, offences, or seeming pro­vocation, (sin excepted,) saving that we were Protestants. We can make it manifest, that the depopulations in this province of Munster, do well near equal those of the whole kingdom." The blood of those that were knocked 6n the head, and then thrown into the river at Porten­down-Bridge, remained for a long time upon the stories, and could not be washed away.

            Catherine Coke testified upon oath, that -when the Irish had barbarously drowned 18O Protestants, men, women, and children, at Portendown-Bridge, about nine days after she saw the apparition of a man bolt upright in the river, standing breast-high, with his hands lifted up to heaven, and continuing in that posture from December to the end of Lent, at which time some of the English army passing that way, saw it also; after which it vanished away. Elizabeth Price also testified upon oath, that she and other women, whose husbands and children were drowned in that place, hearing of these apparitions, went thither one evening, and saw one like a woman rise out of the river breast-high, her hair hanging down, which, with her skin, was as white as snow,, often crying out, " Revenge! revenge! revenge!" which so affrighted them that they went their way.

            There came a rogue to a young woman, who was almost stripped naked, bidding her give him her money, or he would run her through with his sword. Her answer was, " You cannot kill me, except God give you leave." Whereupon he ran three times at her naked body with his drawn sword, and yet never pierced her skin, whereat he being confounded, went his way and left her. Divers women, that were present and saw it, attested this fact.  Divers Protestants were thrown into the river of Belter; bert; and when any of them offered to swim to the land, they were knocked on the head with poles; after which their bodies were not seen for six weeks: but after the end thereof, the murderers coming again that way, the bodies came floating up to the very bridge where they were.

 

THE PERSECUTION

OF THE

CHURCH OF GOD IN SCOTLAND.

Which began in the Year 1527.

 

            SIR. PATRICK HAMILTON, of an ancient and honorable family, called Abbot of Fern, left Scot­land, and went to the University of Wittenberg, in Germany, and became familiar with those great lights and notable servants of Jesus CHRIST, Martin Luther, and Philip Melancthon, whereby he greatly increased in godly knowledge and learning. From thence he went to the University of Marpurg, where he was intimate with other learned men, especially with Francis Lambert, by whose instigation he was the first that there publicly set up conclusions to be disputed of concerning faith and good works. By reason of his learning and integrity of life, he was had in admiration by many persons; but the zeal of God's glory did so eat him up, that he could not rest till he returned into his own country, where the bright beams of the true light, which, by God's grace was planted in his heart, began most abundantly to break forth, as well in public as in secret.

            In process of time, the fame of his doctrine troubled the clergy, and came to the ears of James Beton, arch­bishop and cardinal of Scotland, who privately got Hamilton to St. Andrew's, where, after divers days' conference, he had his freedom and liberty. The bishop seeming to approve his doctrine, acknowledged, that in many things there needed a reformation in the church; but withal, fearing that their kingdom should be en­damaged, they labored with the king, who was then young, and much led by them, to go on pilgrimage to St. Dothesse, in Ross, that so, by reason of his absence, no intercession might be made to him, for saving the life of this innocent servant of Jesus CHRIST, who, not sus­pecting the malice that lodged in their hearts, remained as a lamb amongst wolves.

            The king being gone, Mr; Hamilton was seized upon at night, by the bishop's officers, and carried to the castle, and the morrow after he was brought forth unto judgment, and was condemned to be burnt for the tes­timony of God's truth, in declaring against pilgrimages, purgatory, praying to saints, &c. Immediately after dinner, the fire was prepared, and he was led to execu­tion, yet most men thought that it was only to terrify him, and to cause him to recant. But GOD, for his own glory, and the good of his servants, had otherwise de­creed: for he so strengthened him, that neither the love of life, nor fear of that cruel death, could once move him to swerve from the truth which he had professed. At the place of execution, he gave to his servant that, had long attended him, his gown, coat, cap, and other garments, saying, cs These will not profit me In the fire, they will, profit thee. After this you can receive no commodity of me, except the example of my death,. which I pray thee to bear in mind; for though it be bitter to the flesh, and fearful before men, yet it is the entrance into eternal life, which none shall possess who deny CHRIST Jesus before this wicked generation." And so being tied to the stake, in the midst of coals and timber, they gave fire to some powder, which with the blast scorched his hand, and the side of his face, but neither killed him, nor kindled the wood and coals. They ran, therefore, to the castle for more powder, and more combustible matter, which being at last kindled, he cried with a loud voice, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. How long shall darkness overwhelm this realm? And how long wilt you suffer the tyranny of these men?" The fire was slow, and therefore put him to the greater tor­ment; but that which most grieved him, was the clamor of some wicked men, set on by the friars, who con­tinually cried, "Turn, you heretic; call upon our lady; say salve regina." To whom he answered, " Depart from me, and trouble me not." And speaking to one Campbell, a friar, the ringleader, who still roared on him with great vehemency, he said to him, " Wicked man, you knows the contrary, and have confessed the contrary to me; I cite thee before the tribunal seat of Jesus CHRIST." After which words he resigned up his spirit unto GOD, in the year 1527. And within a few days after the said friar died in a frenzy, and as one that despaired.

            The said archbishop and cardinal convened before him DAVID STRATON, a gentleman, and Mr. NORMAN GOUR­LAY. The first of these having a fishing-boat that went to sea, the Bishop of Murray demanded tythe-fish of him, to whom he answered, "That if they would have tythe of that which his servants caught in the sea, they should take it in the place where it was caught;" and so caused his servants to throw the tenth fish into the sea again. All this while he had nothing of religion in him. But when he was hereupon summoned to answer for heresy, it troubled him exceedingly, and then he began to frequent the company of such as were godly, and there appeared a wonderful change in him; so that whereas before he despised the Word of GOD, now all his delight was in hearing it read to him, and he was a vehement exhorter of all men to peace, concord, and contempt of the world. He much frequented the com­pany of the Laird of Dun Areskin, whom God in those days had marvelously illuminated. Hearing that text read, (for he could not read himself,) " He that denieth me before men, or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked generation, I will deny him before my Father and his holy angels." He suddenly, as one revived, fell upon his knees, and steadfastly lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, at length burst forth into these words, 11O Lord, I have been wicked, and justly may you with­draw thy grace from me; but Lord, for thy mercy's sake, let me never deny thee nor thy truth for the fear of death or any corporal pain." Being afterwards, together with Mr. Gourlay, brought to judgment in Holyrood­House, (the king himself being present,) much means was used to draw this David Straton to make a recan­tation; but he persevered in his constancy, and so they were both condemned to the fire, and after dinner, in the year 1534 they were first hanged, and afterwards burnt. In the year 1539, there were apprehended JEROME RUSSEL, a man of a meek and quiet nature, and ALEX­ANDER KENNEDY, of about 1S years old. These two poor servants of Jesus CHRIST being brought before the arch­bishop and his associates to judgment, Kennedy at first was faint, and would fain have recanted; but when all place of repentance was denied him, the Spirit of GOD, (which seasonably comes in with comfort,) began to refresh him; and his inward comfort began to appear, as well by his visage, as by his tongue and words: for with a cheerful countenance and joyful voice, falling on his knees, he said, "O eternal GOD, how wonderful is that love and mercy that you bearest unto mankind, and to me, a vile sinner and miserable wretch above all others! For even now when I would have denied thee, and thy Son, our Lord Jesus CHRIST, my only Savior, and so have cast myself into everlasting damnation, You, by thine own hand, hast. pulled me from the very bottom of hell, and made me to feel that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly fear wherewith I was op­pressed before. Now I defy death; do with me what you please. I praise God I am ready." Then they railed upon him and Russel, who replied, "This is your hour and power of darkness. Now ye sit as judges, and we stand wrongfully accused, and more wrongfully to be condemned. But the day will come when our innocency will appear, and ye shall see your own blindness, to your everlasting confusion. Go forward, and fulfill the mea­sure of your iniquity." Shortly after, they were con­demned to die. As they went to execution, Russel comforted Kennedy “Brother, fear not, greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. The pain that we are to suffer is short, and shall be light, but our joy and consolation shall never have an end. Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Savior's joy, by the same strait way which he has taken before us. Death cannot hurt us, for it is already destroyed by him, for whose sake we now suffer." Thus passing cheer­fully on, they constantly triumphed over death and SATAN in the midst of the flaming fire, where they gave up their spirits to God.

            GEORGE WISEHEART, or WISCHARD, was born in Scot­land, and brought up first at school, from whence he went to the university; after which he traveled into several countries, and at last came to Cambridge, where he was admitted into Bennet's College. He was tall of stature, and of a melancholy constitution; he had black hair,,a long beard, was comely of personage, well-spoken, courteous, lowly, lovely, willing to teach, and desirous to learn. For his habit, he wore a frieze gown, a black fustian doubtlet, plain hose, coarse canvas for his shirts, falling bands. All which apparel he gave to the poor; some weekly, some, monthly, some quarterly; saving a French cap that he wore, which he kept a twelve-month. He was modest, temperate, fearing GOD, hating covetous­ness. His charity was extraordinary; he forbore his food one meal in three, one day in four, that he might the better relieve the poor. His lodging was upon straw, and he had coarse new canvas sheets, which when once foul, he gave away. He had by his bed-side a tub of Water, in which, in the dark night, he bathed himself. He taught with great modesty and gravity, so that some about him thought him severe, and would have slain him; but the Lord was his deliverer; and he, after due cor­rection for their malice, by good exhortation amended them. His learning was no less sufficient than his desire of it. He was always ready to do good according to his ability. Both in his private chamber and public schools, he always studied how to do good to all.

            In 1544, some of the nobility of Scotland coming to treat with King Henry VIII. about the marriage between his son Prince Edward and their young Queen Mary, at their return, Mr. Wischard went with then into Scot­land, being a man of admirable graces and learning, both in divine and human sciences. He first preached in Rosse, and then in Dundee, where, with great admiration of all that heard him, he went over the Epistle to the Romans; till, at the instigation of the cardinal, one Robert Misle, a principal man there, and formerly a pro­fessor of religion, inhibited him from preaching, requiring that he should trouble their town no more, for he would not suffer it. This was spoken to him in the public place; whereupon he mused a space, with his eyes-bent unto heaven, and afterwards looking sorrowfully upon the speaker and the people, he said, "God is my witness that I never intended your trouble, but your comfort; yea, your trouble is more dolorous to me than it is to yourselves. But I am assured, that, to refuse God's Word, and to chase his messenger from you, shall not preserve you from trouble,. but shall bring you into it. For God shall send you ministers that shall neither fear burning nor banishment. I have offered you the word of salvation. With the hazard of my life I have remained amongst you. Now ye yourselves refuse' me, and I must leave my innocency to be declared by my God. If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the Spirit of Truth. But if unlooked for trouble come upon you, acknowledge the cause, and turn to GOD, who is gracious and merciful. But if you turn not at the first warning, he will visit you with fire and sword." Then he came down from the pulpit. Some noblemen being present, would have persuaded him to stay, or to have gone with them into the country, but he would by no means stay till he had past the river Tay.

            Then he went into the west country, where he made offers of God's Word, which was gladly received by many, till the Bishop of Glasgow, by the instigation of the car­dinal, came with his train to the town of Air to resist Wischard. The earl of Glencarne and some other gentle­men, hearing of it, came thither also with their retinue, and when they were all come together, the bishop would needs have the church himself to preach in. Some opposed; but Wischard said, " Let him alone, his sermon will not do much hurt; let us go to the Market-Cross:" and so they did, where he made so notable a sermon, that his very enemies themselves were confounded.

            Wischard remained with the gentlemen in Kyle, preach­ing sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, but coming to Machlene, he was perforce kept out of the church. Some would have broken in; but he said to one of them, "Brother, Jesus CHRIST is as mighty in the fields as in the church; and himself often preached in the desert, at the sea-side, and other places. It is the word of peace God sends by me: the blood of none shall be shed this day for the preaching of it." And so, going into the fields, he stood upon a bank, where he continued preaching to the people above three hours; and God wrought so wonderfully by that sermon, that one of the most wicked men in all the country, the Laird of Sheld, was converted by it, and his eyes ran down with such abundance of tears, that all men wondered at it. Pre­sently news was brought to Wischard that the plague was broke out in Dundee, which began within four days after he was prohibited from preaching there, and raged so extremely, that it is beyond credit how many died in twenty-four hours' space. This being related to him, notwithstanding the importunity of his friends, he would needs go thither, saying, "They are now in trouble, and need comfort. Perhaps this hand of God will make them now to magnify and reverence the Word of GOD, which before they lightly esteemed."

            Coming to Dundee, the joy of the faithful was ex­ceeding great, and he signified without delay, that he would preach the next day. And because most of the inhabitants were either sick, or employed about the sick, he chose the east gate for the place of his preaching; so that the whole were within, and the sick without the gate. His text was, "He sent his word and healed them," Ps. cvii. 2O; wherein he, in an encouraging and consolatory manner, treated of the profit and comfort of God's Word, the punishment that comes by the contempt of it, the readiness of God's mercy to such as truly turn to him, and the happiness of those whom God takes from this misery. This sermon so raised up the hearts of those that heard him, that they regarded no death, but judged them more happy that should then depart, than such as should remain behind; considering that they knew not whether they should have such a comforter with them, or not. He spared not to visit them that lay in the greatest extremity, and to comfort them. He provided all things necessary for such as could take food, the town being very bountiful to them through his instigation. But whilst he was thus busying himself for the comfort of the afflicted, the devil stirred up Cardinal Beton, who corrupted a desperate popish priest, called John Weighton, to slay him. And on a day, the sermon being ended, and the people departed, suspecting no danger, the priest stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a naked dagger in his band, under his gown; but Mr. Wischard, being of a sharp piercing eye, seeing the priest as he came down, said to him, "My friend, what would you have?" and withal, clapping his hand upon the dagger, took it. from him. The priest, being herewith terrified, fell down upon. his knees, confessed his intention and craved pardon. A noise being here­upon raised, and it coining to the ears of those who had been sick, they cried, "Deliver the traitor to us, or we will take him by force;" and so they burst in at the gate; but Wischard, taking him in his arms, said, "`Whosoever hurts him shall hurt me; for he has done me no mis­chief, but much good, by teaching me more heedfulness for the time to come:" and so he appeased them, and saved the priest's life.

            When the plague was almost ceased, he took his leave of them, saying, "That God had almost put an end to the battle, and that he was now called to another place." For the gentlemen of the west had written to him to meet them in Edinburgh, where he should dispute with the bishops, and should be publicly heard, which he willingly assented to. But first he went to Montrosse, to salute the church there, where he sometimes preached, but spent most of his time in private meditation; in which he was so earnest, that he continued day and night in it; during which time, the cardinal again conspired his death, causing a letter to be sent to him, as if it had been from his familiar friend, the Laird of Kinnur, de­siring him with all possible speed to come to him, for that he was taken with a sudden sickness. In the mean time, he had provided 6O armed men to he in wait, within a mile and a half of Montrosse, to murder him as he passed by that way. The letter coming to his hands by a boy, who also brought him an horse to ride on, being accompanied with some honest men, his friends, he set forwards; but suddenly stopping and musing a space, he returned back again, which they wondering at, asked him the cause; to whom he said, " I will not go. I am forbidden of God. I am assured there is treason. Let some of you go to yonder place, and tell me what you find;" which they doing, found out the treason; and hastily returning back, they told Mr. Wischard of it; whereupon he said, " I know that I shall end my life by that blood-thirsty man's hands, but it will not be in this manner."

            The time approaching wherein he should meet the gentlemen at Edinburgh, he took his leave and departed.  By the way he lodged with a faithful brother, called James Watson, of Inner Gowry. In the night-time he  got up and went into a yard; which two men hearing, privily followed him. There he walked in an alley for some space, breathing forth many sobs and deep groans; then he fell upon his knees, and his groans increased.  Then he fell upon his face. Those that watched him heard him weeping and praying, in which posture he continued near an hour. Then, getting up, he came to his bed again. Those who attended him, making as

though they were ignorant of all, came and asked him where he had been? But he would not answer them.  The next day they importuned him again, saying, " Be

plain with us, for we heard your mourning, and saw your gestures." Then he, with a dejected countenance, said, I had rather you had been in your beds." But they

still pressing upon him to know something, he said, " I will tell you: I am assured that my warfare is near at an end, and therefore pray to God with me that I shrink not when the battle waxeth most hot." When they heard this, they fell a weeping, saying, "This is small comfort to us." Then said he, " God shall send you comfort

after me. This realm shall be illuminated with the light of CHRIST's gospel as clearly as any realm since the days of the apostles. The house of God shall be built in it; in despite of all enemies. Neither will it be long before this be accomplished. Many shall not suffer after me, till the glory of God shall appear and triumph, in despite of SATAN. But, alas'! if the people shall afterwards prove unthankful, then fearful and terrible shall the plagues be that shall follow."

            Then he went forward on his journey, and came to Leith; but hearing nothing of those gentlemen that were to meet him, he kept himself private a day or two: at which time he grew very pensive; and being asked the reason of it, he said, "In what do I differ from a dead man, but in that I eat and drink? Hitherto, God has

used my labors for the instruction of others, and to the disclosing of darkness; and now I lurk as a man ashamed, that dare not show his face." Hereby they perceived that his desire was to preach; whereupon they said to him, "It is most comfortable to us to hear you; but because we know the danger wherein you stand, we dare not desire it." "But (said he,) if you dare hear, let God provide for me as best pleases him;" and so it was concluded that the next day he should preach in Leith. His text was the " Parable of the sower," Matt. 13: The sermon being ended, the gentlemen of Lothian, who were earnest professors of Jesus CHRIST, would not suffer him to stay at Leith, because the governor and cardinal were shortly to come to Edinburgh, but took him along with them, and so he preached at Brunstone, Languedine, and Ormstone. Then he was requested to preach at Eneresk, near Musselburgh, where he had a great confluence of people, and amongst them, Sir George Douglas, who, after sermon, said publicly, " I know that the governor and cardinal will hear that I have been at this sermon.

            But let them know that I will avow it, and will maintain both the doctrine and the preacher, to the uttermost of my power." This much rejoiced those that were present. Amongst others that came to hear him preach, there were two Grey Friars, who, standing at the church door, whispered to such as carne in: which Wischard observ­ing, said to the people, " I pray you make room for these two men, it may be they come to learn." And turning to them, he said, "Come near, for I assure you, you shall hear the word of truth, which this day shall seal up to you either your salvation or damnation;" and so he proceeded in his sermon, supposing that all would be quiet. But when he perceived that they still continued to disturb all the people that stood near them, he said to them the second time, with an angry countenance, "O ministers of SATAN, and deceivers of the souls of men! will ye neither hear God's truth yourselves, nor suffer others to hear it? Depart; and take this for your portion, God shall shortly confound and disclose your hypocrisy within this kingdom. Ye shall be abominable to men, and your places and habi­tations shall be desolate." This he spoke with much vehemency, and turning to the people, he said, " These men have provoked the Spirit of God to anger:" and then he proceeded to the end of his sermon. Afterwards, he preached in divers other places, the people much flocking after him. In all his sermons, he foretold the shortness of time that he had to travel, and the near approach of his death.

            Coming to Haddington, his auditory began much to decrease. The cause, as it was conceived, was this The Earl Bothwel, who had great observance in those parts, by the instigation of the cardinal, had inhibited both those of the town and country from hearing him.  Presently after, as he was going to church, he received a letter from the west-country gentlemen, and having read it, he called John Knox, who had diligently waited upon him since he came into Lothian, to whom he said, "I am now weary of the world, because I see that men begin to be weary of God. For (added he,) the gentlemen of the west have sent me word, That they cannot keep their meeting at Edinburgh." John Knox, wondering that he should enter into conference about these things so immediately before his sermon, contrary to his custom, said to,­ him “Sir, sermon-time approaches”, I will leave you for the present to your meditations." Then Mr. Wischard walked up and down about half an hour, his sad counte­nance declaring the grief of his mind. At last he went into the pulpit, and his auditory being very small, he began in this manner, "Lord, how long shall it be that thy Holy Word shall be despised, and men shall not regard their own salvation? I have heard of thee, O Haddington, that in thee there used to be two or three thousand persons at a vain and wicked play; and now, to hear the messenger of the eternal GOD, of all the parish, scarce one hundred can here be numbered. Sore and fearful shall be the plagues that shall ensue upon this thy contempt. With fire and sword shall you be plagued; yea, You, Haddington, in special, strangers shall possess thee; and you, the present inhabitants, shall either serve your enemies in bondage, or else you shall be chased from your own habitations, and that because you have not known, nor will know, the time of your visitation." This prophecy was accomplished not long after, when the English took Haddington; made it a garrison; forced many of the inhabitants to flee; op­pressed others; and after a while, a great plague breaking forth in the town, whereof multitudes died, the English were at last forced to quit it, who, at their departure, burnt and spoiled a great part of it, leaving it to be pos­sessed by such as could first seize upon it, who were the French, that came as auxiliaries to Scotland, with a few of the ancient inhabitants; so that Haddington, to this day, never recovered her former beauty, nor yet men of such wisdom and ability as did formerly in­ habit it.

            That night Mr. Wischard was apprehended in the house of Ormstone, by the Earl Bothwel, suborned thereunto by the cardinal. The manner was thus: After sermon, he took his last farewel of all his friends in Haddington. John Knox would fain have gone with him; but he said, " Return to your children, and God bless you. One is sufficient For one sacrifice.” Then he went to the Laird of Ormstone, with some others that accompanied him.  After supper he discoursed comfortably of God's love to his children; then he appointed the 51st Psalm to be sung, and so retired to his chamber. But before mid­night the house was beset; and the Earl Bothwel called for the Laird of the house, and told him, That it was in vain to resist, for the governor and cardinal were within a mile, with great power. But if he would deliver Mr.  Wischard to him, he would promise, upon his honor, that he should be safe, and that the cardinal should not hurt him. Mr. Wischard said, " Open the gates, the will of God be done." Bothwel coming in, Wischard said to him, "I praise my God that so honorable a man as you, my Lord, receive me this night; for I am per­suaded that, for your honor's sake, you will. suffer nothing to be done to me but by order of law? I less fear to die openly, than secretly to be murdered." Then Bothwel said, " I will not only preserve your body from all violence that shall be intended against you, without order of law, but I also promise, in the presence of these gentlemen, that neither the governor nor the cardinal shall have their will of you; but I will keep you in mine own house, till I either set you free, or restore you to the same place where I receive you." Then said the Lairds, "My Lord, if you make good your promise, which we presume you will, we ourselves will not only serve you, but we will procure all the professors in Lothian to do the same." These promises being made in the pre­sence of GOD, and hands being stricken by both parties, the earl took Mr. Wischard, and so departed.

            Mr. Wischard was carried to Edinburgh; but gold and women easily corrupt fleshly men; for the cardinal gave Bothwel gold; and the queen, that was too familiar with him, promised him her favor, if he would deliver Mr. Wischard into Edinburgh castle, which he did. Shortly after, he was delivered to the blood-thirsty cardinal, who, seeing that it was forbidden by their canon-law for a priest to sit as a judge, upon life and death, he sent to the governor, requesting him to appoint some lay judge to pass sentence of death upon Mr. Wisehard.  The governor would easily have yielded to his request, but that David Hamilton, a godly man, told him, that he could expect no better end than Saul, if he persecuted the truth which formerly he had professed. Hereupon the governor sent the cardinal word,. that he would have no band in shedding the blood of that good man. The cardinal being angry, returned this answer, "That he had sent to him of mere civility, and that he would proceed without him;" and so, to the great grief of the godly, the cardinal carried Mr. Wischard to St. Andrews, and put him into the tower there; and without any long delay he caused all the bishops, and other great clergymen, to be called together to St. Andrews. And February 28, 1546, 1VIr. Wischard was sent for to appear before them, to give an account of his seditious and heretical doctrine, as they called it. The cardinal caused all his retinue to come armed to the place of their sitting, which was the abbey church. When Mr. Wischard was brought thither, there was a poor man lying at the door, that asked alms, to whom he flung his purse. Dean John Winryme, sub­prior of the abbey, was appointed to preach; whose sermon being ended, Wischard was put up into the pulpit to hear his charge. Then one Lauder, a priest, standing over against him, read a scroll full of bitter accusations and curses, so that the ignorant people thought that the earth would have opened and swallowed up Wischard qu