posterity, concerning the examinations of this Ardeley and his company, how that they, being brought before the commissioners, were by them greatly charged of stubbornness and vain-glory. Unto whom they answered in defense of their own simplicity, that they were content willingly to yield to the queen all their goods and lands, so that they might be suffered to live under her, in keeping their conscience free from all idolatry and papistical religion. Yet this would not be granted, although they had offered all to their heart-blood; so greedy and so thirsty be these persecutors, of christian blood. The Lord give them repentance if it be his will, and keep from them the just reward of such cruel dealing! Amen.
THE RIDICULOUS HANDLING AND PROCEEDING
who then, having the halter about his neck, desired the people there present to pray for him, and to bear him witness that he died a true christian man, and that he trusted to be saved only by the merits of Christ’s passion, and shedding of his precious blood; and not by any masses or trentals, images or saints, which were (as he said) mere idolatry and superstition, and devised by the bishop of Rome: and as the same Tooley, and two other his fellows which were there hanged with him, did stem and rob for covetousness, so the bishop of Rome did sell his masses and trentals, with such other paltry, for covetousness; and there being in a great anger (as appeared) against the bishop of Rome, spoke with loud voice these words following: “From the tyranny a32 of the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities; from false doctrine and heresy, and from the contempt of thy word and commandment, good Lord deliver us!”
And then adding further to the same, he spoke unto the people, - “All you that be true christian men, say with me, Amen.” And immediately
thereupon three hundred persons and more, to the judgment and estimation of those that were there present, answered and said, “Amen,” three times together at the least. f33
After this it happened, that when Tooley had read the bill the first time, it fell from him, and a certain young man (who was thought to be a prentice) stooped down and took up the bill, and climbed up by the cart, and delivered it unto Tooley again, which he again did read to the people. That done, he delivered unto one of the marshal’s officers the book aforesaid, and willed him to deliver it unto one Haukes, saying, that it was his book.
Furthermore, he delivered one of the prayers, written in a paper, to one Robert Bromley sergeant, who desired to have it of him. Upon the top of which bill was written a line, containing these words, “Beware of
Antichrist;” and subscribed underneath, “Per me Thomam Harold, prisoner in the Marshalsea, enemy to Antichrist.” For the bill aforesaid, Robert Bromley was brought afterward “coram nobis;” and was fain to ask pardon of the bishop, and to detest all the words of Tooley, and glad so to escape.
Thus while Tooley had made his prayers, as is above said, to be delivered from the pope’s tyranny, by the same prayers he fell into great tyranny.
For so soon as the bruit of this fact came unto the ears of the priests and mitred prelates, they were not a little mad thereat, thinking it not tolerable
that so great a reproach should be done against the holy father. Calling therefore for a council together, as though it had been a matter of great importance, Tooley’s talk at his death was debated among themselves.
At last, after much pro and contra, they all consented to those men’s judgments, who thought it meet that the violating of the pope’s holiness should be revenged with fire and faggot. And I do easily believe that cardinal Pole was no small doer in this sentence; for as Winchester and Bonner did always thirst after the blood of the living, so Pole’s lightning was for the most part kindled against the dead; and he reserved this charge only to himself, I know not for what purpose, except peradventure, being loth to be so cruel as the other, he thought nevertheless by thin means to discharge his duty towards the pope. By the same cardinal’s like lightning and fiery fist the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius, which had lain almost two years in their graves, were taken up and burned at Cambridge, as Tooley’s carcass was here at London. And besides this, because he would show some token of his diligence in both universities, he caused Peter Martyr’s wife, a woman of worthy memory, to be digged out of the church-yard, and to be buffed on the dunghill. Of these two
prodigious acts ye shall hear more hereafter. But now to our purpose of Tooley, who, having ended his prayer, was hanged and put into his grave, out of which he was digged again, by the commandment of the bishops;
and because he was so bold to derogate the authority of the bishop of Rome, at the time of his death, it pleased them to judge and condemn him as a heretic, upon the commandment of the council’s letter, as here appeareth.
A LETTER SENT UNTO BONNER, BISHOP OF LONDON, FROM THE COUNCIL, CONCERNING TOOLEY.
After our very hearty commendations to your lordship,
understanding that of late amongst others that have suffered about London for their offenses, one lewd person that was condemned for felony died very obstinately, professing at the time of his death sundry heretical and erroneous opinions; like as we think it not convenient that such a matter should be overpassed without some example to the world, so have we thought good to pray your lordship to cause further inquiry to be made thereof, and thereupon
to proceed to the making out of such process as by the
ecclesiastical laws is provided in that behalf. And so we bid your lordship heartily well to fare.
From Hampton Court, the 28th of April, 1555.
Your lordship’s loving friends, Step. Winton, Chancellor.
R. Rochester.
F. Shrewsbury.
William Peter.
John Gage.
Rich. Southwell.
Thomas Cheney.
Anon after, a citation was set up upon Paul’s church door under the bishop of London’s great seal; the tenor whereof here ensueth.
THE WRIT OR MANDATE OF BONNER, BISHOP OF LONDON, SET UP AT CHAFING CROSS, ON PAUL’S CHURCH DOOR, AND
AT ST. MARTIN’S IN THE FIELD, FOR THE CITING AND FURTHER INQUIRING OUT OF THE CASE OF JOHN TOOLEY.
a33
Edmund, by the sufferance of God bishop of London, to all and singular parsons, vicars, curates, and others, clerks and learned men, being within our diocese of London; and specially unto Richard Clunie, our sworn sumnor, greeting, salutation, and benediction. Forsomuch as it is come to our hearing by common fame, and the declaration of sundry credible persons, that one John Tooley, late citizen and poulterer of London, the son of perdition and iniquity, coming to the profundity of malice in the selfsame time in the which he should go to hanging, according to the laws of the realm, for the great theft lately by him committed, at which time chiefly he should have cared for the wealth of his soul, and to have died in the unity of the catholic church, did utter divers and sundry damnable, blasphemous, and heretical opinions and errors, utterly contrary and repugnant to the verity of the catholic faith and unity of the same; and did exhort, stir up, and encourage the
people, there standing in great multitude, to hold and defend the same errors and opinions: and moreover, certain of the people there standing (as it did appear), infected with errors and heresies, as fautors and defenders of the said John, did confirm and give express consent to the foresaid words, propositions, and affirmations;
which thug we do utter with sorrow and bitterness of heart:
We therefore, the foresaid Edmund and bishop abovesaid, not being able, nor daring f34 to pass over in silence, nor wink at the foresaid heinous act, lest by our negligence and slackness the blood of them might be required at our hands at the most terrible day of judgment, desiring to be certified and informed whether the premises declared unto us, be of the truth, and lest that any scabbed sheep, lurking amongst the simple flock of our Lord, do infect them with pestiferous heresy: to you therefore we straitly charge and command, that you cite, or cause to be cited, all and singular, having or knowing the truth of the premises, by setting up this citation upon the church door of St. Martin’s in the Field, being within our diocese of London, and also upon the cathedral church door of St. Paul’s in London; leaving there the copy hereof, or by other means or ways, the best you can, that this citation and monition may come to their knowledge.
All which and singular, by the tenor of these presents, we cite and admonish that they appear, and every one of them do appear before us, our vicar general, or commissary, whatsoever he be in that behalf, in our cathedral church of St. Paul in London, in the consistory place, upon Thursday the 2d day of May now next ensuing, betwixt the hours of nine and ten of the clock in the forenoon the same day, to bear witness of the truth in this behalf, and to depose and declare faithfully the truth that they know or have heard of the premises; and moreover to do and receive what law and reason doth require.
Further we commit unto you as before, and straitly enjoining you do command, that ye will generally cite the wife of the said Tooley that is dead, and his children, and his kindred by father and mother, his friends and his familiars in especial, and all other and every of
them (if there be any perhaps that desire to defend and purge the remembrance of the person in the premises), that ye admonish them after the manner and form aforesaid; whom we likewise, by the tenor of these presents, do in such sort cite and monish that they appear all, and that every one of them do appear (under pain to be compelled to keep silence for ever hereafter in this behalf) before us, or our vicar-general in spiritual matters, or such our commissary, at the day, hour, and place aforesaid, to defend the good name and remembrance of him that is dead, and to say, allege, and propose, in due form of law a cause reasonable, if they have or can tell of any, why the said John Tooley that is dead ought not to be determined and declared for such a heretic and excommunicate person, and his remembrance condemned, in the detesting and condemning of so heinous a deed and crime, and his body or carcass to lack church burial, as a rotten member cut off from the church, and the same to be committed to the arm and power secular, and they compelled hereafter for ever to hold their peace.
And furthermore, to do, receive, and to suffer as law and reason will, and as the quality of such matter, and the nature of themselves do constrain and require, and moreover that you cite and monish, after the manner aforesaid, all and every of the receivers, fautors, and creditors of the said John Tooley that is dead, especially if any of them do incline and give consent to those wicked and detestable affirmations, propositions, and rehearsals aforesaid, that on this side the said Thursday they return and submit themselves unto us, and to the lap of the mother holy church: which thing if they do, we, trusting upon the mercy of Almighty God, do promise that we will receive them being penitent for such their errors and faults, with thanks, benignity, mercy, and favor, to the comfort and health of their own souls, and in that behalf save their honesties to the uttermost of our power: otherwise, if they will not provide thus to come of their own accord, but to abide the ordinary process of the law, let those men know, that we will punish more severely this offense, according to the uttermost of the law, and as far as the law will bear it; and what ye shall do in the premises, let him among you, which shall execute this our present mandate, certify us, or
our vicar-general in spiritual matters, either by his own person, or by his letters patent, together with these authentically sealed.
Dated at London under our seal, the last day of April, 1555, and of our translation the 16th.
When the time of this citation was expired, and this Tooley being cited did not appear, next in order of law came the suspension (whereas one
suspension had been enough for him); and after that cometh the
excommunication, that is, that no man should eat and drink with him; or if any met him by the way, he should not bid him good morrow; and besides that, he should be excluded from the communion of the church. *And f35 why not, I pray you? For the lightning of excommunication, that these popish bishops use, is of itself so subtle and sharp, that it doth not only strike men that be living, but doth also pierce through the graves and ghosts of men that be dead.* These things being prepared in such manner, as in such cases full wisely they use to do, at length one stood out for the nonce, that made answer to certain articles, rehearsed in judgment openly, and that in the behalf of the dead man. But when the poor dead man could neither speak for himself, nor did (as they said) sufficiently answer them by the other — to avoid the name of a heretic — first witnesses were provided against him, whose names were Henry Clark esquire, Thomas Way keeper of the Marshalsea, Philip Andrew under-marshal, William Holingworth fishmonger, William Gellard, William Walton chandler, Richard Longman merchant-tailor, Philip Britten, John Burton brewer, Thomas Smith sergeant. Then he was for a heretic condemned, and so committed to the secular power, namely to the sheriffs of London, who, with the like diligence, went about to execute their charge. Therefore receiving the man (being suspended, excommunicated, condemned as a heretic, and besides that, dead), they laid him on the fire to be burned, namely “ad perperuam rei memoriam,” for a continual remembrance thereof: this was done the fourth day of June.
*THE f36 DEPOSITIONS OR ATTESTATIONS, PRODUCTED THE
29TH DAY OF APRIL, 1555,
Before Harps field, archdeacon-general, concerning the Words of John Tooley, at the time of his Death at Charing Cross.
Henry Clark, esquire, of the age of thirty-one years, or thereabouts, being sworn and examined, saith and deposeth by virtue of his oath: that, upon Friday last past, a34 being the 26th day of April, this deponent was present at Chafing Cross, in the suburbs of London, and the county of Middlesex, at the execution of the said John Tooley and others. At which time the said Tooley, after that he had read a certain prayer in a printed book, and his other prayers, written in two several papers, then, having the halter about his neck, desired the people there present to pray for him, and to bear him witness that he died a true christian man; and that he trusted to be saved, only by the merits of Christ’s passion, and shedding of his precious blood; and not by any masses or trentals, images or saints, which were (as he said) mere idolatry and
superstition, and devised by the bishop of Rome, And as he, the same Tooley, and two others, his fellows who were there hanged with him, did stem and rob for covetousness, so the bishop of Rome aid sell his masses and trentels, with such other peltry, for covetousness. And there, being in a great rage and anger, as
appeared, spoke, with a loud voice, these words following, namely:
“From the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities; from false doctrine and heresy, and from contempt of thy word and commandment, good Lord deliver us.” And then, adding further to the same, he spoke unto the people: “All you that be true christian men, say with me, ‘Amen;’” and immediately thereupon, three hundred persons and more, to the judgment and estimation of this examinate being there present, answered and said
“Amen” three times together at the least. And the same Tooley began to repeat, and to recite his former words against the pope:
and, being stayed, as well by this examinate, as by this under- marshal and others, ceased from further rehearsal, and so suffered forthwith execution, without any manner revocation of his aforesaid words.
Thomas Way, keeper of the Marshalsea, of the age of thirty years, being sworn and examined, saith and deposeth in effect as the first jurate, saving he addeth, that the said Tooley had a paper written, which he read to the people, and then tare in pieces, and so threw it
away: which paper this examinate -gathered up and delivered to my lord chancellor. As for any particular person that said “Amen” to Tooley’s words, he knew none.
Philip Andrew, under-marshal of the Marshalsea, of the age of fifty-four years, sworn and examined, saith and deposeth: that the like words in effect as the first jutate deposeth, were told him, standing by; but he heard them not. But when he understood the matter, he went to the said Tooley, and rebuked him in this sort, namely: “Thou whoreson, seditious traitor! thou wert worthy to be hanged seven years ago;” and immediately commanded the cart (being under the gallows), to be driven away, and so he and his two fellows were hanged.
William Hollingworth, fishmonger, of the parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Old Fish-street, of the age of forty-eight years, sworn and examined, saith and deposeth in effect as the first jurate deposeth: saving he addeth, that the other two prisoners being with the said Tooley in the cart under the gallows, did speak the like words which Tooley did (as is in the first jurate’s depositions), and that by Tooley’s desire.
William Gellard, fishmonger, of the parish of St. Nicholas Cole- Abbey, of the age of thirty-six years, sworn and examined, saith and deposeth in effect as the first jurate deposeth, saving he addeth, that the paper fell out of Tooley’s hand; and one (whom this jurate knew not) gave it to him up again; which the said Tooley did read the second time with, a loud. voice, and one prisoner with him; and the people answered Amen again, but not so many added at the first. And so he was hanged with his fellows, not revoking his words.
William Walton, chandler, of the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, in Old Fish-street, of the age of forty-nine years, sworn and examined, saith and deposeth in effect as the first jurate deposeth:
saving he addeth that he (the said Tooley) did bid one of his fellows, called Whight (being in the cart), to stand by, and pray with him. And after the words spoken of Tooley against the pope, this examinate said to him these words, namely, “Good fellow!