Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
head, and also upon the arm and hand, with his wood knife, the priest having at the same time
in his hand a chalice with the consecrated host therein, which became sprinkled with blood.
Mr. Flower, for this injudicious zeal, was heavily ironed, and put into the gatehouse at
Westminster; and afterward summoned before bishop Bonner and his ordinary, where the
bishop, after he had sworn him upon a Book, ministered articles and interrogatories to him.
After examination, the bishop began to exhort him again to return to the unity of his
mother the Catholic Church, with many fair promises. These Mr. Flower steadfastly rejecting,
the bishop ordered him to appear in the same place in the afternoon, and in the meantime to
consider well his former answer; but he, neither apologizing for having struck the priest, nor
swerving from his faith, the bishop assigned him the next day, April 20, to receive sentence
if he would not recant. The next morning, the bishop accordingly proceeded to the sentence,
condemning and excommunicating him for a heretic, and after pronouncing him to be
degraded, committed him to the secular power.
On April 24, St. Mark's eve, he was brought to the place of martyrdom, in St. Margaret's
churchyard, Westminster, where the fact was committed: and there coming to the stake, he
prayed to Almighty God, made a confession of his faith, and forgave all the world.
This done, his hand was held up against the stake, and struck off, his left hand being
fastened behind him. Fire was then set to him, and he burning therein, cried with a loud voice,
"O Thou Son of God receive my soul!" three times. His speech being now taken from him, he
spoke no more, but notwithstanding he lifted up the stump with his other arm as long as he
could.
Thus he endured the extremity of the fire, and was cruelly tortured, for the few fagots that
were brought being insufficient to burn him they were compelled to strike him down into the
fire, where lying along upon the ground, his lower part was consumed in the fire, whilst his
upper part was little injured, his tongue moving in his mouth for a considerable time.
The Rev. John Cardmaker and John Warne
May 30, 1555, the Rev. John Cardmaker, otherwise called Taylor, prebendary of the
Church of Wells, and John Warne, upholsterer, of St. John's, Walbrook, suffered together in
Smithfield. Mr. Cardmaker, who first was an observant friar before the dissolution of the
abbeys, afterward was a married minister, and in King Edward's time appointed to be a reader
in St. Paul's; being apprehended in the beginning of Queen Mary's reign, with Dr. Barlow,
bishop of Bath, he was brought to London, and put in the Fleet prison, King Edward's laws
being yet in force. In Mary's reign, when brought before the bishop of Winchester, the latter
offered them the queen's mercy, if they would recant.
Articles having been preferred against Mr. John Warne, he was examined upon them by
Bonner, who earnestly exhorted him to recant his opinions, to whom he answered, "I am
persuaded that I am in the right opinion, and I see no cause to recant; for all the filthiness and
idolatry lies in the Church of Rome."
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