Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
his promise, reached up his hands burning in flames over his head to the living God, and with
great rejoicings as it seemed, struck or clapped them three times together. A great shout
followed this wonderful circumstance, and then this blessed martyr of Christ, sinking down
in the fire, gave up his spirit, June 10, 1555.
Thomas Watts, of Billerica, in Essex, of the diocese of London, was a linen draper. He
had daily expected to be taken by God's adversaries, and this came to pass on the fifth of
April, 1555, when he was brought before Lord Rich, and other commissioners at Chelmsford,
and accused for not coming to the church.
Being consigned over to the bloody bishop, who gave him several hearings, and, as usual,
many arguments, with much entreaty, that he would be a disciple of Antichrist, but his
preaching availed not, and he resorted to his last revenge-that of condemnation.
At the stake, after he had kissed it, he spake to Lord Rich, charging him to repent, for the
Lord would revenge his death. Thus did this good martyr offer his body to the fire, in defence
of the true Gospel of the Savior.
Thomas Osmond, William Bamford, and Nicholas Chamberlain, all of the town of
Coxhall, being sent up to be examined, Bonner, after several hearings, pronounced them
obstinate heretics, and delivered them to the sheriffs, in whose custody they remained until
they were delivered to the sheriff of Essex county, and by him were executed, Chamberlain
at Colchester, the fourteenth of June; Thomas Osmond at Maningtree, and William Bamford,
alias Butler, at Harwich, the fifteenth of June, 1555; all dying full of the glorious hope of
immortality.
Then Wriotheseley, lord chancellor, offered Anne Askew the king's pardon if she would
recant; who made this answer, that she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master. And
thus the good Anne Askew, being compassed in with flames of fire, as a blessed sacrifice unto
God, slept in the Lord, A.D. 1546, leaving behind her a singular example of Christian
constancy for all men to follow.
Rev. John Bradford, and John Leaf, an Apprentice
Rev. John Bradford was born at Manchester, in Lancashire; he was a good Latin scholar,
and afterward became a servant of Sir John Harrington, knight.
He continued several years in an honest and thriving way; but the Lord had elected him
to a better function. Hence he departed from his master, quitting the Temple, at London, for
the University of Cambridge, to learn, by God's law, how to further the building of the Lord's
temple. In a few years after, the university gave him the degree of master of arts, and he
became a fellow of Pembroke Hall.
Martin Bucer first urged him to preach, and when he modestly doubted his ability, Bucer
was wont to reply, "If thou hast not fine wheat bread, yet give the poor people barley bread,
or whatsoever else the Lord hath committed unto thee." Dr. Ridley, that worthy bishop of
London, and glorious martyr of Christ, first called him to take the degree of a deacon and
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