Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
Pilkington, pronounced orations in honor of their memory, and in reprobation of their Catholic
persecutors.
Cardinal Pole also inflicted his harmless rage upon the dead body of Peter Martyr's wife,
who, by his command, was dug out of her grave, and buried on a distant dunghill, partly
because her bones lay near St. Fridewide's relics, held once in great esteem in that college,
and partly because he wished to purify Oxford of heretical remains as well as Cambridge. In
the succeeding reign, however, her remains were restored to their former cemetery, and even
intermingled with those of the Catholic saint, to the utter astonishment and mortification of
the disciples of his holiness the pope.
Cardinal Pole published a list of fifty-four articles, containing instructions to the clergy
of his diocese of Canterbury, some of which are too ludicrous and puerile to excite any other
sentiment than laughter in these days.
Persecutions in the Diocese of Canterbury
In the month of February, the following persons were committed to prison: R. Coleman,
of Waldon, labourer; Joan Winseley, of Horsley Magna, spinster; S. Glover, of Rayley; R.
Clerk, of Much Holland, mariner; W. Munt, of Much Bentley, sawyer; Marg. Field, of
Ramsey, spinster; R. Bongeor, currier; R. Jolley, mariner;
Allen Simpson, Helen Ewire, C. Pepper, widow; Alice Walley (who recanted), W.
Bongeor, glazier, all of Colchester; R. Atkin, of Halstead, weaver; R. Barcock, of Wilton,
carpenter; R. George, of Westbarhonlt, labourer; R. Debnam of Debenham, weaver; C.
Warren, of Cocksall, spinster; Agnes Whitlock, of Dover- court, spinster; Rose Allen,
spinster; and T. Feresannes, minor; both of Colchester.
These persons were brought before Bonner, who would have immediately sent them to
execution, but Cardinal Pole was for more merciful measures, and Bonner, in a letter of his
to the cardinal, seems to be sensible that he had displeased him, for he has this expression: "I
thought to have them all hither to Fulham, and to have given sentence against them;
nevertheless, perceiving by my last doing that your grace was offended, I thought it my duty,
before I proceeded further, to inform your grace." This circumstance verifies the account that
the cardinal was a humane man; and though a zealous Catholic, we, as Protestants, are willing
to render him that honor which his merciful character deserves. Some of the bitter persecutors
denounced him to the pope as a favourer of heretics, and he was summoned to Rome, but
Queen Mary, by particular entreaty, procured his stay. However, before his latter end, and a
little before his last journey from Rome to England, he was strongly suspected of favouring
the doctrine of Luther.
As in the last sacrifice four women did honor to the truth, so in the following auto da fe
we have the like number of females and males, who suffered June 30, 1557, at Canterbury,
and were J. Fishcock, F. White, N. Pardue, Barbary Final, widow, Bardbridge's widow,
Wilson's wife, and Benden's wife.
Of this group we shall more particularly notice Alice Benden, wife of Edward Bender, of
235