Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
prison, where he remained until the thirteenth of July, the day of his burning.
Elizabeth Coope, wife of a pewterer, of St. Andrews, Norwich, had recanted; but tortured
for what she had done by the worm which dieth not, she shortly after voluntarily entered her
parish church during the time of the popish service, and standing up, audibly proclaimed that
she revoked her former recantation, and cautioned the people to avoid her unworthy example.
She was taken from her own house by Mr. Sutton the sheriff, who very reluctantly complied
with the letter of the law, as they had been servants and in friendship together. At the stake,
the poor sufferer, feeling the fire, uttered the cry of "Oh!" upon which Mr. Miller, putting his
hand behind him towards her, desired her to be of a good courage, "for (said he) good sister,
we shall have a joyful and a sweet supper." Encouraged by this example and exhortation, she
stood the fiery ordeal without flinching, and, with him, proved the power of faith over the
flesh.
Executions at Colchester
It was before mentioned that twenty-two persons had been sent up from Colchester, who
upon a slight submission, were afterward released. Of these, William Munt, of Much Bentley,
husbandman, with Alice, his wife, and Rose Allin, her daughter, upon their return home,
abstained from church, which induced the bigoted priest secretly to write to Bonner. For a
short time they absconded, but returniong again, March 7, one Edmund Tyrrel, (a relation of
the Tyrrel who murdered King Edward V and his brother) with the officers, entered the house
while Munt and his wife were in bed, and informed them that they must go to Colchester
Castle. Mrs. Munt at that time being very ill, requested her daughter to get her some drink;
leave being permitted, Rose took a candle and a mug; and in returning through the house was
met by Tyrrel, who cautioned her to advise her parents to become good Catholics. Rose briefly
informed him that they had the Holy Ghost for their adviser; and that she was ready to lay
down her own life for the same cause. Turning to his company, he remarked that she was
willing to burn; and one of them told him to prove her, and see what she would do by and by.
The unfeeling wretch immediately executed this project; and, seizing the young woman by
the wrist, he held the lighted candle under her hand, burning it crosswise on the back, until
the tendons divided from the flesh, during which he loaded her with many opprobrious
epithets. She endured his rage unmoved, and then, when he had ceased the torture, she asked
him to begin at her feet or head, for he need not fear that his employer would one day repay
him. After this she took the drink to her mother.
This cruel act of torture does not stand alone on record. Bonner had served a poor blind
harper in nearly the same manner, who had steadily maintained a hope that if every joint of
him were to be burnt, he should not fly from the faith. Bonner, upon this, privately made a
signal to his men, to bring a burning coal, which they placed in the poor man's hand, and then
by force held it closed, until it burnt into the flesh deeply.
George Eagles, tailor, was indicted for having prayed that 'God would turn Queen Mary's
heart, or take her away'; the ostensible cause of his death was his religion, for treason could
hardly be imagined in praying for the reformation of such an execrable soul as that of Mary.
Being condemned for this crime, he was drawn to the place of execution upon a sledge, with
two robbers, who were executed with him. After Eagles had mounted the ladder, and been
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