Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
turned off a short time, he was cut down before he was at all insensible; a bailiff, named
William Swallow, then dragged him to the sledge, and with a common blunt cleaver, hacked
off the head; in a manner equally clumsy and cruel, he opened his body and tore out the heart.
In all this suffering the poor martyr repined not, but to the last called upon his Savior. The
fury of these bigots did not end here; the intestines were burnt, and the body was quartered,
the four parts being sent to Colchester, Harwich, Chelmsford, and St. Rouse's. Chelmsford
had the honor of retaining his head, which was affixed to a long pole in the market place. In
time it was blown down, and lay several days in the street, until it was buried at night in the
churchyard. God's judgment not long after fell upon Swallow, who in his old age became a
beggar, and who was affected with a leprosy that made him obnoxious even to the animal
creation; nor did Richard Potts, who troubled Eagles in his dying moments, escape the visiting
hand of God.
Mrs. Joyce Lewes
This lady was the wife of Mr. T. Lewes, of Manchester. She had received the Romish
religion as true, until the burning of that pious martyr, Mr. Saunders, at Coventry.
Understanding that his death arose from a refusal to receive the Mass, she began to inquire
into the ground of his refusal, and her conscience, as it began to be enlightened, became
restless and alarmed. In this inquietude, she resorted to Mr. John Glover, who lived near, and
requested that he would unfold those rich sources of Gospel knowledge he possessed,
particularly upon the subject of transubstantiation. He easily succeeded in convincing her that
the mummery of popery and the Mass were at variance with God's most holy Word, and
honestly reproved her for following too much the vanities of a wicked world. It was to her
indeed a word in season, for she soon became weary of her former sinful life and resolved to
abandon the Mass and dilatrous worship. Though compelled by her husband's violence to go
to church, her contempt of the holy water and other ceremonies was so manifest, that she was
accused before the bishop for despising the sacramentals.
A citation, addressed to her, immediately followed, which was given to Mr. Lewes, who,
in a fit of passion, held a dagger to the throat of the officer, and made him eat it, after which
he caused him to drink it down, and then sent him away. But for this the bishop summoned
Mr. Lewest before him as well as his wife; the former readily submitted, but the latter
resolutely affirmed, that, in refusing holy water, she neither offended God, nor any part of his
laws. She was sent home for a month, her husband being bound for her appearance, during
which time Mr. Glover impressed upon her the necessity of doing what she did, not from selfvanity,
but for the honor and glory of God.
Mr. Glover and others earnestly exhorted Lewest to forfeit the money he was bound in,
rather than subject his wife to certain death; but he was deaf to the voice of humanity, and
delivered her over to the bishop, who soon found sufficient cause to consign her to a
loathsome prison, whence she was several times brought for examination. At the last time the
bishop reasoned with her upon the fitness of her coming to Mass, and receiving as sacred the
Sacrament and sacramentals of the Holy Ghost. "If these things were in the Word of God,"
said Mrs. Lewes, "I would with all my heart receive, believe, and esteem them." The bishop,
with the most ignorant and impious effrontery, replied, "If thou wilt believe no more than
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