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house he was Queen Anne's chaplain, and a prebendary of Sarum, and soon after Bishop of the said church.
marks upon another person in these times, that remained more steady and constant in his profession.
Palmer's 356 CHAP. XLVI. Palmer a martyr. Some story of Mm. Thachhani's con- cern therein. Boultons sufferings. A relation of the taking of Palmer.
lea ™ in & year for the sake of pure religion, one was Julins, or Julius »ngs. Palmer, a young man, once of Magdalen college, Oxon,
Epicedhim, (for he was a man of florid learning,) against one Morwin, who had made verses in praise of the Bishop of Winchester, deceased. He wrote also certain English rhymes, by way of satire, against some persecutors unnamed. Also arguments, both in Latin and English, against the popish proceedings, and especially against their unnatural Betrayed, and brutish tyranny. Some that pretended to be his friends and favourers of the gospel, and had entered into a familiar acquaintance with him, proved false, and dealt Judas-like with him in his absence ; having rifled his study, and these and other his writings. And being minded to settle a friend of theirs, whose name was Thomas Thackham, in this
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 575 school, threatened him, that unless he would depart, and CHAP, leave the school, they would shew his writings to the Coun- cil. Whereupon he fled, leaving in their hands his stuff, Anno '556. and one quarter's stipend for teaching unpaid, as appeared by a letter of his, writ but eight days before his death. Afterwards, coming to Reading, he was seized there, and burnt at Newbery not long after. Burnt. It was also charged upon this Thackham, that he, with Thackham Cox, Downer, and Gately, made one Hampton an instru-y i . ndit ' aU ' s . . himself, ment, by whose practice they might the sooner bring their being mischievous purposes to pass. The said Thackham, that witMrea. succeeded him in the school, was charged deeply with cl,er y to - treachery towards him in Fox's first edition; who, in the me r. S reign of Queen Elizabeth, being then a minister in North- ampton, was exceedingly offended herewith, and did en- deavour to clear himself by a writing published. He came also to Mr. Fox, and deposed with deep oaths and protest- ations, appealing to God and to his judgment upon his soul, if it were not false that was informed against him. This made Fox, in his second edition of Acts and Monu- ments, to be more sparing of Thackham's name ; yet seem- ing to make doubt of his integrity ; and therefore left the information to stand as it did before. But the information remaining in the new edition, much whereof was known to reflect upon him, he wrote an answer in the year 1572, which he styled, " An answer to a slander, untruly reported by Thack- " Mr. Fox, in a certain book, entitled^ The second volume hams book ' " of the Ecclesiastical History, containing the Acts and " Monuments of Martyrs ,• which was brought unto him, " as it may be supposed, by some uncharitable and ma- " licious slanderer against Thomas Thackham, minister ; " whereby it will appear unto the gentle reader, both how " much the writer of the history hath been abused, and how " wrongfully the said Tho. Thackham hath been slandered."
discreet Answer made by one T. Thackham, sometime o/'The reply Reading, against the story of Julius Palmer, Martyr. l ere °' Thackham, in his Book, did endeavour to disprove several 576 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP, circumstances in Fox's relation concerning Palmer. As, '__ that he was not taken at the Cardinal's Hat, but in another Anno 1556. place: not in his house at night, but in the afternoon; not in a chamber, but taken climbing over a wall, and such like :
dalous man, (a maid being with child by him,) and one that shrunk back from religion in Queen Mary's days, though in the beginning of her reign, he professed in the pulpit, that he would seal his doctrine with his blood, and stand unto it even to death. Having renounced religion, he said, he would never be minister again ; yet, in that Queen's reign, he brought into the Church certain leaves of the old popish service, and he, with others, did help to patch together the books, and to sing the first Latin evensong in the church of St. Laurence. And those circumstances before mentioned, concerning Mr. Palmer, which Thackham would so confi- dently prove to be false, were, upon examination of the woman and hostler, that lived at the Cardinal's Hat, and others in Reading, attested and avowed to be true. And this for the credit of Fox's history. Thackham Yet not to defraud Thackham of his praise, if we may harboured . . . \, . J the good take his own word tor it. In the time of persecution, he Lady Vane. k e p t secre tly with him, one and twenty weeks, the Lady Vane: who for her zeal, virtue, religion, godly life, and especially bountifulness towards the poor brethren, deserved as great commendation as any one man or woman living at that time. For whose cause, immediately after her departure, at the commandment of Sir Francis Inglefield, one of the Queen's Privy Council, and master of the Wards and Liveries, his study was broken up, and his books taken away by one Clement Burdet, parson of Inglefield ; and he put in close prison ten days at Inglefield, and after sent prisoner to Reading, to the mayor's house, where neither wife nor any John Boi- other might speak with him. He was a friend also to one imp Hsoned J° nn Bolton, sometime of Reading, who, lying in gaol here for religion, grew mad, and in his raving fits railed upon Queen Mary ; who thereupon was cruelly tormented in the said prison. Which Bolton becoming sober, and of a better
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 577 mind, Thackham took pity upon the man, because he seemed CHAP, to be of good religion, and besought Mr. Edmunds, then XLV1, mayor, that he would stand his good master, and take some An "» isse. charitable way for his deliverance: which, after a long suit, was granted, upon condition he would put in two sureties beside himself, that should be bound in five pounds apiece, that he should appear the next sessions. But when, by reason of the times, his very friends durst not become sureties for such a traitor and rank heretic, as Bolton was then thought to be, he desired the mayor to take him alone with Bolton, which the mayor gently granted. And so this poor man was set at liberty, and departed. But when the sessions came, Bolton left Thackham to pay the forfeiture. Something more of the story of this Bolton, and how he af- fected to have his sufferings recorded in print, may be read in a letter written by John Moyar, in the Catalogue. And n°. lviii. these merits Thackham urged in his own behalf. However, I will not here omit to recite the manner of 353 seizing of Palmer, as it is related by Thackham in his book,Thackham's though different from what came to Fox's hands from his relatl0n of
about the year 1565 or 1566, Thackham and others being severely made mention of, as betrayers of Palmer, Thack- ham, then a minister in Northampton, Sir Robert Lane, and Mr. Yelverton, a counsellor of the law, and recorder of that city, often had told him, and divers of his friends sent him word, that they marvelled that he would neither confess his fault, nor answer it, if he were innocent. Some gave him counsel to have an action of law against Mr. Fox, for slandering him. Some said Mr. Fox was not in fault, but that Thackham should answer the slanderer: whereunto he agreed. So, making a preface of honour and great re- spect for Fox, " Blessed be God," saith he, " for him, I reve- " rence him as a most excellent jewel of our age, and account " of him, as of a principal pillar of religion ;" he proceeds to give this account of this matter : " Palmer had the free-school of Reading, of one Sir John VOL. III. r p 578 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP. " Moor, vicar of St. Giles, in Queen Mary's time, which he '__ " taught diligently ; behaved himself honestly ; came to Anno 1556. " church many Sundays and holydays with his scholars, " and sat in St. John's chapel ; lived so quietly among " them, that, I dare swear, he had not one enemy in the " town. This Palmer taught a son of one John Ridges, " the Queen's servant, and one of the stable ; which boy, " either for his negligence in learning, either for some *' shrewd turn, he beat in the school. Ridges thinking he " had given his son more correction than he deserved, in " great rage came into the school, and boxed Palmer about " the ears, and so departed. Palmer taking this grievously, " that he had so much misused him, took a pitchfork of his " hostess, and lay three or four days in wait in the vasterne, " beneath one John Ryder's garden, to have done him some " displeasure as he went to a close that Ridges had toward " Causam bridge, but could at no time meet with him. " After that he had thus watched Ridges, he told me how " he had done, and what he had purposed. I told him, " that Ridges was too good for him, willing him not to seek "to be revenged of him, but to tell the mayor and the " masters of the town. No, said Palmer, for by that means " I shall never prevail ; for he can make mo friends than I. " One fortnight after, Palmer came to me and said, that he " would give up his school, if he might have reasonably for " the patent, which hung but upon the life of one old man, " called Cox. I told Palmer, that since Queen Mary came " to the crown, I was put from my vicarage there, and was " constrained to labour sore for my living. For, as it is " well known, I went every week fourscore miles save four " on foot to buy yarn, and sell it again at Reading. Of which " tedious journies and painful travail, I waxed weary.
" posed to leave the school, so that I could get the good- " will of the town to keep it again, I would give him with " reason for the patent. Palmer said, that he was content " that I should have it before another, if he did yield it up, " and so we parted for that time. UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 579 " A month after, he came to me again, and said, that CHAP. " he was come to be as good as his promise, which was, to XLVI - " grant me his good-will to have the school before any man. Anno 1556. " I thanked him, and demanded of him what he would re- 359 " quire for the patent. He said, I should do three things " for him. The one was, that I should give him forty " shillings in his purse ; the other was, that I should give " him four pounds to buy him apparel, or else be surety for " as much apparel as came to four pounds; the third was, " that I should provide him some place where he might " teach a gentleman's child, and live to his conscience. I " answered him again, that I must require likewise three " things at his hands. First, That I might procure the good- c * wills of the worshipful of the town to become the school- " master again. Secondarily, That I might have a time to " procure such a place for him, where he might live safely, " quietly, and to his conscience. Thirdly, That he would " take forty shillings in hand, and the residue at two con- " venient times, and therewith buy that he lacked himself. " Which Palmer granted with good-will. " Then rode I first to Horsington in Buckinghamshire, " to one Mr. Rafe Lee, which had one son, whom I had " taught before, and told him, that if he would have a " schoolmaster with him to teach his son Edward Lee, I " could provide him of an honest, quiet, sober, and learned " young man. Whereof Master Lee was glad, and requested " me so to do ; and he would compound with him for such " a stipend as he should reasonably require. I returned to " Reading, and told Palmer what I had done, and how I " had sped ; wherewith Palmer was content. Then we " appointed a day to repair to the gentleman, and to bar- " gain for his stipend : and so we did, whom Master Lee " and his wife liked very well. Then after we were re- " turned unto Reading again, I went unto Mr. Edmunds, " Mr. Edward Butler, Mr. Thomas Turner, Mr. Aldworth, " my very friends, declaring to them, that Palmer would " leave the school, and dwell with a gentleman ; and desired " them that I might have their good-wills to teach it again ; ppSJ 580 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP. » for I was weary of playing the packman, and of my " tedious journies to Salisbury weekly. Who answered, Anno 1 556. a t j lat tne y thought no less, and that I should have their " good-wills to keep the school.
" steward of Reading, to have our writings made. And " when it was agreed that I should pay Palmer forty shil- " lings in hand, and enter into bands to pay him the other " four pounds at two other times, by even portions, and if " the said sums were not answered according to covenants, " that then it should be lawful for Palmer to resume his " patent, and enjoy the same, as in his former estate. It was " also agreed upon, that Mr. Edmunds should keep the " patent and resignation, and all other writings, until the last " forty shillings were paid.
" went to Mr. Lee's to dwell, and there continued. And " after Palmer had received his last payment, Mr. Edmunds " delivered me the patent, resignation, and all other writ- " ings. But albeit Palmer was well, and where he might " have lived quietly, yet (as it is well known) he could not 360 " tarry ten days from his hostess, but often resorted unto " her, so that he grew to be evil thought of; and her hus- " band began to mistrust him, albeit, I think, he gave never " any such cause. But so often resorted Palmer from Hor- " sington to his hostess, that her husband began to suspect " him. Then was a letter intercepted, Avhich she wrote to " him ; which being seen, her husband kept. And at Pal- " mer's next return to Reading, (as it was told me,) by the " cook's means, his hostess's husband, Palmer was brought " before the mayor, and committed to the cage. At which " time whatsoever the slanderer hath said of me, I was not " at home, neither knew I any thing thereof until five days il after it was done, God I take to record. Then was Pal- " mer brought forth of the cage, and warned by the mayor " to come no more at his hostess ; and was let return again " to Horsington, where he dwelled with Mr. Lee : whether " his master knew of his trouble, or not, I cannot tell. Not-
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 581 withstanding this punishment and warning given him by CHAP, the mayor, to come no more to his hostess, Palmer came XLV1, to his hostess again on Tuesday, as I think, about ten of Anuo 1556 - the clock in the forenoon. And as I sat at dinner, he sent his hostess's sister, a little wench, for me to come and speak with him. By twelve of the clock I came to him. And when I was come, he said unto me, Mr. Thackham, I think ye have heard how I have been used here of late by the means of my host, who, as I think, is persuaded that I resort to his house for some evil purpose. I have a letter here, which I have written to Mr. Edmunds, wherein I have declared how I have been abused, and wherein. And have therein so cleared myself, that when he hath read it, I doubt not but he will think better of me than at this present he doth. Which letter I beseech you to deliver for me unto him. " I answered, Mr. Palmer, I think it better that ye de- liver it yourself. Nay, said Palmer, he so reviled me when I was here last, that I know he cannot abide me. But by your means, and at your request, he will receive my letter, and read it. Herein you shall do me a great pleasure. Mr. Palmer, said I, if the delivery of your letter may stand you in stead, I will carry it unto the mayor, and further do you what pleasure I can. So I took the letter, being fast sealed with the superscription, To Mr. Edmunds. He sat in his study, writing an obli- gation : to whom I said, that Mr. Palmer had requested me to bring a letter, beseeching him to read the same, wherein he should perceive how innocent he was of all that his host or any other had laid to his charge. Well, said Mr. Edmunds, lay it down, and I will look upon it anon ; and so I departed. Within one half hour Mr. Edmunds sent for me again. When I came, he said, Mr. Thackham, Palmer hath writ here no such matter as ye told me of, but doth rail at the Queen and her laws: I am her Majesty's officer, and may not conceal, neither will. Sir, said I, if he have overshot himself in any thing, I beseech you take him not at the worst. Well, said Mr. p p3
582 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP. " Edmunds, go your way, I may not conceal it, neither will XLVL " I. And as I was departing out of his wicket, he whistled, Anno 1556. " as his manner was, for one of his sergeants. I went home " to my school, where I walked, marvelling what would " come of it. So soon as I was gone, the mayor, Mr. Ed- 36l " munds, commanded the sergeant to go to the cook's house, " and call Palmer to him. When the sergeant knocked at the " cook's door, his hostess's sister espied him, and told Palmer " who was at the door. Palmer, hearing that an officer was " come for him, conveyed himself out of the kitchen door " into the backside, and so into his hostess's garden. The " sergeant at the door saw him go that way, and thrust open " the door, and followed him, and took him at the end of " his hostess's garden, about to leap over a wall, and brought " him to the mayor. " It happened that very same day, there sat at the Bear " in Reading, Dr. Jeffrey, the parson of Inglefield, with " divers other commissioners. When the sergeant was come " with Palmer, the mayor commanded him to go with " him : when Palmer followed, not knowing, as I think, " whither he would bring him. The mayor went straight- " way to the Bear, where the commissioners were in a par- " lour upon the right-hand, as ye come into the inn. When " the mayor was come to the commissioners, he declared " unto them how the man whom he brought had sent " him a letter, wherein was contained matter which he " would not conceal, and so he delivered the letter to them. " And then the commissioners willed him to sit down at " the table's end, which is next to the street. And when " the mayor was sat down, they asked who brought him the " letter. The mayor answered, One Mr. Thackham, their " schoolmaster. I pray you, Mr. Mayor, saith Dr. Jeffrey, " let him be sent for. So the mayor commanded his ser- " geant to go for me. When the sergeant came for me, I " was walking in the school. The sergeant said, that the " commissioners commanded me to come to them. I went " with him. When I came before them, Dr. Jeffrey, as I " think, or some other of them, asked me, whether I deli-
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 583 " vered the letter to the mayor, or not. I said, that I did CHAP. \LV1 " deliver the letter to him. They asked me, whether Pal- " mer and I did devise it, and which of us wrote it. I Anno 1556. " answered, that it is to be thought, that I would answer " that I did neither write it, nor know of the writing " thereof. But, Sir, said I, I will not answer the question ; " let this man, meaning Palmer, that stood by me, answer " how it was. " Palmer then immediately answered, Sir, I wrote it, and " I will stand to it. And as for this man, he neither wrote " it, neither knew what was in it ; but delivered it to Mr. " Mayor at my request. Then said the parson of Ingle- " field to me, Mr. Thackham, I wish that ye teach gram- " mar, and let divinity alone. " By this time was Welch, the keeper of the prison, come " into the parlour, and I was bid depart. Where I left " Palmer talking with them stoutly. But when I was " against one Mr. Barn s door, I looked back, and saw Pal- " mer coming with the keeper of the prison. The same day " Palmer was committed, the keeper came to me, and much " lamented Palmer's trouble, and said, that he, as he was " much bound to him for teaching his son, when he was " schoolmaster, so he would now be glad to shew him all " the favour he might. But, saith he, Mr. Thackham, you " heard what charge I had to keep him so close that no- " body should come at him. I prayed him to shew him all " the favour he might: which he promised to do. And 36*2 " I gave the keeper three shillings to give him. And at " three sundry times besides, I sent him three shillings at a " time. And after that day, when I looked back, and saw " him coming with the keeper, I never saw Palmer, neither " came he out of prison, so far as I know, any more, before " he was sent to Newbery, where he was arraigned, con- " demned, and burnt. " He that had Palmer to Newbery was a weaver, with a " black beard ; who became a sumner, and went after to Yüklə 12,09 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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