University of Virginia Library

Mr John Rough for Sixteen years a Frier
After a Priest, at last a godly Crier
Of Christs Sound doctrine, which when he saw
Cast into fire as Heresy by Law
He fled to Norden then in Friezland
And livd by knitting with his Wife, by hand,
But coming thence to London yarn to buy
He soon was calld by Christs Society,
------ which he did accept.
------ Margaret Mearing was eject,
------ Secured as an Heretick
------ Boner now will Shew his Usuall trick
He Chargd with Saying he at Rome had ben
Had Seen the Pope on Pick pack, Man of Sin,
A Cardinall riding before his Whore
A Popes Bull too, that did express therefore
Licence for Stews and open Bawdery
Even by the Popes approovd authority
At which keen Boner flew in's face Cur like
Pluckt off a piece of's beard in rage and Spite
(Because he said't was true) To whom, Thou been
At Rome said he? our holy Father Seen?
And in the morn at Six a Clock next day
He burnt him did and did not make delay.
And so fulfilld the Vision Rough did see
Two dayes before he was Securde for hee
Dreamd then that he was forc't to Boner who
Pluckt off his Beard, and did't in's fire throw,
Then Saying, I may say, I've burnt here in
My house a piece of Heretick: Which thing
Thus Came to pass in part: by Boners ire.
Also Decembers twenti'th Seconds fire
Did burn with this Good man that Margret Mearing
They did exclude their Church as too much fearing
They Should be Snar'de by her, but now he's Caught
She when none could him visit soon forth Sought
Away Stiling herselfe his Sister so
She was admitted and she did bestow
Things needfull, and much Comfort too, and soon
Was Ceised herselfe, and did his Cup assume.
The twenty Eight that Faithfull Zealous Wise
Choice Deacon of this Church of Gospell Sise
And not prelatick, Cuthbert Symson who
Bestowd all Care to keep the Church from Woe
And Superstition, being at Islington
Surprizd with Mr Rough, away begone,
Unto the Tower: he hath two fingers tide
Together then, he did an arrow 'bide
Sawd swiftly through them till the blood out gusht
After he'd on an Iron Wrack been trust
Commonly Calld Scevingtons Gyves, and then
Twice stretcht upon an other Wrack by them
In all which torture, 'cause he would not Shew
Them Such Choice ones the Which they knew he knew
Thus Boner said, He was indeed a man
Of greatest patience that ere 'fore him came.
'Bout midnight 'fore he was condemn'd he Saw
Woman without a Candle to him draw
Full nigh, after he'd three doors op't, and dart
A Brightness, and a light that to his heart
Was Joyfull and most Comfortable, then
Said to him HAIL, and went away agen.
This Sight he Saw, and joy whom his ---
Did lively act when he the same exprest.
This Cuthbert, with John Devenesh, Hugh Fox
Also men pious, Choice, as firm as rocks
In Smithfield burn together joyously
Thanks be to God for Such, a rich Supply [.]

Aprill must on her ninth at Hereford
Kindle a Torch now in this fire unto'rd
And Poor Will Nicoll halfe a foole esteemd
Is made its Wick for Christ which now is teen'd.

May also is attended on with flame
As if her Shining Sun did want the Same,
The ninteeth day therefore in Lollards pit
At Norwich Hopton doth inkindle it
And burns therein Will Seaman, Thomas Carman
Brave Christians, and Thom Hudson, (Heare his Sermon)
He first like pilgrim wander'd up and down
To Shun the Storm, then home returnd to th'town
Where 'mong his fagots halfe a yeare did Stay
And Spent in Pray're, and reading all the day
And being Sought for which he Saw, his Zeale
Did flame, in Singing Psalmes, He'd not Conseale
What he had met with: he Exhorted many
And went abroad, defam'de the mass to any.
And when he saw the Constables come to him
Mine hour is Come said hee, and wellcome showing
Said welcome, Friends now Welcome, You'st me bring
To life in Christ. I thank God then, let him,
For Mercy sake inable mee thereto
And in a joyous frame did onward go,
But at the Stake slipt out in Some strange Sort
That made his fellow Martyres him Exhort
For to hold on yea for Christ bowells Sake
And Chearfull bee. But 'twas not feare did make
Him slip his Chain, but Christ had hid his face
Hence on his knees, and vemently for Grace
Did pray, untill Christs Comfort in did throng,
Then rising up thankt God, said now I'm Strong.
Then to his Fellows went unto the Stake
Who gladly Sufferd burning for Christs Sake.

In Whitson week for Christ in Newgate die
Thom: Taylor, and Math Withers (Blood will Cry).
June though the turning Sun doth make her dayes
Full warm, yet brings a Fagot for a blaze
Now in her hand, as if not warm enough
Unless a Martyres fire she up do puff.
The fourteenth day in Smithfield burns she then.
John Floyd, and Matthew Richarby, good men
John Holiday with Robert Southam there
With Rainold Eastland, Henry Pond, (Oh Deare)
------ once a Stubborn Lad
------ to all thats bad
As Swearing, Dancing, Dicing, Games Excess
To fencing, Banquitting Laciviousness
Which he no bones of made, was Cocker'd in
By Priestly Pardons, thus he walkt in Sin
Till he had diced thirty pounds away.
One night of's Master's tooke before th'Day.
And at his Wits end now he thought therefore
To trust unto his heels, and fly, Wherefore
He in the morning, thus bespeake the maid
(That often on him grave Reproofe had laid)
Elizabeth, Oh would to God I'de took
Thy gentle treating, Friendly good rebuke
Then had I never to this shame have come.
For I this night have lost no less a Sum
Than thirty pounds all of my Masters Come
And know not how to pay him, but assign
Him now this Bill of Payment, and do pray
Thee ------ it to my Mistriss, and say
I beg she would entreat my Master t'stay:
And if I ever able be, I'l pay:
Also to keep the matter from my friends
Lest my Gray Father to the Grave it sends.
And so departing was. But now behold
The Pious Maid take thirty pounds down told,
And treats him this, I'le Roger take your Bill,
Here's so much mony, lend it you I will:
But yet on this Condition, Promise mee
That you'l Lewd Company, and Swearing flee
But if at Cards and Dice you twelve pence play
This Bill I will before my master lay
Moreover you must promise me to tend
Alhollows Lectures, and the Lords day Spend
To heare the Sermons preacht at Pauls, and Cast
Away thy Popish books, vain ballats wast.
Get a New Testament, the Service Book
Read reverently with fear the Scriptures, Look
And Call on God for Grace and Pardon So
You'st be Secured from all after woe.
But this attended on but halfe the yeare
And Roger did in wonderment appeare
A new man was, earnest Professour and
Detested Popery, vile mates aband
Did Visit his old Father, made him see
The naughtiness of Popish trumpery
Receivd a Stock ofs Father, and pay made
To Betty for her pane to whom he said
In all thy Counsill, and thy friendship I
No Recompence am able verily
To render for the same unless it be
By makeng thee my wife. Thus they agree.
By whom the Child he had when ------
It was baptized he to shun and fly.
The Priests annointing greasy fingers go'th
Into the Country, and the Infant doth
Convay away. And Boner makes no bones
But as a Cur on Carion ever prone
Doth Seize upon his State as bread of life
And cruelly doth treat his Pious Wife.
And Roger now is quickly had in Coram
Who bravely handycuffs it when before 'em.
He plainly gave their own into their Dish
And bravely did their fauning Charms out hiss
And at their threats he matterd not a Straw
And when they had after their firy Law
Him Sentenc'd to be burn't when leave once gaind
Bonner his butcher he thus entertaind.
I said you had your power from God: Now I
Do tell you this, that God hath heard the Cry
Pourd out with teares of his Choice Servants which
You persecute, as us, and thereto itch
But this I dare be bold in God t'display,
(Which by his Spirit I am mov'd to say)
That God your Cruell hand shall Shorten so
You'st for a time not grieve his Chu[r]ch: and lo,
My Breathren Deare, even in a Short time, you
Shall Well perceive this matter is most true
For from this day you'le none in this place see
By him with fire and Fagot tried bee:
Said Boner in a fume that vile B[l]ood Sucker
I see that mad as ever was Jeane butcher:
A ruling Prophet thou in wrath wouldst bee
Though thru and all thy mates would hangd me See.
Yet I shall live to burn, and will burn all
The Sort of you that in my hands do fall
But lo, the Curst Cow hath Short horns its said.
This Proverbs truth in Boner was displayde.
For after Holland and his Fellows fell
Smithfield no more did burn with fire from hell.

But July in her hands a Fagot brings
The which at Brainford to enflam begins.
Wherein for Christs own Cause the fourteenth day
These Six good men to ashes burning lay.
One Stephen Cotton, Robert Mills, John Slade
Wrighte, Dynes, and William Pikes. Which last is said,
As in his garden he was reading there
Four drops of blood fell on his Bible, cleare
And very fresh: at which astonisht he
Bespake his Wife thus, What thus must it bee
That God will have four Sacrifices? I
Se he will have blood. His Will be done hereby.
God give me grace to bide the triall here
And went to pray're counting the day drew neere [.]
------ had his fat guts tirde with Rod
------ hopt had Wills and Hinshaw with loving God
Wh[e]n Dole did dy for Christ in Bury Jayle.
And Richard Yeoman Hadlys Curate, naile
That still held fast, the tenth day Cruelly
They burnt at Norwich, cause he'd not back fly.
And now about John Alcock who Supplide
A Readers place at Hadly, must abide
In Newgate Prison, and Stuck close unto
The truth in Spite of what the Pope could do,
Is in revenge in lowest Dungeon cast
And Dying's in a Dunghill rakt at last.
The Nineteenth day brave Mr. Benbridge who
In Stately ray unto the Stake did goe
Where being urg'd now to recant did Say
Away, thou Babylonian, away
Yet in the torturing fire did make this Cry,
I do recant, Hence Seaton Suddenly
Made him Subscribe unto his Cursed bill,
Which buggling he did against his Will
And's to the Prison had again where hee
Bewails his Recantation, and to free
His Conscience did to Docter Seaton write
His Recantation of it. Hence venom Spite
On that day Sevnight had him to the Stake
And rather brasd than burnt him for Christ Sake.
Thus through the Papish Plaguy venom ire
He Suffered two Martyrdoms by fire.

Now Augusts firy hands falls fingering
And at St. Edmondsbury soon doe fling
John Cooke, James Ashly too and Robert Miles
With Alexander Lane upon her Piles
Of burning fire that they an Offring should
Be made and burnt up for the truth they hold [.]

Novembers fourth at Ipswich burn their must
And therefore Alexander Gouch is thrust
There in the fire, and brave Alice Driver who
Did when a girle off drive her fathers plough
Now duncd her judges by their own Concession
And o're them Crowd, and Silenc't them in Session:
And said, you cant with all your Skill withstand
Christs Spirit in mee a poore Woman: and
Being Condemd she to the prison went
As joyfull as a Singing Bird, intent
On Singing Praise to God and at the Stake
The Chain being put about her neck thus Spake
Oh! here's a goodly neckerchiefe, and Cride
Blessed be God for't: and by fire so dide.
And now about at Bury were Calcinde
Three holy Martyres, of a gracious minde
John David, and his brother Henry
With one whose name was Philip Humfry.
And day the tenth, Six dayes before did slip
Alecto's Hand of[f] from her flaming whip,
Harpsfield Entoom'd in Canterburys flame
Kate Tinley, and Alice Snoth, John Herst by name
Christopher Brown, John Cornford too whose Zeale
Most vemently brake forth flam'd such a peale
Within their Ears which they left on record
We in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
The Son of the most Mighty God, and by
His Holy Spirits Power, and 'Thority
Of's holy Catholick, 'Postolick Church
Do here give into Satans hands to lurch
To be destroy'd, the bodies of all those
Blasphemers and all Hereticks, his foes
That Errour 'gainst's most holy word mentain
Or do Condemn for Heresy to flame
His own most Holy Truth, to th'mentainance
Thus of a false Church, or for to advance
A feignd Religion. So that by this Rod
Of thy just judgments, oh most Mighty God,
Against thy Cruell Adversaries here
Thy true Religion may be known, full Cleare,
To thy Greate Glory, and our Consolation,
And to the Edifying all our Nation.
Be't So, good Lord. Amen. Then at the Stake
They all in earnest prayer to God thus Spake
Begging of God, their blood might be the last
That Should be Shed. This was their dying Cast.
Which God did grant: for down their Sentence came
Upon the Queen who with her took the flame
To hell to serve her there, no Sparke we finde
The Lord be praisd, to burn a Saint behinde.