THOMAS WATTS
Thomas Watts of Billericay, Essex, was a linen draper. Knowing he would soon be arrested, he sold all the cloth in his shop, gave almost everything he owned to his wife and children, donated the rest to the poor, and saited. On April 26, 1555, Watts was arrested and brought before Lord Rich and others in Chelmsford on charges of not going to Mass.
Anthony Brown, the judge, asked Watts where he’d learned his religion, to which he replied, “From you, sir. In King Edward’s day, you spoke against this religion. No preacher could say more than you did. You said the Mass was abominable and exhorted us not to believe them, saying we should only believe Christ. You said that anyone bringing a foreign religion in here was a traitor.”
Brown turned to Lord Rich. “He’s slandering me, my lord! What kind of criminal is he? If he talks like this to my face, imagine what he says to my back!”
Finally growing weary of Watts, the commissioners sent him to the bishop of London, who brought the following charges against him.
Thomas Watts lived in Billericay, within the jurisdiction of the bishop of London.
Watts replied this was true.
He did not believe in the sacraments or take part in them.
Watts replied that he believed in all the sacraments according to Christ’s institution but not according to the Catholic Church. Once he had believed as a Catholic, but the church deceived the people.
He believed — and taught some — that communion was only a remembrance of Christ’s body and blood, nothing else.
Watts said he believed Christ’s body was in heaven, nowhere else. He would never believe His body is in the host.
He believed that the true presence of Christ’s body and blood was not in the host but in heaven.
Watts agreed that that was exactly what he believed.
He believed that the Mass is full of idolatry, abomination, and wickedness, that Christ did not institute it, ordain it, or believe it was good.
Watts said he still believed that and would never change his mind.
He believed the confession to a priest was unnecessary and that all a man needed to do was believe and confess to God.
Watts replied that no priest could absolve him of his sins, but he said it was a good thing to ask a priest for advice.
He believed that Luther, Wycliffe, Barnes, and all others put to death for their beliefs about communion were good men, faithful servants, and martyrs of Christ.
Watts said that he didn’t know the theology of men they’d listed, but if they didn’t believe the body and blood of Christ were physically in the sacrament, they were good Christian men.
He believed fasting, praying, and giving alms were useless. If a man was saved, he didn’t need to do them; if he wasn’t, doing them wouldn’t save him.
Watts denied he’d said that, saying he believed fasting, prayers, and giving alms were works of a lively faith.
He openly admitted that he refused to go to church and receive communion because that service was abominable. He also said other erroneous and arrogant things, serving as a bad example to the people present.
Watts replied that was true, and he would die believing the same.
He was an open heretic, to be cursed by the church and turned over to the secular authorities for punishment.
Watts said he would submit to the law, trusting God would bless him even if he was cursed by men.
He said the Church of Rome was the synagogue of Satan.
Watts said he believed the pope was a mortal enemy of Christ and His church.
All of the above charges are common knowledge in the area of Billericay.
Watts replied that everything he’d said before was true.
From May 10-17, Watts saw one churchman after another, none of whom could make him move an inch from what he’d maintained all along. He was turned over to the sheriffs of London and imprisoned in Newgate until May 22 or June 9 before being transferred to Chelmsford, where he had dinner with Hawkes and others who’d been brought down for burning. Given the opportunity to speak to his wife and six children, he encouraged them to be faithful to their beliefs, no matter what; two of his children promptly offered to go to the stake with their father.
Watts kissed the stake before he turned to Lord Rich and warned him, “My lord, beware! You act against your conscience in this, and unless you repent, the Lord will revenge it, for you are the cause of my death.”
PROCLAMATION AGAINST BOOKS
About this time a book was brought into England that warned Englishmen of the Spainards and disclosed some secret plans for the church’s recovery of abbey lands that had previously been confiscated. The book was titled A Warning for England.
On June 13, 1555, the king and queen banned all books that disagreed with Catholicism, specifically naming all books by the following authors: Martin Luther, Oecolampadius, Zwingle, John Calvin, Pomerane, John Alasco, Bullinger, Bucer, Melancthon, Bernardinus, Ochinus, Erasmus, Sarcerius, Peter Martyr, Hugh Latimer, Robert Barnes (Friar Barnes), John Bale (Friar Bale), Justus, Jonas John Hooper, Miles Cloverdale, William Tyndale, Thomas Cranmer, William Turner, Theodore Basil (Thomas Beacon), John Frith, and Roy. In addition, The Book of Common Prayer in English that was used by King Edward’s reign was banned.
Anyone owning any of these books was ordered to turn them in within fifteen days, and all civil authorities were given permission to search homes and arrest anyone possessing them.
Books supporting the Catholic Church were acceptable, including the Primer in English, which taught children to pray to Mary and the saints, and Our Lady’s Psalter, which substituted Mary’s name for God’s in the psalms.
The apostles taught us that we are fully complete in Christ and need no one’s intercession for our sins. And if idolatry is making an idol to be worshiped as a God, isn’t it idolatry to worship Mary? If God hadn’t explained His will to us in plain words, telling us exactly what to believe, how to worship, and how to be saved, perhaps Catholicism’s use of mediators for reconciliation might have made sense, but God’s Word plainly tells us that salvation and justification only come through Christ. Not believing what He promised is infidelity; following any other belief is idolatry. Yet the Church of Rome refuses to accept what God has freely given and will not seek salvation through Christ but through its saints and superstitions.
JOHN BRADFORD
John Bradford was born in Manchester and educated until he was able to earn a living in the secular world, which he did successfully for several years before giving up his business affairs to study the gospel. Bradford left his study of secular law in London to enroll as a divinity student at Cambridge, working so diligently that he was awarded his master of arts degree within a year.
Immediately after, he was given a fellowship at Pembroke Hall, where Martin Bucer encouraged him to become a preacher. Bradford believed he wasn’t educated enough to preach, to which Bucer replied, “If you don’t have fine white bread, give the poor people barley bread or whatever else the Lord has given you.” Finally convinced to preach durin gKing Edward’s reign, Bradford accepted the degree of deacon from Bishop Ridley, was licensed to preach, and given a position at St. Paul’s.
For the next three years, Bradford preached the gospel faithfully. He sharply reproved sin, sweetly preached Christ crucified, pithily spoke against heresies and errors, and earnestly persuaded his people to live godly lives. When Queen Mary took the throne, Bradford continued his work.
On August 13, 1553, Mr. Bourne, the bishop of Bath, gave a sermon at St. Paul’s Cross in London supporting the return of Catholicism under Mary. His words so angered the congregation that they threatened to pull him out of the pulpit. The more Bishop Bonner and the mayor of London tried to calm the crowd, the angrier everyone became, until Bourne actually began to fear for his life and asked Bradford to speak to the people.
As soon as Bradford moved to the pulpit, the crowd shouted, “Bradford! Bradford! God save your life, Bradford!” Bradford calmed the crowd, and soon they all left peacefully for their homes.
Even though the mayor and sheriffs were there to see Bourne safely home, he refused to leave the church until Bradford agreed to accompany him, so Bradford walked closely behind Bourne, protecting him from harm with his own body.
Three days later, Bradford was summoned by the council and charged with sedition — for saving Bourne’s life! — and with illegal preaching — although he had been asked to speak. He was imprisoned for nearly a year and a half, until his hearing before the lord chancellor in January 1555. There he was offered a pardon if he would recant his Protestant beliefs and rejoin the Catholic Church, as many preachers had already done. On July 29, the offer was repeated. Bradford urged the council not to condemn the innocent. If they believed he was guilty, they should pass sentence on him; if not, they should set him free.
In reply, the chancellor told Bradford that his actions at St. Paul’s Cross had been presumptuous and arrogant in that he took it upon himself to lead the people. He was also charged with writing seditious letters.
The following day Thomas Hussey and Dr. Seton visited Bradford in prison. Both men urged him to request time to discuss his religious beliefs with learned men, saying this would remove him from immediate danger and look good to the council. Bradford refused. “That would make the people think I doubt the doctrine I confess. I don’t doubt it at all.”
Brought back before the council, which asked him to rejoin the Catholic Church, Bradford replied, “Yesterday I said I would never consent to work for the pope. I say the same today.” He was condemned and returned to prison.
All the time Bradford spent in prison, he continued his work, preaching twice a day to the many people allowed to visit him and administering the sacrament. Preaching, reading, and praying occupied his whole life; he only ate one small meal a day, and even then he meditated as he ate. Bradford’s keepers thought so highly of him that he was often allowed to leave the prison unescorted to visit sick parishioners on his word that he would return by a certain hour. He was so precise in obeying the terms that he usually arrived back well before his curfew.
Bradford was a tall, slender man with an auburn beard. He rarely slept more than four hours a night, preferring to spend his time in writing, preaching, or reading. Once or twice a week he would visit the common criminals in the prison and give them money to buy food or other comforts.
One of his friends once asked Bradford what he would do if he were freed. Bradford said he would marry and hide in England while he continued to preach and teach the people.
One day in July 1555, the keeper’s wife warned Bradford that he was to be burned the following day.
Bradford was transferred to Newgate Prison about eleven or twelve that night, the authorities hoping no one would be up to see him then, but a crowd of people watched him as he passed, prayed for him, and told him good-bye.
His execution was announced for four o’clock the next morning. No one was sure why such an unusual hour was chosen, but if the authorities hoped the hour would discourage a crowd, they were disappointed. The people waited faithfully at Smithfield until Bradford was brought there at nine in the morning, led by an unusually large number of armed guards. Bradford fell to the ground to say his prayers then went cheerfully to the stake with John Leaf, a young man of twenty.
JOHN LEAF
John Leaf, who was burned with Bradford, was born in Kirby Moreside, York, a candlemaker’s apprentice living in the parish of Christ’s Church, London.
Brought before Bishop Bonner, Lamb admitted he did not believe the bread and wine were Christ’s actual body and blood but were a remembrance of them. He also stated that Catholic confession wasn’t necessary and that a priest had no power to absolve sins.
Leaf was returned to prison until June 10, when Bonner saw him again and tried — by persuasion, threats, and promises — to convince the young man to change his mind. Getting nowhere, the bishop asked Leaf if he was one of Roger’s scholars. Leaf replied he was, that he believed the doctrine of Rogers, Hooper, Cardmaker, and others who had recently been kiled for their testimony, and he would die for the same doctrine. “My lord,” he said, “you call my opinion heresy. It is the truth light of the Word of God.” Unable to move the boy, Bonner condemned him and sent him back to prison.
It’s said that shortly after this, two letters were brought to Leaf: one containing a recantation, the other a confession. When the recantation was read to him, he refused to sign it. When the confession was read, he took a pin, pricked his hand, and sprinkled his blood on the paper to show the bishop he ws ready to seal his beliefs with his blood.
Bradford and Leaf went to the stake together, Bradford lynig on one side of it to pray and Leaf on the other. After they had prayed silently for an hour, one of the sheriffs said to Bradford, “Get up and end this. The press of the crowd is great.” They both got up. Bradford kissed a piece of firewood then the stake itself before addressing the crowd.
“England,” he cried, “repent of your sins! Beward of idolatry. Beware of false antichrists. See they don’t deceive you!” Then he forgave his persecutors and asked the crowd to pray for himl. Turning his head to Leaf, Bradford told him, “Be at peace, brother. We will have a happy supper with the Lord tonight.” Both men ended their lives without fear, hoping to obtain the prize for which they had long run.
JAMES TREVISAM
James Trevisam was deathly ill, helpless, and lame, so sick he was unable to leave his bed. One evening his servant, John Small, was reading the Bible to Trevisam, Mrs. Trevisam, two men, and a woman, when an official entered his house and carried everyone but Trevisam off to prison where they stayed for two weeks. He would have had Trevisam carried off, too, if some neighbors hadn’t stopped him, but he did make the poor man put up two bonds to assure he would appear when called.
A few days later, the parson of the church, Mr. Farthing, talked with Trevisam. Seemingly satisfied with his answers, the parson left the house. Along the way, he met with a Mr. Toller, who accused Trevisam of denying the sacrament of the altar, so the parson returned to Trevisam and discovered that Toller was right. He reported his findings to the bishop of London.
On Sunday, July 3, 1555, Trevisam died of natural causes. The parson refused to let Mrs. Trevisam bury her husband in a coffin or in the church cemetary, forcing her to carry the body on a table to Moorfields, where it was buried in a sheet. That night Trevisam’s body was dug up, the sheet stolen, and his body thrown naked on the ground. When the owner of the field saw the body the next day, he reburied it, and two weeks later, he was called to answer charges against him. No one knows what happened to the field’s owner after that.
JOHN BLAND
John Bland was a teacher before becoming the vicar of a congregation in Relvendon, Kent. Thrown into Canterbury prison for preaching the gospel during Queen Mary’s reign, he was freed once or twice by his friends’ petitions, yet as soon as he was freed, he always returned to his Protestant preaching. Arrested a third time, Bland refused to promise his friends that he wouldn’t preach his beliefs again, and they were no longer able to help himl.
On November 26, two of Bland’s parishioners, Richard and Thomas Austen, approached him after the service. “Parson,” Richard Austen said, “you took down the tabernacle where the rood hung and other things. The queen has ordered that they be put up again, and we think you shoujld pay for that. You go against the queen’s laws when you say these are abominations.”
“Mr. Austen,” Bland replied, “if that’s what I said, I’ll say it again.”
Thomas Austen replied, “Tell us what’s devilish in the Mass, then!”
“I often preached it to you. You didn’t believe me then, and you son’t now.”
:You pulled down the altar. Will you rebuilt it?”
“No. Not unless I’m ordered to, because I was ordered to take it down,” Bland insisted.
On December 28, the priest of Stodmarsh was invited to say Mass by the Austens. He was well into matins when Bland arrived, and when he finished, he said to Bland, “Your neighbor asked me to say matins and Mass. I trust you won’t disobeythe queen’s law?”
“No,” Bland replied, “I won’t disobey the queen’s laws, God willing.”
Pretending he couldn’t hear Bland’s reply, the priest asked the question twice more, until Bland raised his voice so the whole congregation could hear his answer. The priest then sat down whil Bland stood in the chancel door to give his address to the congregation. Blan eplained his beliefs about the bread and wine, how Christ instituted the sacrament, and how it had been perverted by the Catholic Church. In a few minutes, he was stopped by the church warden and constable and locked in a side chapel until the Mass was over.
On February 23 or 24, Bland was locked in Canterbury Castle for ten weeks before being allowed to post bail. On May 18, he appeared before the archdeacon of Canterbury, who demanded to know what Bland preached on communion. Bland refused to answer, saying they were trying to gather material to use against him and that English law said he did not have to speak against himself. He was called again on May 21, again refusing to state his beliefs and requesting a lawyer.
On June 28, Bland reported to the secular authorities as ordered. They said they had nothing against him and ordered him to reappear seven weeks later, but when the date came, Bland was before the church authorities and missed his court date. He was locked in Maidstone Prison for that until February 18 or 19. After he would not promise to reform and be a good Catholic, Bland was sent to Canterbury Castle until March 2.
Bland continued to be tossed to and fro, from prison to prison, session to session, until on June 13 he was brought before Richard Thronton, the bishop of Dover; Robert Collins, the commissary; and Nicholas Harpsfield, archdeacon of Canterbury. Under these three men, a great number of Protestants were cruelly treated and killed at Canterbury, John Bland being one of the first. With him that day the following men were also tried: John Frankesh, Nicholas Sheterden, Thomas Thacker, Humphrey Middleton, and William Cocker.
Bland pleaded guilty to the following charges:
He believed the physical body of Christ was in heaven not in the bread and wine.
he believes it was against God’s Word to have the sacraments administered in Latin, and no one should accept any sacrament he could not understand.
On June 25, Bland appeared before the authorities for the last time and refused to accept the pope’s authority. He was condemned as a heretic and turned over to the secular authorities for burning.
(To be continued …)
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