THE GLOVERS
John, Robert, and William Glover were brothers living in the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. John, the eldest, was a gentleman, the heir to his father’s estate in the town of Manchester. He had inherited a considerable amount of land and money but was made even richer in God’s graces and virtues when he and his brothers received God’s holy gospel, living it in their lives and professing it zealously.
John took his faith so seriously that whenever it was necessary for him to devote himself to business matters, he sincerely believed he had failed God and despaired of his salvation. He suffered from these inner doubts and depression for five years, taking no pleasure in food, sleep, or life itself until the Lord released him from his discomfort. Finally, John gave most of his land for th euse of his brothers and sisters in Christ and turned the rest over to his servants and managers so he could pursue his studies of the gospel. This took place at the end of King Henry VIII’s reign and continued during most of King Edward’s.
When the persecution began under Queen Mary and the bishop of Coventry heard of John’s reputation, he ordered the mayor and officers of Coventry to arrest him. But God, seeing His old and trusty servant of so many years already suffering from his inner torments, would not have him suffer physically, and the mayor warned John, who fled the house and hid with his brother William. Unfortunately, Robert was seriously ill in bed and there wasn’t time, or they were afraid to move him. When the searchers arrived at the house, Robert was the only brother found and taken to the sheriff.
The sheriff said that Robert had not been ordered arrested and did what he could to have him released but was forced to imprison him against his will, at least until the bishop arrived in town to make a final decision.
In prison, Robert was visited by several of his friends who urged him to post a bond for his release. They even explained how he could flee the area without forfeiting his bond. But Robert refused, “If I make any attempt to pull my own neck out of the collar,” he told his wife, “I will give offense to my weak brethren in Chirst and advantage to those who slander God’s Word. It will be said that I encouraged others to accept the peril of the world but was unwilling to do the same.”
Robert remained in jail in Coventry for ten or eleven days with no warrant for his arrest and no charges being made against him, until the bishop of Coventry arrived in town. They had a short disagreement over the Mass, then the bishop decided to let the full examination wait until he’d finished his work in town. The next day Robert was transferred to Lichfield.
“Jephcot put me into a prison that night, where I stayed until I was condemned, in a narrow, strong building, very cold, with little light, and a bundle of straw instead of a bed.” Robert, still very sick, was allowed to buy himself a bed but nothing more. “I was allowed no help, day or night, nor any company, notwithstanding my great sickness — no paper, or pen or ink, no books except my Latin New Testament and a prayer book I had to buy for myself.”
Two days later the chancellor visited Robert in his cell, urging him to rejoin the Catholic Church. “I refuse to be ruled by a church that is not governed by the Word of God, he replied. The chancellor decided not to argue religion at that time and left Robert alone for the next eight days, until the bishop returned.
At that time Robert was taken before the bishop, who asked him how he liked being in prison then urged him to rejoin the church. “Where was your church before King Edward’s time?” he sneered.
Robert replied that his church was built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Christ being the cornerstone. “And this church has been from the beginning, thou it doesn’t have a glorious show before the world, always being afflicted and persecuted.”
The bishop examined Robert on the usual questions of the confession and the sacraments, and Robert stood firm in his faith. He was speedily condemned and burned.
After his brother’s death in his place, John Glover came to care even less for his own life, but his friends convinced him to stay in hiding, since his death could not save his brother. Although he suffered mentally and physically, John persevered until, at the end of Queen Mary’s reign, a new search was made for him.
When the sheriff and his officers arrived at the house, John was alone in his room. Hearing the commotion, he quietly latched the door. One of the officers was about to force the door open, but he was called away by another who said the room had already been searched. The officers did find John’s wife, Agnes, however. She was taken to the bishop, forced to recant, and eventually released, while John was forced to recant, and eventually released, while John was forced to hide in the woods. Worry about his wife and expose to the weather wore John down so much that he contracted a fever and soon died. He was buried by his friends by the churchyard without the services of a priest.
Six weeks later the chancellor, Dr. Dracot, sent for the church’s pastor and demanded to know why a heretic was buried in his churchyard. The pastor replied that he’d been sick at the time and knew nothing about the burial. When Dracot demanded that John’s body be dug up and thrown into the road, the parson complained that the body would smell so badly no one would do the job.
“Well,” said Dracot, “take this letter and pronounce him a damned soul from the pulpit. A year from now, when his flesh is gone, take up his bones and throw them in the road, where carts and horses will tread on them. Then I’ll come and consecrate the place where he lay in the churchyard.”
Soon William died. When the people of Wem brought his body to the parish church, the curate rode to the bishop for advice on how he could prevent the burial. After the body had lain in the church for a full day, Richard Maurice, a tailor, decided to bury it himself during the night, but he was stopped by John Thorlyne and others.
A day later, the curate returned with the bishop’s letter, which stated that William Glover was denied a Chrisitan burial and must be taken away by his friends. By now his body had begun to decompose, and no one could bear to go near it, so he was dragged into a field by horses and buried there.
The same fate befell Edward Burton, a lawyer from Chester, who died the day before Queen Elizabeth was crowned. The local curate, John Marshall, refused to let him be buried in the churchyard, so Burton was interred in his own garden, no doubt as near the kingdom of heaven as if he’d been buried by the church.
WILLIAM WOLSEY AND ROBET PYGOT
On October 9, 1555, William Wolsey and Robert Pygot of Wisbeach were condemned at Ely by John Fuller, the bishop’s chancellor; Dr. Shaxton, his suffragan; Robert Stewart, the dean of Ely; and John Christopherson, the dean of Norwich.
William Wolsey was a policeman in the town of Wells who was accused by Richard Everard, a justice, and put in jail.
Before he was condemned, Dr. Fuller and others visited Wolsey and urged him to return to the church but got nowhere. Before he left the prison, Fuller gave Wolsey a book by Dr. Watson, the bishop of Lincoln, hoping that might show Wolsey where his theology was wrong and convince him to recant his current beliefs. As Wolsey suspected, he found the book full of opinions that were contrary to scripture, so he returned it to the chancellor on his next visit.
That night when Dr. Fuller looked at his book, he found Wolsey had written notes in it — in ink. “This obstinate heretic has ruined my book!” he complained. Still, as the time approached for Wolsey to appear in court, Fuller went back to visit him again. “You both my conscience,” he admitted. “Leave, but watch what you say, so no one complains to me again. Come to church when you want to, and if someone complains about you, I’ll send them away.”
“Doctor,” Wolsey replied, “I was brought here by the law, and I will be freed by the law.” Brought to trial, Wolsey was imprisoned in the castle at Wisbeach for some time.
About the same time, Robert Pygot, a painter, was accused of not going to church. Appearing before the judge at Wisbeach, he was asked why he had left the church.
“Sir,” he replied, “I am not out of the church. I trust in God.”
“But this isn’t a church. This is a hall.”
“True, but he that is in the true faith of Jesus Christ is always in the church.”
“Ah! You know too much for me to talk to. I’ll send you to those with more learning.”
Pygot joined Wolsey in jai until the court session was over and they were transferred to Ely. On October 9, 1555, they were both examined by Dr. Fuller on their beliefs, especially those on transubstantiation. After their sentence was read and a sermon preached, they were bound to the stake with a chain. Asked once more to recant his errors, Wolsey replied, “I ask God to witness that I am not wrong in any point of the Holy Bible. I hold it to be sound doctrine for my salvation and for others until the end of the world. Whatever my enemies say, I ask God to forgive them.”
Just before the fire was lit, someone brought a pile of English New Testaments to be burned with them. “Oh!” said Wolsey. “Give me one of them.” Pygot asked for one, too, and they died together, singing Psalm 106 and clasping the testaments to their hearts.
BISHOP RIDLEY
The same day that Wolsey and Pygot died in Ely — October 16, 1555 — two other outstanding leaders of the church died at Oxford: Bishop Ridley of London and Bishop Hugh Latimer of Worcester.
Among those martyred for the true gospel of Christ in Queen Mary’s time, Dr. Ridley serves as an excellent example of spiritual inspiration and godly education. Born in Northumberland, Ridley learned his grammar as a child in Newcastle and attended Cambridge, where he soon became well known for his intelligence and advanced rapidly, becoming a doctor of divinity and the head of Pembroke Hall. After that, he traveled to Paris, was made Henry VIII’s chaplain on his return, and appointed bishop of Rochester by the king. In King Edward’s days, he served as the bishop of London.
Ridley worked so diligently at preaching and teaching his flock the true doctrine of Christ that his parishioners loved him the way a child loves his father. People swarmed to his sermons like bees to honey, knowing their bishop not only preached Christ but lived a pure, holy life. He was well educated, with a remarkable memory, and even his enemies admired his writing, pithy sermons, and lectures.
Besides all this, Ridley gave excellent advice, being very judicious in all his doings. He was merciful and careful when dealing with Catholics during Edward’s reign, winning many of them over through his gentle teaching.
Ridley was an attractive man who never held a grudge and always forgave any injury done to him. He was kind and affectionate to his relatives but expected as much from them in their daily lives as he did from any other parishioner. Any family member doing evil could expect no special treatment from Ridley; those who lived honest, godly lives were his brothers and sisters, no matter who they were.
Ridley lived a well-regulated, strict life. As soon as he was dressed in the morning, he prayed on his knees for half an hour in his room. Then he would go to his study, where he worked until the ten o’clock prayers for his household. After prayers, he would go to dinner, where he talked very little, then return to his study until afternoon prayers at five. He would have his dinner, go back to his study until eleven, then retire for the night.
At his manor in Fulham, he would give a lecture to his family every day, beginning at Acts and going through all Paul’s epistles. He gave every member of his household who could read a copy of the New Testament. He was extremely careful to see that his family served as good examples of virtue and honesty. In short, he was so godly and virtuous himself that those qualities reigned in his whole household.
When Bishop Ridley was at home in Fulham, he always had his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Bonner, and her sister over for supper and dinner, giving her the honored seat at the end of th etable, even if someone else of importance was present. “By your lordship’s favor,” he would tell his guest, “this place is for my mother Bonner.” Mrs. Bonner was the mother of the man who would later become Bishop Bonner during Queen Mary’s time — the man responsible for the deaths of many Protestants, including Ridley.
Dr. Ridley was first brought to the gospel thrugh Betram’s Book of the Sacraments and discussion with Bishop Cranmer and Peter Martyr. When Queen Mary came to the throne, he was arrested. First imprisoned in the Tower of London, he was then sent to jail in Oxford with the archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer. After being condemned, he was kept in the house of Mayor Irish from 1554 until his death in 15555.
BISHOP LATIMER
Bishop Latimer was the son of Hugh Latimmer of Thurcaston Leicester, a farmer with a good reputation. At the age of four, he was sent to school and trained in literature; at fourteen, he entered the University of Cambridge to study divinity, becoming a scrupulously observant Catholic priest. At first Latimer was a bitter enemy of the Protestants, opposing the works of Philip Melancthon and Master Stafford. But Thomas Bilney felt pity for Latimer and decided to try to win him to the true knowledge of Christ. Bilney asked Latimer to hear his confession of faith, and Latimer was so moved by what he heard that he left his study of the Catholic doctors to learn true divinity. Where before he was an enemy of Christ, he now became a zealous seeker of Him, even asking Stafford’s forgiveness before that man died.
In 1529 a great number of friars and doctors of divinity from all schools at Cambridge began to preach against Latimer and his new beliefs. Dr. West, bishop of Ely, forbade him to preach within the churches of that university, but Dr. Barnes, the prior of the Augustine friars, licensed Latimer to preach in his church. Like a true disciple, Latimer spent the next three years working to convert his brothers of the university and the parishioners of his church, speaking Latin to the educated and English to the common people.
Latimer and Bilney stayed at Cambridge for some time, having many conversations together; the place they walked soon became known as Heretics’ Hill. Both of them set a good Christian example by visiting prisoners, helping the needy, and feeding the hungry.
After preaching and teaching at Cambridge for three years, Latimer was called before the cardinal for heresy. At this time he bent to the will of the church and was allowed to return to the university, where he met Dr. Buts, Henry VIII’s doctor and supporter. Latimer joined But in Henry’s court for some time, preaching in London, but became tired of court life and accepted a position in West Kingston that was offered him by the king. There he diligently instructed his parish and everyone in the nearby countryside. It didn’t take Latimer long to infuriate a good number of country priests and higher church doctors with his beliefs on reform. Latimer was called before William Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, and John Stokesley, bishop of London, on January 29, 1531. He was kept in London for some time, being called for examination three times a week, until he wrote to the archbishop and said he was too ill to see him anymore. In the same letter, Latier complained that he was being kept from his parish without just cause, for preaching the truth about certain abuses within the church. Eventually Latimer seems to have accepted the charges against him (although there is no proof of this), and he was freed through the efforts of Buts, Cromwell, and the king.
In time, Henry VIII made Latimer bishop of Worcester, where he served faithfully, although the dangerous times preented him from doing everything he wanted to. He wasn’t able to rid his diocese of superstitions but did what he could within the Catholic Church, helping his parishioners exclude as much superstition as possible from their lives and worship. Even then, he continued to be harassed by other members of the clergy.
When the Six Articles were passed, Latimer voluntarily resigned his post, as did Shaxton, the bishop of Salisbury. Latimer went to London, where he was harassed by the bishops and imprisoned in the Tower of London until King Edward took the throne. On his release, Latimer went back to work, preaching twice every Sunday and once every weekday, unlike many clergymen who ignored their duties during Edward’s reign. He was now sixty-seven years old and suffering from an injury received by the fall of a tree.
Not long after King Edward’s death, Latimer was arrested on Queen Mary’s command and thrown back into the Tower of London, where he suffered greatly. He was transferred to Oxford with Cranmer, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Ridley, bishop of London, to answer charges made by Gardiner, the bishop of Winchester.
Because of his age, Latimer wrote less than Ridley and Cranmer while in prison, devoting himself more to prayer. He prayed about three main concerns:
Since God had appointed him a preacher, Latimer asked Him for the grace to stand to His doctrine until his death.
He asked God to restore His gospel to England once again.
He prayed for th eaccession of Elizabeth, asking God to make her a comfort to teh comfortless realm of England.
In time, all three of Latimer’s prayers would be answered.
(To be continued …)
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