A Faithful Parish Clergyman The History of Dr. Roland Taylor Hadley The town of
Hadley was one of the first that received the Word of God in all England.
The gospel of Christ had such gracious success, and took such root there,
that a great number of that parish became exceedingly well learned in the Holy
Scriptures, as well women as men, so that a man might have found among them
many that had often read the whole Bible through, and that could have said a great
sort of St. Paul's epistles by heart, and very well and readily have given a
godly learned sentence in any matter of controversy.
Their children and servants were also brought up and trained so diligently in
the right knowledge of God's Word that the whole town seemed rather a university of
the learned than a town of cloth-making or laboring people.
And, what most is to be commended, they were for the more part faithful
followers of God's Word in their living.
In this town was Dr. Roland Taylor, who, at his first entering into his
benefice, did not, as the common sort of beneficed men do, let out his benefice to
a farmer, that shall gather up the prophets, and set in an ignorant unlearned
priest to serve the cure, and, so they have the fleece, little or nothing
care for feeding the flock.
But, contrarily, he forsook the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer,
with whom he before was in household, and made his personal abode in Hadley
among the people committed to his charge, where he, as a good shepherd, dwelling
among his sheep, gave himself wholly to the study of holy Scriptures.
This love of Christ so wrought in him that no Sunday nor holy day passed,
nor other time when he might get the people together, but he preached to them
the word of God, the doctrine of their salvation.
Not only was his word a preaching unto them, but all his life and conversation
was an example of unfeigned Christian life and true holiness.
He was void of all pride, humble and meek as any child, so that none were so poor,
but they might boldly, as unto their father, resort unto him.
Neither was his lowliness childish or fearful, but as occasion, time,
and place required, he would be stout in rebuking the sinful and evil-doers,
so that none were so rich, but he would tell them plainly his fault, with such
earnest and grave rebukes as became a good curate and pastor.
He was a man very mild, void of all rancour, grudge, or evil will,
ready to do good to all men, readily forgiving his enemies, and never sought to
do evil to any.
To the poor that were blind, lame, sick, bed-rid, or that had many children,
he was a very father, a careful patron, and diligent provider, insomuch that he
caused the parishioners to make a general provision for them, and he himself,
beside the continual relief that they always found at his house, gave an honest
portion yearly to the common alms-box.
His wife also was an honest, discreet, and sober matron, and his children,
well nurtured, brought up in the fear of God and good learning.
He was a good salt of the earth, savourily biting the corrupt manners of
evil men, a light in God's house, set upon a candlestick for all good men to
imitate and follow.
Thus continued this good shepherd among his flock, governing and leading them
through the wilderness of this wicked world, all the days of the most innocent
and holy King of blessed memory, Edward VI.
But after it pleased God to take King Edward from this veil of misery unto his
most blessed rest, to live with Christ, and reign in everlasting joy and felicity,
the Papists violently overthrew the true doctrine of the gospel, and persecuted
with sword and fire all those that would not agree to receive again the Roman
bishop as supreme head of the universal church, and allow all the errors,
superstitions, and idolatries that before by God's word were disproved and justly
condemned.
In the beginning of this rage of Antichrist, a certain petty gentleman
called Foster conspired with one John Clerk to bring in the Pope and his idol
worship again into Hadley church.
For as yet Dr. Taylor had kept in his church the godly church service and
reformation made by King Edward, and most faithfully and earnestly preached
against the Popish corruptions which had infected the whole country round about.
Therefore, the foresaid Foster and Clerk hired one John Averth, parson of Aldam,
a Popish idolater, to come to Hadley, and there begin again the Popish mass.
To this purpose they built it up with all haste possible the altar, intending to
bring in their mass again about Palm Monday.
But this their device took none effect, for in the night the altar was beaten
down.
Wherefore, they built it up again the second time, and laid diligent watch,
lest any should again break it down.
On the day following came Foster and John Clerk, bringing with them their Popish
sacrificer, who brought with him all his implements and garments to play his Popish
pageant, whom they and their men guarded with swords and bucklers, lest any man
should disturb him in his missal sacrifice.
When Dr. Taylor, who according to his customs sat at his book studying the word
of God, heard the bells ringing, he arose and went into the church,
supposing something had been there to be done according to his pastoral office.
And coming to the church, he found the church doors shut and fast barred,
saving the chancel door, which was only latched.
Where he, entering in and coming into the chancel, saw a Popish sacrificer in his
robes, with a broad new-shaven crown, ready to begin his Popish sacrifice,
beset round about with drawn swords and bucklers, lest any man should approach to
disturb him.
Then said Dr. Taylor, Who made thee so bold to enter into this church of Christ,
to profane and defile it with this abominable idolatry?
With that started up Foster, and with an ireful and furious countenance,
said to Dr. Taylor, Thou traitor, what dost thou here to let and perturb the
Queen's proceedings?
Dr. Taylor answered, I am no traitor, but I am the shepherd that God my Lord
Christ hath appointed to feed this flock.
Wherefore, I have good authority to be here, and I command thee in the name of
God to avoid hence, and not to presume here to poison Christ's flock.
Then said Foster, Wilt thou, traitorly heretic, make a commotion, and resist
violently the Queen's proceedings?
Dr. Taylor answered, I make no commotion, but it is you Papists that make commotions
and tumults.
I resist only with God's word against your Popish idolatries, which are against God's
word, the Queen's honour, and tend to the utter subversion of this realm of England.
Then Foster, with his armed men, took Dr. Taylor, and led him with strong
hand out of the church, and the Popish prelate proceeded in his Romish idolatry.
Dr. Taylor's wife, who followed her husband into the church, when she saw him
thus violently thrust out of his church, kneeled down and held up her hands,
and with a loud voice said, I beseech thee, God, the righteous judge,
to avenge this injury that this Popish idolater doth to the blood of Christ.
Then they thrust her out of the church also, and shut the doors, for they feared
that the people would have rent their sacrificer in pieces.
Thus, you see how, without consent of the people, the Popish mass was again set up
with battle array, with swords and bucklers, with violence and tyranny.
Within a day or two after, with all haste possible, this Foster and clerk made a
complaint of Dr. Taylor, by a letter written to Stephen Gardner, Bishop of
Winchester and Lord Chancellor.
When the Bishop heard this, he sent a letter to Dr. Taylor, commanding him
within certain days to come and appear before him.
When Dr. Taylor's friends heard of this, they were exceeding sorry and grieved in
mind, which then, foreseeing to what end the matter would come, came to him and
earnestly counseled him to flee.
Then said Dr. Taylor, Dear friends, I most heartily thank you, for that you
have so tender a care over me.
And although I know that there is neither justice nor truth to be looked for at my
adversary's hand, but rather imprisonment and cruel death, yet know I my cause to be
so good and righteous, and the truth so strong upon my side, that I will by God's
grace go and appear before them, and to their beards resist their false
doings.
Then said his friends, Master Doctor, we think it not best so to do.
You have sufficiently done your duty, and testified the truth both by your godly
sermons, and also in resisting the parson of Aldam, with others that came hither to
bring again the popish mass.
And forasmuch as our Saviour Christ willeth and biddeth us, that when they
persecute us in one city, we should flee into another.
We think in flying at this time ye should do best, keeping yourself against another
time, when the church shall have great need of such diligent teachers and godly
pastors.
Oh, quoth Dr. Taylor, what will ye have me to do?
I am now old, and have already lived too long to see these terrible and most wicked
days.
Fly you, and do as your conscience leadeth you.
I am fully determined, with God's grace, to go to the bishop, and to his beard to
tell him that he doth not.
God shall hereafter raise up teachers of his people, which shall, with much more
diligence and fruit, teach them, than I have done.
For God will not forsake His church, now for a time He trieth and correcteth
us.
As for me, I believe before God, I shall never be able to do God so good
service as I may do now.
Nor shall I ever have so glorious a calling as I have now, nor so great mercy
of God profit me, as is now at this present.
Wherefore, I beseech you, and all other my friends, to pray for me, and I doubt not,
but God will give me strength and His Holy Spirit.
When his friends saw him so constant and fully determined to go, they with weeping
eyes commended him unto God.
Dr. Taylor, being accompanied with a servant of his own named John Hull,
took his journey towards London.
By the way, this John Hull labored to counsel and persuade him very earnestly to
fly and not come to the bishop, and profit himself to go with him to serve
him, and in all perils to venture his life for him and with him.
But in no wise would Dr. Taylor consent thereunto, but said, O John, shall I give
place to this thy counsel and worldly persuasion, and leave my flock in this
danger?
Remember the good Shepherd Christ, which not alone fed His flock,
but also died for His flock.
Him must I follow, and with God's grace will do.
Shortly after, Dr. Taylor presented himself to the Bishop of Winchester,
Stephen Gardner, then Lord Chancellor of England.
Now when Gardner saw Dr. Taylor, he, according to his custom, reviled him,
calling him knave, traitor, heretic, and many other villainous reproaches,
all which Dr. Taylor heard patiently, and at the last said unto him,
My lord, quoth he, I am neither traitor nor heretic, but a true subject and a
faithful Christian man, and am come, according to your commandment,
to know what is the cause that your lordship hath sent for me.
Then said the Bishop, Art thou come, thou villain?
How darest thou look me in the face for shame?
knowest thou not who I am?
Yes, quoth Dr. Taylor, I know who you are.
You are Dr. Stephen Gardner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor,
and yet but a mortal man, I trove.
But if I should be afraid of your lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of
us all?
How dare ye for shame look any Christian man in the face, seeing ye have forsaken
the truth, denied our Saviour Christ and His word, and done contrary to your own
oath and writing?
With what countenance will ye appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
and answer to your oath made first unto King Henry VIII of famous memory,
and afterward unto King Edward VI his son?
The Bishop answered, Tush, tush!
That was Herod's oath, unlawful, and therefore worthy to be broken.
I have done well in breaking it, and I thank God I am come home again to
our mother, the Catholic Church of Rome, and so I would thou shouldst do.
Dr. Taylor answered, Should I forsake the Church of Christ, which is founded upon
the true foundation of the apostles and prophets, to approve those lies,
errors, superstitions, and idolatries that the popes in their company at this day so
blasphemously do approve?
Nay, God forbid, let the pope and his return to our Saviour Christ and His word,
and thrust out of the church such abominable idolatries as he maintaineth,
and then will Christian men turn unto him.
You wrote truly against him, and were sworn against him.
I tell thee, the Bishop of Winchester, it was Herod's oath, unlawful,
and therefore ought to be broken and not kept, and our holy father the pope hath
discharged me of it.
Then said Dr. Taylor, But you shall not so be discharged before Christ, who doubtless
will require it at your hands, from whose obedience no man can assail
you, neither the pope nor any of his.
I see, quoth the Bishop, thou art an arrogant knave and a very fool.
My Lord, quoth Dr. Taylor, leave your railing at me, which is not seemly for
such a one in authority as you are.
For I am a Christian man, and you know, that he that saith to his brother Raker is
in danger of a council.
And he that saith thou fool is in danger of hell-fire.
Then said the Bishop, Thou hast resisted the queen's proceedings, and wouldst not
suffer the parson of Aldam, a very virtuous and devout priest, to say mass in
Hadley.
Dr. Taylor answered, My Lord, I am parson of Hadley, and it is against all right,
conscience, and laws, that any man should come into my charge, and presume to infect
the flock committed unto me with venom of the popish idolatrous mass.
With that the Bishop waxed very angry, and said, Thou art a blasphemous heretic
indeed, that blasphemest the blessed sacrament, and speakest against the holy
mass, which is made a sacrifice for the quick and the dead.
Dr. Taylor answered, Nay, I blaspheme not the blessed sacrament which Christ
instituted, but I reverence it as a true Christian man ought to do, and confess
that Christ ordained the holy communion in the remembrance of His death and passion.
Christ gave Himself to die for our redemption upon the cross, whose body
there offered was the propitiatory sacrifice, full, perfect, and sufficient
unto salvation for all them that believe in Him.
And this sacrifice did our Saviour Christ offer in His own person Himself once for
all.
Neither can any priest any more offer Him, nor need we any more propitiatory
sacrifice.
Then called the Bishop his men, and said, Have this fellow hence,
and carry him to the King's bench, and charge the Keeper he be straightly
kept.
Then kneeled Dr. Taylor down, and held up both his hands, and said, Good Lord,
I thank Thee, and from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable
errors, idolatries, and abominations, Good Lord deliver us, and God be praised
for good King Edward.
Dr. Taylor lay prisoner almost two years.
He spent all his time in prayer, reading the holy Scriptures, writing,
preaching, and exhorting the prisoners, and such as resorted to him, to repentance
and amendment of life.
On the 22nd of January, 1555, Dr. Taylor and Master Bradford and Master Saunders
were again called to appear before the Bishop of Winchester, the Bishops of
Norwich, London, Salisbury, and Durham, and there were charged again with heresy
and schism.
Therefore a determinate answer was required, whether they would submit
themselves to the Roman Bishop, and abjure their errors, or else they
would, according to the laws, proceed to their condemnation.
Fox's Book of Martyrs
When Dr. Taylor and his fellows heard this, they answered stoutly and boldly,
that they would not depart from the truth which they had preached in King Edward's
days, neither would they submit themselves to the Romish Antichrist.
But they thanked God for so great mercy that He would call them to be worthy to
suffer for His word and truth.
When the bishops saw them so boldly, constantly, and unmovably fixed in the
truth, they read the sentence of death upon them.
Dr. Taylor was committed to the clink, and when the keeper brought him toward the
prison, the people flocked about to gaze upon him, unto whom he said, God be
praised, good people!
I am come away from them undefiled, and will confirm the truth with my blood.
So was he bestowed in the clink till it was toward night, and then he was removed
to the compter by the poultry.
When Dr. Taylor had lain in the said compter, a seven-night or thereabouts
prisoner, the 4th of February, A.D.
1555, Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, with others, came to degrade him,
bringing with him such ornaments as do appertain to their massing mummery.
He called for Dr. Taylor to be brought unto him, and at his coming the bishop
said, Master doctor, I would you would remember yourself and turn to your mother
holy church.
So may you do well enough, and I will sue for your pardon.
Whereunto Master Taylor answered, I would you and your fellows would turn to
Christ.
As for me, I will not turn to Antichrist.
Well, quoth the bishop, I am come to degrade you, wherefore put on these
vestures.
No, quoth Dr. Taylor, I will not.
Wilt thou not, said the bishop, I shall make thee ere I go.
Quoth Dr. Taylor, You shall not, by the grace of God.
Then he charged him upon his obedience to do it, but he would not do it for him,
so he willed another to put them upon his back.
And when he was thoroughly furnished therewith, he set his hands to his side,
walking up and down, and said, How say you, my lord, am I not a goodly
fool?
How say you, my masters, if I were in cheap, should I not have boys enough to
laugh at these apish toys and toying trumpery?
So the bishop scraped his fingers, thumbs, and the crown of his head.
At the last, when he should have given Dr. Taylor a stroke on the breast with his
crozier staff, the bishop's chaplain said, My lord, strike him not, for he will sure
strike again.
Yea, by St. Peter will I, quoth Dr. Taylor, the cause is Christ's,
and I were no good Christian if I would not fight in my master's quarrel.
So the bishop laid his curse upon him, but struck him not.
Then Dr. Taylor said, Though you do curse me, yet God doth bless me.
I have the witness of my conscience that ye have done me wrong and violence,
and yet I pray God, if it be His will, to forgive you.
But from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities,
good Lord deliver us!
And when he came up to his chamber, he told Master Bradford, for they both lay
in one chamber, that he had made the bishop of London afraid, for, saith he
laughingly, his chaplain gave him counsel not to strike me with his crozier staff,
for that I would strike again, and by my troth, said he, rubbing his
hands, I made him believe I would do so indeed.
The night after that he was degraded, his wife and his son Thomas, and John Hull
his servant, resorted unto him, and were, by the gentleness of the
keepers, permitted to sup with him.
At their coming in they kneeled down and prayed, saying the litany.
After supper, walking up and down, he gave God thanks for His grace that had
given him strength to abide by His holy word.
With tears they prayed together, and kissed one the other.
Unto his son Thomas he gave a Latin book, containing the notable sayings of the old
martyrs, and in the end of that he wrote his testament.
I say to my wife and to my children, The Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord
hath taken me from you, and you from me.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
I believe they are blessed which die in the Lord.
God careth for sparrows and for the hairs of our heads.
I have ever found Him more faithful and favourable than is any father or husband.
Trust ye therefore in Him by the means of our dear Saviour Christ's merits.
Believe, love, fear, and obey Him.
Pray to Him, for He hath promised to help.
Count me not dead, for I shall certainly live and never die.
I go before, and you shall follow after, to our long home.
I say to my dear friends of Hadley, and to all others which have heard me
preach, that I depart hence with a quiet conscience, as touching my doctrine,
for the which I pray you thank God with me.
For I have, after my little talent, declared to others those lessons that I
gathered out of God's book, the blessed Bible.
Therefore, if I, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any other gospel than
that you have received, God's great curse upon that preacher.
Departing hence in sure hope, without all doubting of eternal salvation,
I thank God my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ my certain Saviour.
On the morrow the sheriff of London with his officers came to the compter by two o
'clock in the morning, and brought forth Dr. Taylor, and without any light led him
to the wool sack, and in without Aldgate.
Dr. Taylor's wife, suspecting that her husband should that night be carried away,
watched all night in St. Betulph's church porch beside Aldgate, having her two
children, the one named Elizabeth of thirteen years of age, whom being left
without father or mother, Dr. Taylor had brought up of arms from three years old,
the other named Mary, Dr. Taylor's own daughter.
Now when the sheriff and his company came against St. Betulph's church, Elizabeth
cried saying, Oh my dear father, mother, mother, here is my father led
away.
Then cried his wife, Roland, Roland, where art thou?
For it was a very dark morning, that the one could not well see the other.
Dr. Taylor answered, Dear wife, I am here, and stayed.
The sheriff's men would have led him forth, but the sheriff said, Stay a
little, masters, I pray you, and let him speak to his wife.
And so they stayed.
Then came she to him, and he took his daughter Mary in his arms, and he,
his wife, and Elizabeth, kneeled down and said the Lord's Prayer.
At which sight the sheriff wept apace, and so did divers others of the company.
After they had prayed, he rose up and kissed his wife, and shook her by the
hand, and said, Farewell, my dear wife, be of good comfort, for I am quiet in my
conscience.
God shall stir up a father for my children.
And then he kissed his daughter Mary, and said, God bless thee, and make thee
his servant.
And kissing Elizabeth, he said, God bless thee, I pray you all stand
strong and steadfast unto Christ and his word.
Then said his wife, God be with thee, dear Roland, I will, with God's grace,
meet thee at Hadley.
And so was he led forth to the wool-sack, and his wife followed him.
As soon as they came to the wool-sack, he was put into a chamber wherein he was
kept with four yeomen of the guard, and the sheriff's men.
Dr. Taylor, as soon as he was come into the chamber, fell down on his knees,
and gave himself wholly to prayer.
The sheriff then, seeing Dr. Taylor's wife there, would in no case grant her to speak
any more with her husband, but gently desired her to go to his house,
and take it as her own, and promised her she should lack nothing, and sent two
officers to conduct her thither.
Notwithstanding, she desired to go to her mother's, whither the officers led her,
and charged her mother to keep her there till they came again.
Thus remained Dr. Taylor in the wool-sack, kept by the sheriff and his company till
eleven o'clock, at which time the sheriff of Essex was ready to receive.
And so they set him on horseback within the inn, the gates being shut.
At the coming out of the gates, John Hull, before spoken of, stood at the
rails with Thomas, Dr. Taylor's son.
When Dr. Taylor saw them, he called them, saying, Come hither, my son Thomas.
And John lifted the child up, and set him on the horse before his father.
And Dr. Taylor put off his hat, and said to the people that stood there
looking on him, Good people, this is mine own son.
Then lifted he up his eyes towards heaven, and prayed for his son, laid his hat upon
the child's head, and blessed him.
And so delivered the child to John Hull, whom he took by the hand, and said,
Farewell, John Hull, the faithfulest servant that ever man had.
And so they rode forth, the sheriff of Essex, with four yeomen of the guard,
and the sheriff's men leading him.
And so they came to Brentwood, where they caused to be made for Dr.
Taylor a close hood, with two holes for his eyes to look out at, and a slit for
his mouth to breathe at.
This feared that no man should know him, nor he speak to any man, which practice
they used also with others.
They feared lest, if the people should have heard them speak, or have seen them,
they might have been much more strengthened by their godly exhortations
to stand steadfast in God's word, and to fly the superstitions and
idolatries of the papacy.
All the way Dr. Taylor was joyful and merry, as one that accounted himself going
to a most pleasant banquet or bridal.
He spake many notable things to the sheriff and yeomen of the guard that
conducted him, and often moved them to weep.
Through his much earnest calling upon them to repent, and to amend their evil and
wicked living.
Oftentimes also he caused them to wonder and rejoice, to see him so constant and
steadfast, void of all fear, joyful in heart, and glad to die.
At Chelmsford met them the sheriff of Suffolk, there to receive him,
and to carry him forth into Suffolk.
And being at supper, the sheriff of Essex very earnestly labored him to return to
the popish religion, thinking with fair words to persuade him, and said,
Good Master Doctor, we are right sorry for you.
God hath given you great learning and wisdom, wherefore ye have been in great
favor and reputation in times past with the counsel and highest of this realm.
Besides this, ye are a man of goodly personage, in your best strength,
and by nature like to live many years.
Ye are well beloved of all men, as well for your virtues as for your
learning, and methinketh it were great pity you should cast away yourself
willingly, and so come to such a painful and shameful death.
Ye should do much better to revoke your opinions.
I and all these your friends will be suitors for your pardon, which no doubt ye
shall obtain.
Doctor Taylor stayed a little, as one studying what answer he might give.
At the last thus he said, Master Sheriff, and my masters all, I heartily thank you
for your good will.
I have hearkened to your words and marked well your counsels.
And to be plain with you, I do perceive that I have been deceived myself,
and am like to deceive a great many of Hadley of their expectation.
With that word they all rejoiced.
Yea, good Master Doctor, quoth the Sheriff, God's blessing on your heart,
hold you still there.
It is the comfortablest word that we heard you speak yet.
What should ye cast away yourself in vain?
Play a wise man's part, and I dare warrant it, ye shall find favour.
Thus they rejoiced very much at the word, and were very merry.
At the last, good Master Doctor, quoth the Sheriff, what meant ye by this?
That ye say ye think ye have been deceived yourself, and think ye shall deceive many
a one in Hadley?
Would ye know my meaning plainly, quoth he?
Yea, quoth the Sheriff, good Master Doctor, tell us plainly.
Then said Doctor Taylor, I will tell you how I have been deceived, and,
as I think, I shall deceive a great many.
I am, as you see, a man that hath a very great carcass, which I thought should have
been buried in Hadley Churchyard, if I had died in my bed, as I well hoped I
should have.
But herein I see I was deceived, and there are a great number of worms in
Hadley Churchyard, which should have had jobs on this carrion, which they have
looked for many a day.
But now I know we be deceived, both I and they, for this carcass must be
burnt to ashes, and so shall they lose their bait and feeding, that they have
looked to have had of it.
When the Sheriff and his company heard him say so, they were amazed, and looked one
on another, marvelling at the man's constant mind, that thus, without all
fear, made but a jest at the cruel torment and death now at hand prepared for him.
Thus was their expectation clean disappointed.
At Lavenham there came to him a great number of gentlemen and justices upon
great horses, which all were appointed to aid the Sheriff.
These gentlemen laboured Dr. Taylor very sore to reduce him to the Romish religion,
promising him his pardon, which, said they, we have here for you.
They promised him great promotions, yea, a bishopric, if he would take it.
But all their labour and flattering words were in vain.
Coming within two miles of Hadley, Dr. Taylor desired to light off his horse,
which done, he leapt, and fet a frisk or twain, as men commonly do in dancing.
Why, Master Doctor, quoth the Sheriff.
How do you now?
he answered.
Well, God be praised, good Master Sheriff, never better, for now I know I am almost
at home.
I lack not past two stiles to go over, and I am even at my father's house.
But, Master Sheriff, said he, shall we not go through Hadley?
Yes, said the Sheriff, you shall go through Hadley.
Then said he, O Lord, I thank Thee.
I shall yet once, or I die, see my flock, whom Thou, Lord, knowest I have most
heartily loved and truly taught.
Lord, bless them, and keep them steadfast in Thy word and truth.
When they were now come to Hadley, and came riding over the bridge,
at the bridge foot waited a poor man with five small children, who, when he saw Dr.
Taylor, he and his children fell down upon their knees, and held up their hands,
and cried with a loud voice, and said, O dear father and good shepherd Dr.
Taylor, God help and succor thee, as Thou hast many a time succored me and
my poor children.
The streets of Hadley were beset on both sides the way with men and women who
waited to see him, whom when they beheld so led to death, with weeping eyes and
lamentable voices they cried, saying one to another, Our Lord, there goeth our good
shepherd from us, that so faithfully hath taught us, so fatherly hath cared for us,
and so godly hath governed us.
O merciful God, what shall we poor scattered lambs do?
What shall come of this most wicked world?
Lord, strengthen him and comfort him.
And Dr. Taylor evermore said to the people, I have preached to you God's word
and truth, and am come this day to seal it with my blood.
Coming against the almshouses which he well knew, he cast to the poor people
money which remained of that which had been given him in time of his
imprisonment.
As for his living, they took it from him at his first going to prison, so that he
was sustained all the time of his imprisonment by the charitable alms of
good people that visited him.
Therefore the money that now remained he put in a glove, and gave it to the poor
almsmen standing at their doors to see him.
In coming to the last of the almshouses, and not seeing the poor that there dwelt,
ready at their doors, as the others were, he asked, Is the blind man and blind woman
that dwelt here alive?
It was answered, Yea, they are there within.
Then threw he glove and all in at the window.
Thus this good father and provider for the poor now took his leave of those for whom
all his life he had a singular care and study.
At the last, coming to Aldam Common, the place assigned where he should suffer,
and seeing a great multitude of people gathered thither, he asked, What place is
this, and what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hither?
It was answered, It is Aldam Common, the place where you must suffer,
and the people are come to look upon you.
Then said he, Thanked be God, I am even at home.
And so alighted from his horse, and with both his hands rent the hood from
his head.
When the people saw his reverend face, with a long white beard, they burst out
with weeping tears, and cried, saying, God save thee, good Dr. Taylor!
Jesus Christ strengthened thee and helped thee.
The Holy Ghost comfort thee.
Then would he have spoken to the people, but the yeoman of the guard was so busy
about him, that as soon as he opened his mouth, one or other thrust a tipstaff into
his mouth, and would in no wise permit him.
Dr. Taylor thereupon sat down, and seeing one named Soice, called him,
and said, Soice, I pray thee, come and pull off my boots, and take them for thy
labour.
Thou hast long looked for them, now take them.
Then he rose up, and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away.
Which done, he said with a loud voice, Good people, I have taught you nothing but
God's holy word, and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed book,
the holy Bible.
And I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood.
With that word, Holmes, yeoman of the guard, who had used Dr. Taylor very
cruelly all the way, gave him a great stroke upon the head.
Then he kneeled down and prayed, and a poor woman, that was among the
people, stepped in and prayed with him.
But her they thrust away, and threatened to tread her down with horses.
Notwithstanding, she would not remove, but abode and prayed with him.
He went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch-barrel,
which they had set for him, and so stood with his back upright against the stake,
with his hands folded together, and his eyes toward heaven, and so he
continually prayed.
Then they bound him with chains.
And the sheriff called one Richard Donningham, a butcher, and commanded him
to set up faggots.
But he refused to do it, and said, I am lame, sir, and not able to lift a
faggot.
The sheriff threatened to send him to prison, notwithstanding he would not do
it.
Then appointed he Mullhane, Soice, Warwick, and Robert King, to set up the
faggots, and to make the fire, which they most diligently did.
Warwick cruelly cast a faggot at him, which lit upon his head, and break his
face, that the blood ran down his visage.
Then said Dr. Taylor, O friend, I have harm enough, what needed that?
Furthermore, Sir John Shelton, there standing by, as Dr. Taylor was
saying the psalm, Misere, in English, struck him on the lips, Ye knave,
said he, speak Latin, I will make thee.
At the last they set to fire, and Dr. Taylor, holding up both hands,
called upon God, and said, Merciful Father of heaven, for Jesus Christ my Saviour's
sake, receive my soul into thy hands.
So stood he still, without either crying or moving, with his hands folded together,
till Soice, with a halberd, struck him on the head, that the brains fell out,
and the corpse fell into the fire.