Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Craik, ed. English Prose. 1916.
Vol. I. Fourteenth to Sixteenth Century

Rose Allin

John Foxe (1516–1587)

THEN he gave her leave and bade her go. So her daughter the forenamed Rose Allin, maid, took a stone pot in one hand, and a candle in the other, and went to draw drink for her mother: and as she came back again through the house, Tyrrel met her, and willed her to give her father and mother good counsel, and advertise them to be better catholic people.

Rose.“Sir, they have a better instructor than I; for the Holy Ghost doth teach them, I hope, which I trust will not suffer them to err.”

“Why,” said master Tyrrel, “art thou still in that mind, thou naughty housewife? Marry it is time to look upon such heretics indeed.”

Rose.“Sir, with that which you call heresy, do I worship my Lord God; I tell you troth.”

Tyrrel.“Then I perceive you will burn, gossip, with the rest, for company’s sake.”

Rose.“No, sir, not for company’s sake, but for my Christ’s sake, if so I be compelled; and I hope in His mercies if He call me to it, He will enable me to bear it.”

So he, turning to his company, said, “Sirs, this gossip will burn: do you not think it?” “Marry, sir,” quoth one, “prove her, and you shall see what she will do by and by.”

Then that cruel Tyrrel, taking the candle from her, held her wrist, and the burning candle under her hand, burning cross-wise over the back thereof so long, till the very sinews cracked asunder. Witness hereof William Candler, then dwelling in Much Bentley, who was there present and saw it. Also Mistress Bright of Romford, with Ann Starkey her maid, to whom Rose Allin also both declared the same; and the said Mistress Bright also ministered salve for the curing thereof, as she lay in her house at Romford going up towards London with other prisoners.

But she, quietly suffering his rage for the time, at the last said, “Sir, have ye done what ye will do?” And he said, “Yea, and if thou think it be not well, then mend it.”

“Mend it!” said Rose, “nay, the Lord mend you, and give you repentance, if it be His will. And now, if you think it good, begin at the feet, and burn to the head also. For he that set you a work, shall pay you your wages one day, I warrant you.” And so she went and carried her mother drink, as she was commanded.