During the reign of Bloody Mary I, over 280 Protestants were burned at the stake in brutal
and barbaric fashion. Crowds would flock to see executions, but the sight and smell of
people burning alive was something that stuck with the crowds and it was a horrific way
to die. Mary I suffered greatly throughout her life with her health and also with a failed
pregnancy. She wanted greatly to be a mother, and she wanted an heir to continue her restoration
of catholicism across England. But she never had a child, and with this she believed God
was punishing her for not persecuting heretics strongly enough. With this she violently sought
heretics and had them executed in barbaric ways, and many Protestants left the country.
But inside of Canterbury in Kent, a city known for it’s cathedral huge scale burnings took
place over a number of years. Despite Mary being on the throne only 5 years, Canterbury
had it’s fair share of burnings. Join us today as we look at the executions of the
Canterbury Martyrs, remember to support our channel, please make sure to subscribe.
As Mary I changed religion in England back to Catholicism she went after leading Protestant
figures to punish to persuade the people of the nation to return back to the former faith.
But inside of Canterbury many Martyrs were made inside the city. In 1555, many executions
occurred. On the 12th July, John Bland the rector of Adesham, along with John Frankesh
a local Vicar and Nicholas Sheterden and Humphrey Middleton were all taken into the city and
were burned together on one huge fire. It was said that, ‘they resigned themselves
with christian fortitude, fervently praying that God would receive them into his heavenly
kingdom.’ They were all burned at the stake, but then on the 23rd August more burnings
came. William Coker, William Hopper, Richard Collier, Henry Laurence, Richard Wright and
William Stere were all burned too at the stake for being heretics. It was said that, ‘And
thus these six heavenly martyrs and witness-bearers to the truth, being condemned by the bloody suffragan and
the archdeacon of Canterbury, Master Collins and Master Faucet, were burned all together
in the same town of Canterbury, at three stakes and one fire, about the latter end of August.’
On the 6th September 1555, George Painter, Robert Streater, Antony Burward, George Brodbridge
and James Tutty were all burned inside the city, and on the 30th November John Webb,
George Roper and Gregory Park were all executed. 1555 was a brutal year for the people of Canterbury
as in total, 18 people were executed in the city which was extremely shocking. It’s
clear Mary believed she needed to deal with them stronger, but in 1556 more burnings occurred.
On the 31st January John Lomas, Agnes Snoth, Anne Wright, Joan Sole and Joan Cathmer were
all burned alive at the stake in Wincheap in Canterbury at a place which is called now
‘Martyrs Field Road.’ Each of them had been sentenced to death for denying the catholic
faith and the were interrogated and stuck with their Protestant beliefs and for this
they faced the wrath of the Catholic judges. It was said during one of the women’s interrogation
that, ‘likewise appearing before the judge and his colleagues, it was also objected concerning
the same matter of confession: whereunto she answered in these words, saying, "that she
would not be confessed of a priest; "and added moreover, speaking unto the priests, "You
priests," said she, "are the children of perdition, and can do no good by your confession."
And likewise speaking unto the judge and his assistants, she told them that they were subverters
of Christ's truth. And as touching the sacrament of the altar, she said it was a naughty and
abominable idol, and so utterly denied the same sacrament. Thus, persisting and persevering
in her former sayings and answers, she was condemned the said eighteenth day of the said
month, with the others above mentioned; with whom also she suffered quietly, and with great
comfort, for the right of Christ's religion.’ These five persons were burnt at two stakes
and one fire together, at Canterbury, as is before said: who, when the fire was flaming
about their ears, did sing psalms. Whereat the good knight, Sir John Norton, being there
present, wept bitterly at the sight thereof.’
The executions continued throughout 1557, as on the 15th January 1557 Stephen Kempe,
William Waterer, William Prowting, William Lewis, Thomas Hudson and William Hay were
all executed in the same manner. In the following June, John Fishcock, Nicholas White, Nicholas
Pardue and Barbara final were all burned at the steak further. It was said of the executions
of 1557 that, ‘Mention was made a little before of the persecution in Kent; wherefore
we declared, that fifteen were in the castle of Canterbury imprisoned and condemned for
God's word. Of the which fifteen, moreover, we showed and declared five to be famished
unto death within the said castle, and buried by the highway, about the beginning of November.
The other ten, in the first month of the next year following, which was the year of our
Lord 1557, were committed unto the fire, and there consumed to ashes, by Thornton, called
bishop or suffragan of Dover, otherwise called Dick of Dover, and by Nicholas Harpsfield,
the archdeacon of the said province.
Of these ten godly martyrs of Christ, six were burned at Canterbury, about the fifteenth
of January, that is, Kempe, Waterer, Prowting, Lowick, Hudson, and Hay. Other two, that is,
Stephens and Philpot, at Wye, about the same month. Other two, which were Final and Bradbridge,
were burned both together at Ashford, the sixteenth of the same.
What the ordinary articles were, commonly objected to them of Canterbury diocese, is
before rehearsed, save only that to some of these, as to them that follow after, as the
time of their persecution did grow, so their articles withal did increase to the number
of two and twenty, containing such-like matter as served to the maintenance of the Romish
see. To these articles what their answers were likewise, needeth here no great rehearsal,
seeing they all agreed together, though not in the same form of words, yet in much-like
effect of purposes; first, granting the church of Christ, and denying the Church of Rome;
denying the seven sacraments; refusing the mass, and the hearing of Latin service, praying
to saints, justification of works, &c. And though they did all answer uniformly in some
smaller things, as their learning served them, yet in the most principal and chiefest matters
they did not greatly discord.
But in 1558 the final set of burnings in the Marian persecutions occurred, as on the 15th
November 1558 John Corneford, Christopher Brown, John Hearts, Alice Snoth and Katherine
Knight were burned alive. These were considered the last martyrs of Canterbury, and regarding
the execution of the women it was said that, ‘ These godly martyrs, in their prayers
which they made before their martyrdom, desired God that their blood might be the last that
should be shed, and so it was. Among such young women as were burnt at Canterbury, it
is recorded of a certain maid, and supposed to be this Alice Snoth here in this story
mentioned, or else to be Agnes Snoth above storied, (for they were both burnt,) that
when she was brought to be executed, she being at the stake, called for her godfather and
godmothers. The justice, hearing her, sent for them, but they durst not come.
Notwithstanding the justices willed the messenger to go again, and to show them that they should
incur no danger thereof. Then they, hearing that, came to know the matter of their sending
for. When the maid saw them, she asked them what they had promised for her; and so she
immediately rehearsed her faith, and the commandments of God; and required of them, if there were
any more that they had promised in her behalf, and they said, No. "Then," said she, "I die
a Christian woman, bear witness of me." And so cruelly in fire was she consumed, and gave
joyfully her life up for the testimony of Christ's gospel, to the terror of the wicked,
and comfort of the godly; and also to the stopping of the slanderous mouths of such
as falsely do quarrel against the faithful martyrs, for going from that religion wherein
by their godfathers and godmothers they were first baptized.
In Canterbury dozens of executions took place in the name of religion during Mary I’d
reign. It was a time in which life was very dangerous for Protestants, and across the
nation burnings occurred and the crowds would be haunted by what they saw. These executions
secured Mary’s legacy of one of the most brutal monarchs in history, and as a Queen
who inherited her father Henry VIII’s bloody side.
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