¶ A PITHTHY NOTE to Papists all and some that ioy in Feltons Martirdome. Desiring them to read this and to iudge & not in spite at simple truth to grudge.

Set foorth by one that knew his life, and was with him at the houre of his death, which was the viii. of August. Anno. 1570, at the West end of Paules Churche ouer aga­inst the Bishops gate, where he set vp the Bul.

IMPRINTED AT LONDON at the long Shop adioining vnto Saint Mildreds Church in the Pultrie the xxiii. of August by John Allde.

LOng leuitie abusde, at lēgth dooth lend deserued hire:
whē mercy ouer moou'd with vice gins kīdle Iustice ire.
¶ As now may wel discerned be Unto the smart of such
As heaped by vnfruteful hope and pitie proou'd to much.
¶ But so it is when follyes flud makes wisdom lowe at eb:
And where for harty looue such doo winde vp foule Treasons web.
¶ As Felton fond hath surely felt for fault of treason hye:
So all wil vouch whose hartꝭ (with God and Prince) are not awrie
¶ And as y e Nortons twain did taste of late for like offence:
Whom Iustcie paid by portion iust a righteous recompence.
¶ Yet Felton past, when wilful déed of his was wel descryed:
For why? he neuer blushe for shame, nor much the same denyed,
¶ The Bul bewitch this caluish braine And Pius his déer god:
Made him to bolde for his behoof, to taste of such a rod.
¶ He durst presume good Catholick, t'erect vp forraine power:
And Subiects faithful hartꝭ now wel by flattery to deuoure.
¶ As though at once all Englād would haue shrūk at Pius curse:
And that the Childe at strangers beck would leaue his painful nurse.
¶ Theblessing of the Pope he thought would sure haue take such place:
That English men with Cap and knée would straight the same imbrace.
¶ What ment be els to fix the Bul on Bishops Pallaice gate:
But that he thought by somes return to mend his owne estate.
¶ But English men God haue y e praise wish rather his curse stil:
Then with his blessing to receiue bothe soule and bodyes il.
Gods curse dooth light where he dooth blesse as Malachi dooth rel:
As Felton and and the rest haue tried which seru'd the Pope ful wel.
¶ But Papists say they are moste blest for dying in his cause:
Because he wil their soules redéem from hel and Sathans clawes.
¶ And Felton chée fly they commend For his coragious minde:
Which vnto Pope and holy Church didshew him self so kinde,
¶ Wherfore a blessed Martyr they doo rightly him confesse:
Which mooues me moste for vertues sake to prooue him nothing lesse.
¶ For eu'ry kinde of death dooth not deserue a Martyrs name:
But many sundry deaths doo bring the dyers endles shame
¶ All Theeues and Murderers that dye all Fellons cast by law:
All Traitors and all Hereticks which GOD nor man doo [...].
¶ Are not by death of theirs in count of Martyrs which doo dye:
Though Papists brag that he is one but giue them leaue to lye.
¶ The death dooth not the Martyr make but sure the righteous cause: When Tirants force, the righteous hart to violate Gods lawes.
¶ When Infidelles depraue the truthe and Christians it maintain:
In giuing of their bloods for it, they win the Martyrs gain.
Ignatius wan the noble crown of martirdom y tho
Cassianus and Laurence they did win the same also.
Saint Stephen and Saint Peter they wan Martyrs gain by right:
So did Maturus and the rest that suffred for the light.
¶ whose liues by truthe were soūdly led whose ends did shew no lesse:
whose māers were vpright, whose faith did perfit looue expresse.
¶ But Feltons life did shew in fine he did no Martyrs fact:
For exitus acta probat the exit tries the act.
¶ A roisting shifting Prodigall so he his time did spend:
Which sought of eu'ry one to haue that able was to lend.
¶ The Psalmist in his Psalmes dooth paīt out Felton very plain:
The wicked man borowes (saith he) and payeth not again.
¶ Of modestie in maners he was séen to be ful scant:
And of Religious minde no dout he had a dayly want,
¶ As for deuoutnes in his dayes yea, after his owne sorte:
He neuer moild his sprites with prayer, his hart was set on sport.
¶ A Papists hart he had not sure for Papists are deuout:
Although their zele doo knowledge lack in that they go about.
¶ For he ne zele ne knowledge had, but droue to spend the time:
He past not with what kinde of men nor of what kinde of cryme.
¶ So he by flattering might obtain to liue by others sweat:
Ne Lands he had ne hands did séek to get the bread he eat.
¶ But héer & there with Thrasoes brood the simple to deride:
But chéef a scoffer of Gods woord as often he was tride.
¶ A Plesemē right which seru'd y e time though fed with Romish hope:
And now beholde the Saint he seru'd hath blest him with a Rope.
¶ A foole bewitcht he was of some who w̄atcht the falling Skies.
And lookt for Larkes but purpose mist his flesh must féed the Flyes.
¶ An irreligious Traitor was this Felton, trust me true:
A fit resembler in our time of Eleazar the Iew.
¶ Companion with Ichocanan nay Schimions equal mate:
Which sought Iherusalem to spoils by their discentious bate.
¶ And as for any signe that was in him of godly feare:
His moste licencious life did shew his hart came neuer there.
¶ That his very end whereas he saw it would not bée:
But that he must as Traitor rank go scale the Gallow trée.
¶ Then fear of death gan prick his flesh whiche wicked men dooth touch:
Whē their sleause, their cōscsēce pricks and burthens them comuch.
¶ As Caïn and Iudas ouer fraid with Gods eternal ire:
Yet some wil say that Felton did Gods mercy then desire.
¶ In déed in Popish sort he shewd him self then to telent:
But who can say he shewd such faith as made him right repent?
¶ Of wandring faith he shewd sōe taffe as Papists vse to holde:
That Christe their sauior is in parte, but faith was not (be bolde)
¶ In him that made him then to say Christe is my sauiour:
Ne that he trusted only sure saluation by his power.
¶ Ne cald he back his sclandero' woords, he spake against Gods truthe:
Ne did gainsay his traiterous blast before bothe age and youth.
¶ Which he had spoke agaist our Queen before in Iudgement hall:
But only for this fact heer doon, her mercy I doo call.
¶ (said he) for this offence of mine héer doon that she forgiue:
But from the rest against her power and Throne he did not méene.
¶ He had before denide her grace our lawful Queen to bée:
And of her Supreme power (he said) she ought not haue it shée.
¶ Oh traiterous hart, oh Martyr vile, such Martyrs now a dayes:
Would fain be made to Morter thin to stop the hollow wayes.
¶ He neuer once relented this not once before his death:
But as malicious Traitor, he on Gallows gaue his breth.
¶ Wheras he said in midst Guilde Hall, before the Iudgement seat:
That they might wel his body take, but more they could not get.
¶ For why? his soule he had commit vnto his hollow hope:
To Iesus Christe? to him think yée? nay to his dad the Pope.
¶ Oh Traitor bolde to Christe God oh prowd blasphemou [...] [...]ung:
That euer popish ignorance should rest in olde or yung.
¶ whē Christe hath shed his déerest blood when Christes hart was rent:
When Christe hath paid the price for vs his Father to content.
¶ Shall we once dare alas to say, when other name is none:
But Iesus Christe to saue our soules by his déer death alone?
¶ That Pius Pope our soules can saue which can not saue him self:
But yéeld his power to mortal death oh blinded Romish elf.
¶ Was Paule for vs once crucified? was Mary, Mark or Iohn?
No, no, it was our Iesus Christe to whom be praise alone.
¶ But Papists make of him least count, which took the greatest pain:
And all their trust is stil in them that giue the smallest gain.
¶ If Felton had those woordꝭ denied, though euen at the last end:
I would haue said and many mo, he had been Christes fréend.
¶ His death was nothing Martir like, he died a Papist blinde:
An Enemy to Christe and Queen, a Monster out of kinds.
¶ A new stert by Herostratus, to get himself a name:
Though that his déed and end shalbe ay to his endles shame.
¶ For as the fame of Godly men shall ouerliue the graue:
So Fame dooth yéeld to wicked men the right that they should haue.
¶ So long as Guilde Hall dooth remain, there shall remain like wise:
A memory of Feltons facts, before all peoples eyes.
Iohn Felton Traitor which denied the Queen our supreme head:
Iohn Felton Traitor which aduanc't the Pope his Bul of lead.
Iohn Felton Traitor which did séek a forren power to place:
Against our Queen Elizabeth, high Treason to her grace.
Iohn Felton Traitor which so raild against the Iudges graue:
Iohn Felton Traitor, which denied his Iudgement for to haue.
¶ Yea if that men doo want to read the Livelles that are writ:
The pauing stones wil witnes bear his Treason to requit.
¶ His Blasphemyes. his raging spite, his brainles wilful talke,
Dame Fame with Eccho shall refound in eu'ry caue to walke.
Iohn Felton Papist héer was raignd, that Traiterous rebelméer:
That faithles man, that Hypocrite receiued Iudgement héer.
¶ So long as Newgate stands in sight, his memory shall last:
And witnes bear what blasphemies out of his mouth he cast.
¶ When learned men & Preachers graue be stowd their learned pain:
To win his Soule to Iesus Christe how he did them disdaine.
¶ How obstinatly he did rest in his vnskilful minde:
That none could him perswade to sée he was so wilful blinde.
¶ That shall the Stones of Newgate tel, if Papists would denye:
And how he did aduaunce the Pope whiche made him sence so hye.
¶ Refusing councel of Gods Book none could perswade his hart:
In any point to trust the truthe wherby he should conuert.
¶ The stayers there in morne can tel how Preachers did exhort:
That he would change his foolish minde [...] Christe the strongest Fort.
¶ But stil he said, I am right wel perswaded sure I:
And as I am perswaded, so I mene in that to dye.
¶ In Christe if his perswasion were no dout there was no shame:
But that vnto the Church of GOD he might haue colde the same.
¶ For (Corde creditur) saith Paule with hart to think makes iust:
But (Ore fit) Confession is saluacion sure to trust.
¶ But his Confession there did tel, what faith was in his minde:
Anto his sauiour Iesus Christe truly but small to finde
But to the Pope that horned beast his hart was fixt ful sure:
And it to leaue while life did last none could him once procure.
¶ The Draile wheron he lay fast bound in midst olde baily stréet:
Shall tel that Preachers woords for ay which then there did him méet.
¶ Oh Felton (said he) now relent now dooth approche the time:
When it wilde to late for qrée for too repent thy cryme.
¶ Now yéeld to Christe, trust in his blood [...]e [...]y the Pope and all:
Defy his Bulles and Pardons vile, which haue begun thy thrall.
GOD yet dooth offer thée his grace, Christe Iesus spredes his armes:
Yet to receiue thy soule to grace and to preuent thy harmes.
¶ But he as graceles héeld on stil in latin Prayers tho:
And gaue no eare vnto the man that did exhort him so.
¶ At last the Preacher said again, oh Felton yet forsake
Thine errors blinde, by Iesus Christe a perfit end to make.
¶ As thogh (said he) moste stoutly then, ye would the People blase:
And make them think I died not wel this said he without maze.
¶ So may they think (quod he again) except thou doo repent:
Because against bothe Christe & Queen, thy Treason thou hast bent.
¶ Oh iudge me not (quod Felton then) I'le iudge (quod th'other) thée:
For Christe hath taught me by the fruteꝭ alwayes to iudge the Trée.
¶ While thou art héer I iudge thy déed but GOD shall iudge thée ay:
And if thou doo not now repent, Hel fire shalbe thy pay.
¶ All this benignitie of GOD, this Felton did dispise:
And gaue no ear til as he saw the Gallows with his eyes.
¶ Which Gallow tréein Paules Chur­che yard shall tel the endles shame:
Of Felton there for Treason hangd to peril of his name.
¶ And eke the Groūd shall witnes bear how Conscience his was vrged:
By Preachers, which by truthe did hope his hart then to haue purged.
¶ But GOD (I think) had thē shut vp the bowelles of his grace:
To him, whose stubburn hart before refusde truthe to imbrace.
¶ For Miserere on his knées all trembling he did say:
But softly to him self that few could hear what he did pray.
¶ Belike he thought as Papists doo, the Latin to excel:
And so he thought his prayer said therin to be ful wel.
¶ For he did neuer once desire Gods people to assist
Him in his prayers he then made, but did euen as he list.
¶ Much les then to repent his fall and turn to GOD by grace:
On Ladder he gan spake alowd, maintaining of his cace.
¶ And purg'd his hart of Treason quite that euer it was cléer:
Which when the woorthy Sherif heard, he said that all might hear.
Felton, a more malicious feat of Treason neuer was:
Then thou a Traitor rāk hast wrought and falsly brought to passe.
¶ Then was he hanged vp a while, in what a cace GOD knowes:
Such as haue iudgement in the act, I leaue the end to those.
¶ Cut down he was and liu'd again, but after spake not much:
For why? the Executioner seru'd him but a Traitors tuch.
¶ So no good signe in life or death of any Christian minde:
But as he liu'd (I say) he died a paruerst Papist blinde.
¶ But this may make the Papists ioy, that they had one so stout:
For their Relgion and their looue, to passe such torments out:
¶ But let them stay, Religion was no cause why he so died:
But sure because the English lawes a Traitor rank him fried.
¶ He would haue made Religion his plea when he was brought
To his examination, but that preuaild him nought.
¶ For his Religion hey had not to dele with him at all:
But for high Treason he was iudged, in midst of the GuiIde Hall.
¶ And when he saw Religious scuse could not his torment stay:
But that he must by force of Law to Traitors death obey.
¶ Such Sprite him led as in him was moste wilfully to stand
Against Gods truthe whiche now is preacht throughout this Britain Lād.
¶ So, so mtime GOD for sinners sakes dooth giue the Deuil power:
To holde mens mindes in error fast, that he should them deuoure.
¶ And Sathan is so false him self that he can soon infect
All such with vile Hypocrisie whom GOD wil so reiect.
¶ But sure I think if Treason has not brought him to his death:
Religion neuer was so déer to him as t'end his breth.
¶ For neuer yet was heard or séen for such Religions sake:
That any only haue béen brought to dye at Block or Stake.
¶ Ful many of that godles sect haue béen attainted sure:
And haue for Treason suffred smarts as Law dooth right procure.
¶ And haue in iudgement and in death as destitute of grace:
Continewd as this Felton did which makes me rue his cace.
¶ For sure his bodyes death I nought at all did then lament:
But death of body and of souls dooth make my hart relent.
¶ Beware ye papists all take héed I read you yet beware:
And cast all Popery from your harts take héed of hellish rore.
¶ And if you wil not, yet be true to GOD and our good Queen:
I pray to GOD that all your endes as Feltons may be séen.
¶ And GOD saue Queen Elizabeth from Papists wil and power:
That sharpned swoord by Gospelles force may all her Foes deuoure.

Amen.

ꝙ T. Knel. Iuni.

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