A briefe discourse of the late murther of master George Saunders, a worshipfull citizen of London and of the apprehension, arreignement, and execution of the principall and accessaries of the same.

A briefe discourse of the late murther of master George Saunders, a worshipfull citizen of London and of the apprehension, arreignement, and execution of the principall and accessaries of the same.

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Anne Saunders confession as she spake it at the place of execution.

The Prayer whiche was said by Anne Saunders at the place of execution, the copie wherof, she deliuered vnto the right honourable the E•…rle of Bedforde.

note of a certaine saying vvhich Master Saunders had lefte written with his owne hand in his studie.

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A briefe discourse of the late murther of master George Saunders, a worshipfull Citizen of London: and of the apprehension, arreignement, and execution of the principall and accessaries of the same.

¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bvnneman, dvvelling in Knight riders streete, at the signe of the Mermayde. ANNO. 1573.

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FOr asmuche as the late murther of Master Saunders, Citizen and Merchant taylor of this Citie, ministreth great occasion of talk among al sorts of men, not only here in the Towne, but also farre abrode in the Countrie, and generally through the whole Realme: and the sequeles and accidents ensewing therevpon, bréede muche diuersitie of reports & opinions, while some do ius [...]ly de [...]est the horriblenesse of the vngratious facte, some lamente the gréeuous losse of their deare friends, some reioyce at the commendable execution of vpright iustice, the godlye bewayle the vnmeasurable inclination of humane nature to extreame wickednesse, and therewith magnifie Gods infinite mercie in reuoking of forlorne sinners to finall repentance, many delight to heare and tell newes, without respect of the certentie of the truth, or regarde of dewe humanitie, euery man debating of the matter as occasion or affection leades him, and few folke turning the aduised consideration of Gods open iudgements, to the spéedie reformation of their owne secrete faults: It is thought conuenient (gentle reader) [Page] to giue thée a playne declaration of the whole matter, according as the same is come to light by open triall of Justice, and voluntarie confession of the parties, that thou mayst both knowe the truth to the satisfying of thy mind, & the auoyding of miscredite, and also vse the example to the amendment of thy life. Not withstanding thou shalt not looke for a full disco [...]erie of euery particuler bymatter appendant to the presente case, whiche mighte serue to feede the fond humor of such curious appetites as are more inquisitiue of other folkes offences than hastie to redresse their owne: for that were neyther expedient nor necessarie. And mens misdoings are to be prosecuted no further with open detestation, thā till the partiés be eyther reclaymed by reasonable and godly perswasion, or punished by orderly and lawfull execution, according to the q [...]alitie of their offence. When lawe hath once passed vpon them, and giu [...] them the wages of their wicked deserts: thē christian charitie willeth men eyther to burie the faults with the offendours in perpetual silence, or else so to speake of them, as the vices and not the parties them selues may seeme to be any more touched.

But [...] shall more be spoken (God [Page] willing) in the winding vp of this matter. Nowe I will set downe, first: he murthering of master Saunders by George Brown, with Brownes apprehension, triall and execution: then the trial and execution of Anne Saunders, the wife of the sayd George Saunders, of Anne [...] widowe, and of Roger Clement, called among them trustye Roger the seruant of the sayd Anne Drewrie: And lastlye a briefe rehearsall of certaine sayings and dealings of the parties conuicted, betwene the tyme of their apprehensions, and the tyme of their execution, whiche are not thinges propre and peculiar to the very bodie of the case, but yet incident, and therfore necessarie for the hearer, as wherby will appeare the verie originall cause and firste grounde of this vngodlye deede: And this rehearsall shall be shutte vp and concluded with a shorte Admon [...]tion howe we ought to deale in this and al other suche cases.

The [...]uisdaye in Easter wéeke laste past (which was the. xxiiij. day of March) the sayde George Browne receyuing secrete intelligence by letter from mistresse Drewrie, that master Saunders shoulde lodge the same nighte at the house of one M [...]ster Barnes in Woolwich, and from thence go [Page] [...]n foote to [...] Marie Cray the nexte morning: met him by the way a litle from shooters hill, betwene seuen and eight of the clocke in the fore noone, and there [...]lew both him, and also one Iohn Beane the seruant of the said Master Earnes.

[...] as master [...] felt himself [...] to haue his deathes wou [...]de (for [...] was striken quite and cleane through at the first blowe,) he kneeled downe, and lifting vp his handes and eyes vnto [...], sayd, God haue mercie vpon [...], and forgiue me my [...], and thee too, (speaking to Browne, whome in [...] he knewe not, whatsoeuer report hath beene made of former acquayntance betwixte them) and with that worde he gaue vp the Ghost. And Browne (as he himselfe confessed afterward) was [...] at striken with suche a terrour and agonie of hart, as he wis [...] not what to doo, b [...]t was at the poynt to haue fain [...]ed euen then and o [...]tentimes else that day, and coulde brooke nother meate nor dri [...]ke that he receyued of all that day after. He was so abashed afterward at the sight of one of master Saunders [...] [...] children, as he had much a doo too forbeare from [...] in the street, a [...] [...] of the secret woorking of God [...] terrible wrath in a guiltie [Page] and bluddie conscience. But M. Barnesis man hauing ten or eleuen deadly wounds, and being left for dead, did by Gods woonderfull prouidence [...] againe, and créeping a great waye [...]n all soure, (for hée could nother go nor stande) was fownd by an old man and [...]is mayden that went that way to séeke their kine, and conueyed too [...], where be gaue euident t [...]kens and markes of the [...]: and so conti [...] still aliue [...]ill he had bin apprehended and brought vnto him, dyed the next Munday after. Immediatly, vpon the déede dooing, Browne sente mis [...] resse Drewrye woorde thereof by [...] Roger, he himself repayred foorthwith to the Court at [...] wich, and anone after him [...] thither the report of the murther also▪ Then departed he thence vnto London [...] wayes, and came to the [...] of Mistresse [...], [...] he spake not personally with hir. But [...] conference had with him, by hir seruant Roger, she prouided him. xx. pounds the same day, for the which mistresse Drewry layde certaine [...] of hir owne and of [...] Saunders to gage.

And vpon the next day béeing Thursday morning (hauyng in the meane tyme had intelligence that Browne was soughte [Page] for) they sente him sixe poundes more by the sayde Roger, and warned him to shifte for himselfe by flight, which thing he fors [...]owed not to doe. Neuerthelesse the Lordes of the Queenes Maiesties Counsell, caused so spéedie and narow searche to be made for hym in all places, that vpon the. 28 of the same moneth he was apprehēded in a mās house of his own name at Rochester, by the Maior of the towne: and beeing broughte backe againe to the Courte, was examined by the Counsell, vnto whome he confessed the deede, as you haue hearde, and that he had oftentymes before pretended & soughte to do the same, by the instigation of the said widowe Dr [...]w [...]ie, who (as he sayd) had promised to make a mariage betwéen him and mistresse Saunders, (whōme he séemed to loue excessiuely,) the desire of whiche hope ha [...]ed him forwarde to dispatche the fact.

Neuertheles he protested, (howbeit vntruly) y• mistres Saunders was not priuie nor cōsentyng thervnto. Upon this confessiō he was arr [...]igned at y• Kings Bench in Westmin [...]er [...]l on friday y• xvij of April, wher acknowledging himself guiltie, he was cō demned as Principall of the murther of master Saun [...]s according to whiche sentence he was executed in Smithfield on monday [Page] the. xx. of the same moneth, at whiche tyme (thoughe vntruely, as she hir selfe [...]ssed afterwarde) he laboured by all m [...], to cleare mistresse Saunders, of cōmitting e [...]il of hir bodie with him: and afterward wa [...] hanged [...] in ch [...]s [...]éere vnto the place where he hadde [...] the [...].

Thus much [...] the very case of the murther it [...], and [...] [...] of the principall doe [...] [...] [...]. As for the a [...] knowledgement of the former wick [...]dnesse of his life, and the heartie [...] that he pretended for the same, [...] to his [...] death, I deferce them to the [...] parte of this matter, to whiche p [...]ce [...] [...] do more peculiarly pe [...]. In the [...] time, mystresse Drevvrie and hir man béeing examined, and as well by their owne confessions, as by the falling out [...] of the matter in consequēce, and also by Brown [...]s appeachment, thought culpable, were committed to warde. And anone after [...] Saunders béeing deliuered of childe & ch [...]rched (for at the time of hir husbands death she looked presently to lye do [...]e) was vpon mistresse Drewries mans confession, and vpon other great likelyhoodes and presumptions likewise committed to warde, and [...]n wednesday, the sixth of May, arreigned [Page] with mistresse Drewrie, at the Guilde hall, the effecte of wh [...]se seuerall inditements is this: That they had by a letter written, bene procurers of the sayde murther, and so accessaries before the fact: And knowing the murther done, had by money, and otherwise, relie [...]ed and béene ayding to the murtherer, and so accessaries also after the facte. Whervnto they both of them pleaded not giltie. And mistresse Saunders, notwithstanding the auouchement of mistresse Drewries man face to face, and the great probabilities of the euidence giuen in against hir by master Geffrey, the Quéenes Maiesties Serieant, stoode so stoutly s [...]il to the deniall of all things, (in which stoute deniall she continued also a certayne tyme after hir condemnation) that some were brought in a blinde beliefe, that either she was not giltie at al, or else had but brought hir selfe in danger of lawe through ignorance, and not through pretenced malice. Howbeit, forasmuche as bare▪ do [...]all is no sufficient barre to discharge manyfest matter, and apparant euidence: they were both condemned as accessaries to master Saunders death, and executed in Smith [...]ld the thirteenth of May, beeing the wednesday i [...] the Whitson weeke, at whiche time they [Page] both of them confessed them selues guiltis of the facte, for which they were condemned, and with verye greate repentaunce and weakenesse, receyued the rewarde of their trespasse, in the presence of many personages of honor and worship, and of so great a number of people, as the like hathe not bene séene there togither in any mans reme [...]braunce. For almoste the whole fielde, and all the way from newgate, was as full of folke as coulde well stande one by another: and besides that, great companies were placed bothe in the chambers neere abouts (whose windowes & walles were in many places beaten down to looke out at) and also vpon the gutters, sides, and toppes of the houses, and vpon the battlements and stéeple of S. Bartholmewes.

Mistresse Drewries man was arreignéd at Newgate on Friday the. vi [...]. of Maye, & being there condemned as accessarie, was executed with his mistresse, at the time and place aforesayd.

Thus haue ye heard the murthering of master Saunders, with the apprehension, arreignement, condemnation, and execution of the principall and of the accessaries to the same. Now let vs procéede to the incidents that ha [...]ed from the times of their [Page] apprehensions, to the time of their deathes, and so to the ad [...]ion, which is the conclusion and fruite of this whole matter.

Whereas it was determined that mistresse Saunders & mistresse Drewrie should haue suffered▪ vpon the [...] saterday after their condemnation, whiche was Whitson euen: the matter was stayde till the wednesday in Whitson wéeke, vpon these occasions ensuing. The booke of Maister [...] ders accomptes and reckenings, whervpon depended the knowlege of his whole state, was myssing. Certaine summes of money were sayd [...] to: be in the handes of parties vnknowne, the intelligence whereof was desyred and sought for to the be [...]e of master Saunders children. The parties co [...] ted were to be reformed to Godwarde, and to be broughte to the willing confessing of the things for whiche they had bene iustly condemned, and whiche as yet they [...] natly concealed.

And besides al this, one Mell, a minister that had heretofore ben suspended from his Ministerie, accompanying mistresse Saunders, from hir condemnation to Newgate, and conferring with hir as it had bene to giue hir good counsell and comforte, was so blynded wyth hir solemne asseuerations [Page] and protestations of innocencie, that notwithstanding he had heard hir inditement, with the exact and substantiall triall of hir case: yet notwithstandyng, he perswaded himselfe that she was vtterly cléere, and thereuppon falling in loue with hir, dealte with mistresse D [...]e to take the whole guilt vpon hir selfe, vndertaking to sue for mistresse Saunders pardon. And so what by his terrifying of hir, with the horroure of mischarging and ca [...]ing away of an innocent, what with his promising of certayne money to the mariage of hir daughter, and with other perswasions: she was so wholly woonne that way, that as wel before certaine personages of honour, as also before the Deane of Paules & others, she vtterly cléered mistresse Saunders of the facte, or of cōsent to the same, taking the whol [...] blame thereof to hir selfe, and [...] to stande therin to the death, contrarie to hir former confession at the tyme of hir arr [...]ement.

Mistresse Saunders also, after the laying of this platte, stoode so stoutely to hir tackling, that when the Deane of Paules gaue hir godly exhortation for the clearing of hir conscience, and for the recōciling of hir selfe vnto God, as the time and case most needefully required, (as other had done before) he [Page] could obtayne nothing at hir hande. By meanes whereof, he was [...]ayne to leaue hir that time, which was the Friday, not without great griefe and indignation of mind to sée hir [...] [...]. In the meane while, the say [...] Mell discouering his purpose and whole platforme to an honest Gentleman, whom he vnskilfully toke to haue bin a welwiller to obtayne the pardon of mistresse Saunders, was partly by that meanes, and also by other [...] of his [...], cut off from his enterprise. For when he came to sue for hir pardon, which thing he did with such outrage of doting affection, that he not only proffered sūmes of mony, but also offered his owne body & life for the safety of the woman, whom he protested vpon his conscience to be v [...]ilty. The Lordes of the counsell knowing hir to be rightly cōdemned by good iustice, and being [...] to the state of the case beforeh [...]nd, and also finding him out by his owne vnwise [...] (whereof among other one was, th [...]t he intēded to marie hir) not only frustrated his desire, but also adiudged him to stande vpon the pillorie, with apparant notes and significations of his lewde and [...] [...]. According to the which [...] [...] ▪ he was set [...] a [...] [...] [Page] the place of execution at the tyme of theyr suffering, with a paper pinned vpon hys breast, wherein were written certain wordes in great Letters conteyning the effects of his fact, to his open shame: [...], For practising to colour the detestable factes of George Saunders wife. Which was a very good lesson to teache all persons to refrayne frō any deuises or practises to deface or discredite the honorable procéedings of Counsellours, and publike & lawfull forme of trialles and iudgementes according to Justice, or to hinder the beneficiall course of so good examples.

By this occasion Mistresse Sanders was vtterly vnprouided to die at that time, and therfore as well in respect of mercie, as for the considerations aforesaid, a further respite was giuen to them vnwitting, and a repriuie was sent by M. Mack williams for a time if neede were. In the meane time, (that is to wit vpon the saturday morning) the constant reporte goeth, that as certaine men came talking through Newgate, one happened to speake lowde of the gallowes that was set vp, and of the greatnesse and strongnes of the same, saying [...]t would hold them both and moe, the sounde of whiche wordes did so pierce into the watchfull [Page] eares of mistresse Saunders, who lay nearehand, that being striken to the heart with the horror of the present death which she loked for that day, she went immediatly to mistresse Drewrie, and telling hir that she knew certainely by the wordes which she had heard, that they should by all likelihode be executed that day, asked hir if she would stand to hir former promise. But mistresse Drewrie after better consideration of hir selfe, counselling hir to fall to playne and simple dealing: telling hi [...], that for hir owne parte she was fully determined not to dissemble any longer, nor to hazarde hir owne soule eternally for the safetie of an other bodies temporall life. Then Mistresse Saunders, who had determined to acknowledge nothing agaynst hir selfe, so long as she might bee in any hope of life, howbeit that she always purposed to vtter the truth whensoeuer she should come to the instant of death, as she hir self conf [...]sed afterward: being striken both with feare and remorse, did by the aduise of master Co [...]e, (who laboured verie earnestly with hir to bring hir to repentance, and was come to hir verye early that morning, because it was thought they shoulde haue bene executed presently) send for the Deane of Paules agayne, and [Page] bewayling hir former stubburnes, declared vnto him and master Cole, master Charke, and master Yong, that shée had giuen hir consent and procurement to hir husbandes death, through vnlawfull luste and liking that she had to Brown confessing hir sinfulnesse of life committed with him: and humbly submitting hirselfe to hir deserued punishment, besought them of spirituall comfort and councell, which thing they were glad to perceyue, and therevpon employed their trauell to do them good: and laboured very painfully to instruct them aright: for (God wote) they founde all the thrée prisoners very rawe and ignorant in all things perteyning to God & to their soule health, yea and euen in the very principles of the Christen religion. Neuerthelesse through Gods good working with their labour, they recouered them out of Sathans kingdome vnto Christ, insomuch that besides their voluntary acknowledging of their late heinous fact, they also detested the former sinfulnesse of their life, and willingly yelded to the death which they had shunned, vttering such certaine tokens of their vnfayned repentance by all kinde of modestie & méekenesse, as no greater could be deuised. For Mistresse Saunders the same day sent for [Page] hir husbands brothers and their wiues and kinsfolke that were in the towne, whiche came vnto hir the day before hir death: in whose presence she knéeling mildely on hir knées, with abundance of sorrowful teares, desired them of forgiuenesse for bereuing them of their deare brother and friende: wherevnto master Saunders. the Lawyer in the name of them al answered, that as they were very sori [...] both for the losse of theyr friend, and also for hir heinous fault, so they heartily forgaue [...]ir, and in token thereof knéeled downe altogyther, praying to GOD wyth hir and for hir, that hée also woulde remitte hir sinne.

Besides this pitiful submission, she also bewayled hir offence towardes hir owne kinred, whome she had stayned by hir trespas, and towardes the whole worlde, [...] she had offended by hir crime, but especially hir children, whome she had not onely ber [...]fte bothe of father and mother, but also lefte them a coarsie and shame. Wherfore, after exhortation giuen to suche of them as were of any capacitie and discretion, that they shoulde feare God, and learne by hir fall to auoyde sinne: she gaue eche of those a booke of maister Bradfordes meditations, wherin she desired the foresayd thrée preachers [Page] to write some admonition as they thought good: Whiche doone, she subscribed them with these wordes: Youre [...]orowfull mother Anne Saunders. And so blessing thē in the name of God & of our Sauior Iesus Christ, she sent thē away out of hir sorowfull sight, and gaue hir selfe wholly to the settling of hir grieued heart to the quiet receiuing of the bitter cup, which she dranke of the nexte day, as [...]ath bene tolde before. Howbeit, without doubt, to hir euerlasting comforte.

And mistresse Drewrie no lesse carefull of hir owne state, besides hir humble repentance in the prison, and hir earnest desiring of the people to pray for hir selfe, and the others with hir as they came toward execucution, did vpon the Carte not onely confesse hir giltinesse of the facte, as mistresse Saunders had don, but also with great lowlinesse and reuerence first knéeling downe towards the Earle of Bedforde and other noble men that were on horssbacke on the East side of the stage, tooke it vpon hir death that whereas it had bin reported of hir that she had poysoned hir late husbande Master Drewrie, and dealt with witchcraft and sorcerie, and also appeached diuers merchante mens wiues of dissolute and vnchast liuing, [Page] she had done none of all those thinges, but was vtterlie cleare bothe to God and the worlde of all suche manner of dealing. And then with like obeysance, turning hir [...]fe to the [...]arle of [...], who was in a chamber behinde hir, she protested vnto him before God, that whereas she had bene reported to haue bene the cause of separation betwixte him and my Lady his wyfe: she neither procured nor consented to any suche thing. But otherwise, wheras in the time of hir seruice in his house, she had offended him, in neglecting or contemning hir duetie, she acknowledged hir fault, and besoughte him for Gods sake to forgiue hir: who very honorably, and [...]uen with teares accepted hir submission, and openly protested him selfe to pray hartily to God for hir.

Hir seruant also, hauing openly acknowledged his offence, kneeled meekly downe, praying seuerally with a preacher, as [...]he of them had done at their first comming to the place. Which done, they were all put in a readinesse by the Executioner, and at one instant (by drawing away the Cart wheron they stoode) were sent togither out of this worlde vnto God.

And Browne also, a good while afore, during [Page] the time of his imprisonment, cōming to a better minde than he had bene of in time paste, confessed that he had not héeretofore frequēted sermons, nor receiued the holy sacrament, nor vsed any calling vpon God priuate or publike, nor giuē him selfe to reading of holy Scripture, or any bookes of godlynesse: but had altogither followed the appetites and lustes of his sinfull flesh, euen with greedinesse and outragious contempt both of God and man. Neuerthelesse God was so good vnto him, and schooled him so well in that short time of imprisonment, as he cloased vp his life with a maruellous apparance of heartie repentance, constant trust in Gods mercy through Iesus Christ, and willingnesse to forsake this miserable worlde.

Nowe remayneth to shewe what is to be gathered of this terrible example, and how we oughte to apply the same to our owne behoofe. First I note with S. Paule, that when men regarde not to knowe God, or not to honour him when they know him: God giueth them ouer to their own lustes, [...]o as they runne on from sinne to sinne, and from mischiefe to mischiefe, to do suche things as are shamefull and odious, euen in the sight of the worlde, to their owne vnauoidable [Page] perils. And when the measure of their iniquitie is filled vp, there is no way for them to escape the iustice of God, which they haue prouoked. Insomuche, that if they might eschue all bodily punishment: yet the very hell of their owne conscience would prosecute them, and the sting of their minde would be a continuall prison, torment, and torture to them, wheresoeuer they went. Agayne on the other side, we must marke the infinit greatnesse of Gods wisdome and mercy, who perceyuing the peruerse wilfulnesse of mans frowarde nature to sinning, suffreth men sometimes to runne so long vpon the bridle, till it séeme to themselues, that they may safely do what they liste, and to the worlde, that they be past recouerie vnto goodnesse: and yet in the end catching them in their chiefe pride, he rayseth them by their ouerthrow, amendeth them by their wickednesse, and reuiueth them by their death, in such wise blotting out the stayne of their former filthe, that their darknesse is turned into light, and their terrour to their comfort. Moreouer, when God bringeth such matters vpon the stage, vnto y• open face of the world: It is not to the intent that men should gaze and wonder at the persons, as byrdes do at [Page] an Owle, not that they should delight them selues & others with the fond & perad [...]ture sinister repor [...]ing of them, nor vpbrayd the whole stocke and kinred with the fault of the offenders: no surely, God meaneth no such thing. His purpose is, that the [...] of his iudgements, should by the terrour of the outward sight of the example, driue vs [...]o the inward cōsideration of our selues. Beholde, wee bée all made of the same moulde, printed with the same stampe, and indued with the same nature that the offenders are. We be the impes of the olde Adam, and the venim of sinne whiche he receiued from the olde serpent, is shedde into vs all, and woorketh effectually in vs all.

Suche as the roote is, suche are the braunches, and the twiggs of a thorne or bramble can beare no grapes. That we stande, it is the benefite of Gods grace, and not the goodnesse of our nature, nor the strengthe of oure owne will. That they are falne, it was of frayltie: wherfrom we be no more priuiledged than they: and that shoulde we ouersoone perceiue by experience, if we wer left to our selues. He that looketh s [...]erely into other mennes faultes, is lightly blynd in his owne: and he that either vpbraydeth the repentant that hath receyued punishement, [Page] or reprocheth the kinred or ofspring with the fault of the auncester or alye, how greate so euer the same hath ben: sheweth himselfe not to haue any remorse of his owne sinnes, nor to remember that he him selfe also is a man: but (which thyng he woulde little thinke) he fully matcheth the crime of the misdoer, if he do not surmount it by his presumptuousnesse.

When it was tolde oure Sauiour Chryst that Pylate had mingled the bloud of certain men with their owne sacrifise, what aunswere made hée? Did hée detest the offenders? did he declame against their dooings? Did he exaggerate the fault of the one, or the crueltie of the other? No. But framing and applying the example too the reformation of the hearer, suppose ye (sayd he) that those Galileans wer greater sinners than all the other Galileans, bycause they suffered such punishment? I tell you nay: but except ye repente, ye shall all likewise perish. Or think ye that those eightene vpon whom the toure in Silo fell, and slew them, were sinners aboue all y• dwelt in Hierusalem? I tel you nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all perishe likewise. Let vs applie this to our presente purpose. Were those whō we saw iustly executed in Smith [Page] [...]eld greater sinners than al other English people? were they greater sinners than all Lōdoners? Were they greater sinners thā all that looked vpon them? No verily: but except their exāple leade vs to repentance, we shall all of vs come to as [...]ore punishement in this worlde, or else to sorer in the worlde to come. Their faults came into the open Theater, & therefore seemed the greater to our eyes, and surely they were great in déede: neyther are ours the le [...]e, bicause they ly [...] hidden in the couert of oure hearte. God the searcher of all secrets séeth them, and if he list he can also discouer them. He hath shewed in some, what al of vs deserue, to prouoke vs al to repentance, that al of vs myght haue mercie at his hand, and shewe mercie one to an other, & with one mouthe and one hearte glorifie his goodnesse. It is sayde by the Prophete Samuel, that disobedience is as the sinne of Witchcrafte. Lette euery of vs looke into himselfe (but first lette him put on the spectacles of Gods lawe, and carie the lyghte of Gods worde with him) and he shall sée suche a gulfe of disobedience in himselfe, as he maye well thinke there is none offender but himselfe. I say not this as a cloaker of offences, that white should not be called white, & blacke: [Page] blacke: or as a patrone o [...] [...]sdoers, that they shoulde not haue their deserued hyre: but to represse our hastie iudgementes and vncharitable spéeches, that we myght both detest wickednesse with perfect hatred, and rue the persons with christē modestie: knowing that with what measure we met vnto others, with the same shall it be moten to vs agayne.

Finally, let al folkes both maried and vnmaried, learne hereby to possesse and kéepe their vessell in honestie and cleannesse. For if the knot betwene man and wife (whiche ought to be inseparable) be once broken, it is seldome or neuer knit again. And though it be, yet is not the wound so throughly healed, but there appéereth some skarre euer after. But if the sore rancle & fester inwardly (as commonly it doth except the more grace of God be) in the end it bursteth forth to the destructiō or hurt of both parties, not lightly without great harme to others also besides themselues, as we sée by this example. For when the body which was dedicated to God to be his temple and the tab [...]rnacle of his holy spirite, is become the sinke of sinne and cage of vncleannesse the deuill ceasseth not to driue the parties still headlong vnto naughtinesse, till they be falne eyther into [Page] open shame and daunger of temporall law: or into damnable destruction both of body soule, according as Salomon in his Prouerbes sayth, that the steps of a harlot leade downe vnto death, and hir feete perce euen vnto hell. Therefore good reader, so heare and reade this present example, as the same may turne to the bettering of thy state, and not to occasion of slaunder, nor to the hurt of thine owne conscience, nor to the offence of thy Christian brethren.

Farewell.

A. G.

Anne Saunders confession as she spake it at the place of execution.

[Page]

GOod people, I am come hither to die the deathe, wherevnto I am adiudged, as worthely & as deseruedly as euer died any: I had a good husband, by whom I had manie children, with whom I liued in wealth, & might haue done stil, had not the deuill kindled in my hearte, first the hellish firebrand of vnlawfull lust, & afterward a murtherous intent to procure my saide husbande to be bereued of his life, which was also by my wicked meanes accomplished, as to the world is known. And as I woulde if he coulde heare me, if it might be, prostrate vpon the ground, at my husbands feete, aske mercy with plentiful teares of him, so that which I may & I oughte to doe, I aske mercye of God, I aske mercie of all men and women of the world, whō by my deede & example I haue offended: and especiallye I [Page] bewaile my husbande, & aske mecie of my childrē whōe I haue beraued of so good a father, I aske mercy of his kindred and frendes whome I haue hurt, & of all my frends & kindred, of whom I am abashed and ashamed: and beyng of my selfe vnworthy of pittie, yet I besech them all, & you all, & all the whole worlde euen for gods sake, and for our sauiour Christs sake to forgiue me. And I thank God with my whole harte, he hathe not suffered me to haue the reigne and bridle of sinning gyuen me at my will, to the daunger of my eternall damnatiō, but that he hath founde out my sin, & brought me to punishment in this world, by his fatherly correctiō, to amend, to spare, and saue me in the world to come: & I beseche him graunte me his heauenly grace, that all who do behold or shall heare of my death, maye by the example therof be frayed from like sinning. And I besech you all to pray for me and with me.

The Prayer whiche was said by Anne Saunders at the place of execution, the copie wherof, she deliuered vnto the right honourable the E [...]rle of Bedforde.

[Page]

AS I doe confesse vvyth great sorrovv (O deare [...]ather) that I haue grieuously, and oftentimes inned againste heauen and against thee, & am [...]vvorthy to be called thy daughter, so (O deare Father) I acknovvledge thy mercy, thy grace and loue tovvards me, most vvretched sinner, offred me in my Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe, in vvhom thou giuest me an hearte to repent. And by repentance hast put away my sinnes, and throvvne them into the bottome of the Sea, O deare Father encrease and continue this grace vntill the ende, and in the ende. I testifie this day (O Lord my God) thy loue, O Lorde, thy sauing health is li [...]e euerlasting, and ioy vvithout end: and bicause thou hast [Page] touched my sinfull heart vvith the [...] pleasure of my sinne, and vvith a de [...] of thy kingdome, O deare Father, [...] thy Christes sake, as I hope thou vvilt, so I beseeche thee to finishe that good vvorke in me. Suffer me not, mercifull and louing Father, to be troubled vvith death vvhen it layeth holde on me: nor vvith the loue of life, vvhen it shalbe taken avvay. O Lorde, novve as thou hast, so still lifte vp my soule as it vvere vvith an eagles vvings vnto Heauen, there to beholde thee. Lorde into thy hands I commit my body, that it be not troubled in death, and my soule, that it see not damnation. Come Lorde Iesu, come assiste me vvith thy holy spirite, a vveake vvomā in a strong battell, come Lord Iesu, come quickly saue thy hand maide that putteth hir trust in thee, behold me in Christ, receiue me in christ, in vvhose name I pray saying. Our Father. &c.

Anne Saūders dying to the world, and liuing to God.

After this she also said a godly Prayer out of the Serice boke which is vsed to be said at the hour of death

note of a certaine saying vvhich Master Saunders had lefte written with his owne hand in his studie.

[Page]

CHriste shalbe magnified in my body, whither it be thorough life or else death. For Christe is too me life, and death is too me aduauntage. These wordes were. M. Nowels Theame which he preached at the buriall of my brother Haddon vpon Thursday beyng y•. xxv. day of [...] Anno. Do. 1570. Anno. R [...] ginae Elizabeth. 13. Amōg other things which he prēached, this saying of his is to be had alwayes in remembrance, that is, that we must all (when we come to pray) first accuse and cōdemne our selues for our sinnes committed against God before the seate of hys Iustice, and then after cleaue vnto him by faythe in the mercy and merites of our Sauioure and Redéemer Iesus Christ, whereby we are assured of eternall saluation.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

A briefe discourse of the late murther of master George Saunders, a worshipfull citizen of London and of the apprehension, arreignement, and execution of the principall and accessaries of the same.

Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.

Edition statement

1573

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01843

ID [STC]

STC 11985

ID [STC]

ESTC S119743

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99854949

ID [PROQUEST]

99854949

ID [VID]

20415

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01843)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 20415)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 568:09)

Source

— A briefe discourse of the late murther of master George Saunders, a worshipfull citizen of London and of the apprehension, arreignement, and execution of the principall and accessaries of the same., Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606..

Extent

[32] p.

By Henry Bynneman, dvvelling in Knightriders streete, at the signe of the Mermayde,. Imprinted at London :: Anno. 1573.. (For a play based on this event, see STC 25089--Cf. STC.) (Initialed at end: A.G.) (Signatures: A-D⁴.) (Imperfect; as filmed, much of text too light to read.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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