JOHN ROGERS
JOHN ROGERS
John Rogers was educated at the University of Cambridge then served as chaplain to the English merchants living in Antwerp, The Netherlands. There he met William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, both of whom had previously fled England. Converted to Protestantism, Rogers aided the two in translating the Bible into English, married, and moved to Wittenberg, where he was given a congregation of his own.
Rogers served his congregation for many years before returning to England during the reign of King Edward VI, who had banished Catholicism and made Protestantism the state religion. He served in St. Paul’s until Queen Mary took the throne, banished the Gospel, and brought Catholicism back to England.
Even then, Rogers continued to preach against the queen’s proclamation until the council ordered him to remain under house arrest in his own home, which he did, even though he could easily have left the country. Protestantism was not going to flourish under Queen Mary. Rogers knew he could find work in Germany; and he did have a large family to think of, but he refused to abandon his cause to save his life. He remained a prisoner in his own house for a long time, but eventually Bonner, bishop of London, had Rogers imprisoned in Newgate with thieves and murderers, and Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, condemned him to death.
Early on the morning of Monday, February 4, 1555, the jailer’s wife woke Rogers and told him to hurry and dress; this was the day he was to burn. His wife and children met him on the way to Smithfield, but Rogers still refused to recant. Arriving at Smithfield, he was given one more chance by Sheriff Woodroofe.
“That which I have preached I will seal with my blood,” Rogers replied.
“Then,” said Woodroofe, “you are a heretic.”
“That will be known on the Day of Judgment.”
“Well, I’ll never pray for you!”
“But I will pray for you.”
A little before the burning, a pardon arrived, but Rogers refused to recant and accept it, becoming the first martyr to suffer death during the reign of Queen Mary.