10. Rawlins White

10. RAWLINS WHITE

The history of one Rawlins White, burned at Cardiﬀ in Wales, about the month of March, for the testimony of Christ's gospel, reported by John Dane being yet alive, who was almost continually with him during his trouble, unto his death.

This Rawlins was by his calling or occupation a ﬁsherman, living and continuing in the said trade by the space of twenty years at the least, in the town of Cardiﬀ, being (as a man of his vocation might be) one of a very good name, and well accompted among his neighbours. As touching his religion at the ﬁrst, it cannot otherwise be known but that he was a great partaker of the superstition and idolatry that then was used,

I mean in the reign of King Henry the eighth. But after that God of his mercy had raised up the light* of his gospel through the blessed government of King Edward the sixth here in this realm of England, this Rawlins began partly to mislike that which before he had embraced, and to have some good opinion of that which before by the iniquity of the time had been concealed from him: and the rather to bring this good purpose and intent of his to pass, he began to be a diligent hearer, and a great searcher out of the truth.

But because the good man was altogether unlearned, and withal very simple, he knew no ready way how he might satisfy his great desire: At length it came in his mind to take a special remedy to supply his necessity, which was this: He had a little boy which was his own son, which child he set to school to learn to read English. Now after the little boy could read indifferently well, his father every night after supper, summer and winter, would have the boy to read a piece of the holy scripture, and now and then of some other good book. In which kind of virtuous exercise, the old man had such a delight and pleasure, that as it seemed, he rather practised himself in the study of scripture, than in the trade or science which beforetime he had used: so that Rawlins within few years in the said

The desirous mind of Rawlins to search for truth.

The godly intent of Rawlins in setting his son to school.

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time of King Edward, through the help of his little son, as a special minister appointed by God (no doubt) for that purpose, and through much conscience besides, proﬁted and went forward in such sort, that he was able not only to resolve himself touching his own former blindness and ignorance, but was also able to admonish and instruct other: and therefore when occasion served, he would go from one place to another, visiting such as he had best hope in. By which his doing, he became in that country both a notable and open professor of the truth, being at all times and in all such places, not without the company of his little boy, whom (as I have said) he used as an assistance to this his good purpose. And to this his great industry and endeavour in holy scripture, God did also add in him a singular gift of memory, so that by the beneﬁt thereof he would and could do that in vouching* and rehearsing of the text, which men of riper and more profound knowledge, by their notes and other helps of memory, could very hardly accomplish. Insomuch that he upon the alleging of scripture, very often would cite the book, the leaf, yea and the very sentence:* such was the wonderful working of God in this simple and unlearned father.

The means whereby Rawlins ﬁrst came to knowledge.

Rawlins by the means of his young son came to the knowledge of the scripture.

The gift of memory in Rawlins.

Now when he had thus continued in his profession the space of ﬁve years, King Edward died, upon whose decease Queen

Mary succeeded, and with her all kind of superstition and papistry crept in. Which thing being once perceived, Rawlins did not altogether use open instruction and admonition (as before he was wont) and therefore oftentimes in some private place or other, he would call his trusty friends together, and with earnest prayer and great lamentation pass away the time, so that by his virtuous instructions, being without any ble mish of error, he converted a great number, which number

(no doubt) had greatly increased, had not the cruel storm of persecution been.

The extremity and force whereof, at the last so pursued this good father Rawlins, that he looked every hour to go to prison: whereupon many of those which had received comfort by his instructions, did resort unto him, and by all means possible began to persuade him to shift for himself, and to dispose of his

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goods by some reasonable order to the use of his wife and children, and by that means he should escape that danger which was imminent over his head.

Rawlins exhorted to shift for himself.

But Rawlins nothing abashed for his own part, through the iniquity of the time, and at all nothing moved with these their ﬂeshly persuasions, thanked them most heartily for their good will, and told them plainly, that he had learned one good lesson touching the confessing and denial of Christ, advertising them, that if he upon their persuasions should presume to deny his master Christ, Christ in the last day would deny and utterly condemn him: 'And therefore,' (quoth he), 'I will by his fa vourable grace confess and bear witness of him before men, that I may ﬁnd him in everlasting life.' *

Rawlins promiseth to be constant to the death.

Notwithstanding which answer, his friends were very importunate with him. Howbeit, Father Rawlins continued still in his good purpose, so long till at the last he was taken by the ofﬁcers of the town as a man suspected of heresy: upon which apprehension he was convented before the Bishop of Llandaﬀ that then was, the said bishop lying then at his house besides Chepstow: by whom, after diverse combats and conﬂicts with him and his chaplains, this good Father Rawlins was committed to prison in Chepstow. But this his keeping, whether it were by the bishop's means, because he would rid his hands of him, or through the favour of his keeper, was not so severe and extreme, but that (if he had so listed) he might have escaped oftentimes.

Rawlins apprehended and convented before the Bishop of Llandaﬀ named Anthony Kitchin.

Rawlins might escape and would not.

But that notwithstanding, he continued still, insomuch, that at the last he by the aforenamed bishop was removed from Chepstow to the castle of Cardiﬀ, where he continued by the space of one whole year. During which time, this reporter* resorted to him very often, with money and other relief from this reporter's mother (who was a great favourer of those that were in afﬂiction in those days) and other of his friends: which he received not without great thanks and praises given to the name of God. And albeit that he was thus troubled and imprisoned, as ye have heard, to his own undoing in this world, and to the utter decay of his poor wife and children: yet was his heart so set to the instruction and furtherance of other[s] in the Rawlins a whole year in prison.

A godly woman stirred up to relieve Rawlins.

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way of salvation, that he was never in quiet,* but when he was persuading or exhorting such of his familiar friends as commonly came unto him. Insomuch that on the Sundays and other times of leisure, when his friends came to visit him, he would pass away the time in prayer and exhortations, admonishing them always to beware of false prophets which come in sheep's clothing.* Exhortation of Rawlins to his friends.

Now when he had continued in Cardiﬀ Castle by the space of one whole year (as I have said) the time of his further trial was at hand. Whereupon, the aforenamed Bishop of Llandaﬀ caused him to be brought again from the castle of Cardiﬀ unto his own house besides Chepstow, and whilst he continued there, the bishop assayed many ways how to reduce him to some conformity. But when all means either by their threatening words or ﬂattering promises, were to no purpose: the bishop willed him to advise and be at a full point with himself, either to recant his opinions, or else to abide the rigour of the law, and thereupon gave him a day of determination.

Rawlins by no means could be reduced to return to popery.

Which day being come, the bishop with his chaplains went into his chapel, not without a great number of other by-dwellers,* that came to behold the manner of their doings. When the bishop with his retinue were placed in order, poor Rawlins was brought before them. The bishop after great deliberation in addressing himself (as it seemed) and silence forewarned to the rest that were there present, used a long kind of talk to him, declaring the cause of his sending for, which was, for that he was a man well known to hold heretical opinions, and that through his instruction many were led into blind error. In the end he exhorted him to consider his own estate wherein he stood: 'For,' (said the bishop), 'Rawlins, you have been oftentimes since your ﬁrst trouble, both here in my house, and elsewhere been travailed withal touching your opinions, and that notwithstanding ye seem altogether obstinate and wilful.

Rawlins brought before the Bishop of Llandaﬀ in open judgement.

The words of the bishop to 'Now hereupon we thought good to send for you, to see if there were any conformity in you: so that the matter is come to this point, that if you shall show yourself repentant for that which you have done, both against God and the prince's law, we are ready to use favour towards you: but if by no means we can persuade with you touching your reformation, we are

Rawlins.

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minded at this time to minister the law unto you, and therefore advise yourself what you will do.'

When the bishop had made an end of his long tale, this good father Rawlins spake very boldly to him, and said: 'My Lord,

I thank God I am a Christian man, and I hold no opinions contrary to the word of God, and if I do, I desire to be reformed out of the word of God, as a Christian man ought to be': many more words in like sort were between the bishop and Rawlins which this reporter doth not well remember. But in the end when Rawlins would in no wise recant his opinions, the bishop told him plainly, that he must proceed against him by the law, and condemn him as a heretic.

Rawlins answereth to the bishop.

'Proceed in your law, in God's name,' said Rawlins, 'but for a heretic you shall never condemn me while the world standeth.'

'But,' (said the bishop to his company), 'before we proceed any further with him, let us pray unto God that he would send some spark of grace upon him,' (meaning Rawlins), 'and it may so chance that God through our prayer will here turn and convert his heart.' When Rawlins heard the bishop say so,

'Ah, my Lord,' quoth he, 'now you deal well and like a godly bishop, and I thank you most heartily for your great charity and gentleness. Christ saith: "Whereas two or three be gathered in my name, I will be in the midst of them,"* and there be more than two or three of you. Now if it be so that your request be godly and lawful, and that that you pray as ye should pray, without doubt God will hear you. And therefore my Lord, go to, do you pray to your God, and I will pray to my God,

I know that my God will both hear my prayer, and perform my desire.'* The Bishop of Llandaﬀ proceedeth with prayer in condemnation of Rawlins, which commonly the popish persecutors are not wont to do.

By and by the bishop with his company fell to prayer. And Rawlins turning himself to a pew that stood somewhat near him, fell down upon his knees, covering his face with his hands: and when they had prayed a while, the bishop with his company arose from prayer. And then also arose Rawlins, and came before the bishop.

The bishop prayeth to his God, and Rawlins to his.

Then said the bishop. 'Now Rawlins, how is it with thee?

Wilt thou revoke thy opinions, or no?' 'Surely,' (said Rawlins), 'my Lord, Rawlins you left me, and Rawlins you ﬁnd me, and by God's grace Rawlins I will continue. Certainly if your

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petitions had been just and lawful, God would have heard them: but you honour a false god and pray not as ye should pray, and therefore hath not God granted your desire: But I am one poor simple man as you see, and God hath heard my complaint, and I trust he will strengthen me in his own cause.'

Rawlins conﬁrmed in his doctrine.

Popish bishops pray to a false god and therefore are . . . Whereupon the bishop caused the deﬁnitive sentence to be read. Which being ended, Rawlins was dismissed, and from thence was by the bishop's commandment carried again to Cardiﬀ, there to be put into the prison of the town, called

Cockmarel, a very dark loathsome, and most vile prison. not heard.

Sentence read against Rawlins.

Rawlins sent to prison to Cardiﬀ Castle.

Rawlins in the mean while passed away the time in prayer, and chieﬂy in singing of Psalms: which kind of godly exercises he always used, both at Cardiﬀ Castle and in all other places.

Now, after he had thus continued as prisoner in Cockmarel prison at Cardiﬀ (as is aforesaid) a good space, about three weeks before the day wherein he suﬀered, the head ofﬁcers of the town that had the charge of his execution, were determined to burn him. . . . Now, when he perceived his time no less near then it was reported unto him, he sent forthwith to his wife and willed her by the messenger that in any wise she should make ready, and send unto him his wedding garment, meaning a shirt, which afterward he was burned in. Which request or rather commandment of his, his wife with great sorrow and grief of heart did perform, and early in the morning did send it him, which he received most gladly and joyfully.

Rawlins's wedding garment.

Now when the hour of his execution was come, this good and constant father Rawlins was brought out of prison, having on his body the long shirt, which (as you heard before) he called his wedding garment, and an old russet coat which he was wont to wear. Besides this, he had upon his legs an old pair of leather buskins which he had used long afore. And thus being brought out of the prison (as I have said) he was accompanied or rather guarded with a great company of bills and glaives: which sight when he beheld: 'Alas,' (quoth he), 'what meaneth all this? All this needed not. By God's grace I will not start away: but I with all my heart and mind give unto God most hearty thanks that he hath made me worthy to abide all this for his holy name's sake.'

Rawlins going to the place of execution.

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So he came to a place in his way whereas his poor wife and children stood weeping and making great lamentation: the sudden sight of whom so pierced his heart, that the very tears trickled down his face. But he soon after, as though he had misliked this inﬁrmity of his ﬂesh, began to be as it were altogether angry with himself: insomuch that in striking his breast with his hand, he used these words: 'Ah, ﬂesh, stayest thou me so? Wouldst thou fain prevail? Well, I tell thee do what thou canst, thou shalt not, by God's grace, have the victory.' By this time this poor innocent came to the very altar of his sacriﬁce

(I mean the place appointed for his death) and there found a stake ready set up, with some wood toward the making of the ﬁre. Which when he beheld, he set forward himself very boldly: but in going toward the stake he fell down upon his knees and kissed the ground, and in rising again, the earth a little sticking on his nose, he said these words: 'Earth unto earth, and dust unto dust, thou art my mother, and unto thee

I shall return.' Then went he cheerfully and very joyfully, and set his back close unto the stake, and when he had stood there a while, he cast his eye upon this reporter, and called unto him, and said: 'I feel a great ﬁghting between the ﬂesh and the spirit, and the ﬂesh would very fain have his swing,* and therefore,

I pray you, when you see me anything tempted, hold your ﬁnger up to me, and I trust I shall remember myself.'

Rawlins somewhat moved at the sight of his wife and children.

Rawlins wrestleth against his ﬂesh.

The agony and ﬁght of this Christian warrior.

As he was thus standing with his back close unto the stake, a smith came with a great chain of iron: whom when he saw, he cast up his hand with a loud voice and gave God great thanks.

Then the smith cast the chain about him, and as he was making it fast on the other side, Rawlins said unto him, 'I pray you good friend knock in the chain fast, for it may be that the ﬂesh would strive mightily: but God of thy great mercy give me strength and patience to abide the extremity.'

Rawlins fastened to the stake.

Now when the smith had made him sure to the stake, the ofﬁcers began to lay on more wood, with a little straw and reed: wherein the good old man was no less occupied than the best:* for as far as he could reach his hands, he would pluck the straw and reed, and lay it about him in places most convenient for his speedy dispatch. Which thing he did with such a cheerful

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countenance and familiar gesture, that all men there present were in a manner astonied.

The cheerfulness of father Rawlins Thus when all things were ready, so that there lacked nothing but the putting to of the ﬁre, directly over against the stake in the face of Rawlins, there was a standing erected, whereon stepped up a priest addressing himself to speak to the people, which were many in number, because it was market day. When

Rawlins perceived him, and considered the cause of his coming, he reached a little straw unto him, and made two little stays, and set them under his elbows. Then went the priest forward in his sermon, wherein he spake of many things touching the authority of the Church of Rome. In the mean time Rawlins gave such good ear and attention that he seemed nothing at all moved or disquieted. At the last the priest came to the sacrament of the altar, and there he began to inveigh against Rawlins's opinions: in which his invection* he cited the common place of scripture, and thereupon made a clerkly* interpretation. at his death.

A popish sermon preached at Rawlins's martyrdom.

Now when Rawlins perceived that he went about not only to preach and teach the people false doctrine, but also to conﬁrm it by scripture, he suddenly started up and beckoned his hands to the people, saying twice: 'Come hither good people, and hear not a false prophet preaching': and then said unto the preacher: 'Ah thou naughty hypocrite, doest thou presume to prove thy false doctrine by scripture? Look in the text what followeth: did not Christ say: "Do this in the remembrance of me"?'* After which words the priest being rather amazed than interrupted, forthwith held his peace.

Rawlins's words to the false prophet.

Then some that stood by cried out, 'Put ﬁre, set to ﬁre': which being set to, the straw and reed by and by cast up both a great and sudden ﬂame. In the which ﬂame this good and blessed man bathed his hands so long, until such time as the sinews shrunk, and the fat dropped away, saving that once he did, as it were, wipe his face with one of them. All this while, which was somewhat long, he cried with a loud voice: 'O Lord receive my soul: O Lord receive my spirit,' until he could not open his mouth. At the last the extremity of the ﬁre was so vehement against his legs, that they were consumed almost before the rest of his body was burned: which made the whole

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body fall over the chain into the ﬁre sooner than it would have done. During which time of his burning it cannot be said that he suﬀered or felt any great pain, considering that not without his perfect memory he abided both quietly and patiently, even unto the departing of his life. Thus died this godly and old man Rawlins for the testimony of God's truth, being now rewarded, no doubt, with the crown of everlasting life.

The constant patience of Rawlins at his burning.

It is recorded furthermore of the said good father Rawlins by this reporter, that as he was going to his death, and standing at the stake, he seemed in a manner to be altered in nature. For whereas before he was wont to go stooping, or rather crooked, through the inﬁrmity of age, having a sad countenance and a very feeble complexion, and withal very soft in speech and gesture.

A sudden alteration of nature marvellous in Rawlins before his death.

Now he went and stretched up himself, not only bolt upright, but also bore withal a most pleasant and comfortable countenance, not without great courage and audacity both in speech and behaviour. He had (of which thing I should have spoken before) about his head a kerchief. The hairs of his head

(somewhat appearing beneath his kerchief) and also of his beard were more inclined to white than to grey: which gave such a show and countenance to his whole person, that he seemed to be altogether angelical.

It is also said by this reporter, that a little before the ﬁre ﬂashed up to his body (as ye have heard) many of his friends came to him, and took him by the hand, amongst whom, the reporter of this story held him so long by the hand, till the ﬂame of the ﬁre rose, and forced them to sunder. In the mean time the priest of whom I spake afore, cried out, and said, that it was not lawful for any man to take him by the hand, because he was a heretic, and condemned by the Church. The chief cause of his trouble, was his opinion touching the sacrament of the altar.

He was at the time of his death, of the age of threescore years or thereabouts.

The reporter of this story one Master Dane.

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