20. Joan Waste
20. JOAN WASTE
The martyrdom of Joan Waste, a blind woman in the town of Derby.
The fi rst day of August [1556] . . . suffered likewise at the town of Derby, a certain poor honest godly woman: being blind from her birth, and unmarried, about the age of twentytwo, named Joan Waste, of the parish of All Hallows. Of them that sat upon this innocent woman's blood, the chiefest was
Ralph Bayne bishop of the diocese, Doctor Draycot his chancellor, Sir John Port knight; Henry Vernon esquire, Peter
Finch offi cial of Derby, with the assistance also of diverse other, Richard Ward, and William Bainbridge, the same time being bailiffs of the town of Derby, et cetera. First after the above-named bishop, and Doctor Draycot had caused the said
Joan Waste to be apprehended in the town of Derby, suspecting her to be guilty of certain heresies, she was diverse times privily examined, as well in prison as out of prison: by Finch the offi cial aforesaid: after that brought to public examination before the bishop, at last was there burnt in Derby. . . .
Touching whose life, bringing up, and conversation, somewhat more amply we mind to discourse as by faithful relation hath come to my hands.
August 1.
Joan Waste a blind woman and martyr.
First, this Joan Waste was the daughter of one William Waste, an honest poor man, and by his science a barber: who sometime also used to make ropes. His wife had the same Joan and one other at one birth, and she was born blind. And when she was about twelve or fourteen years old, she learned to knit hosen and sleeves, and other things, which in time she could do very well.
Furthermore as time served she would help her father to turn ropes, and do such other things as she was able, and in no case would be idle. Thus continued she with her father and mother during their lives: after whose departure then kept she with one
Roger Waste her brother, who in the time of King Edward the sixth of blessed memory, gave herself daily to go to the church to hear divine service read in the vulgar tongue. And thus by The life and conversation of Joan Waste.
Joan Waste drawn by the spirit of God, to the love of religion.
Joan Waste
hearing homilies and sermons, she became marvellously well affected to the religion then taught. So at length having by her labour gotten and saved so much money as would buy her a New
Testament, she caused one to be provided for her. And though she was of herself unlearned and by reason of her blindness un able to read, yet for the great desire she had to understand and have printed in her memory the sayings of holy scriptures contained in the New Testament, she acquainted herself chiefl y with one John Hurt, then prisoner in the Common Hall of Derby, for debts.
The same John Hurt being a sober grave man of the age of three score and ten years, by her earnest entreaty, and being prisoner, and many times idle and without company, did for his exercise daily read unto her some one chapter of the New
Testament. And if at any time he were otherwise occupied or letted through sickness: she would repair unto one John
Pemerton clerk of the parish church of All Saints in the same town of Derby, or to some other person which could read, and sometimes she would give a penny or two (as she might spare) to such persons as would not freely read unto her, appointing unto them afore hand how many chapters of the New
Testament they should read, or how often they should repeat one chapter upon a price.* The earnest desire of Joan Waste to learn the scriptures.
John Hurt and John Pemerton readers to Joan Waste.
Moreover in the said Joan Waste, this was notorious* that she being utterly blind, could notwithstanding without a guide, go to any church within the said town of Derby, or to any other place or person, with whom she had any such exercise. By which exercise she so profi ted, that she was able not only to recite many chapters of the New Testament without book, but also could aptly impugn, by diverse places of scriptures, as well sin, as such abuses in religion, as then were too much in use, in diverse and sundry persons.
A notable gift of God in a blind woman.
Joan Waste both blind and unlearned, yet was perfect in the scriptures.
As this godly woman thus daily increased in the knowledge of God's holy word and no less in her life expressed the virtuous fruits and exercise of the same: not long after, through the fatal death of blessed King Edward followed the woeful ruin of religion, in the reign of Queen Mary his sister. In which alteration, notwithstanding the general backsliding of the greatest part and multitude of the whole realm into the old papism
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
again, yet this poor blind woman continuing in a constant conscience, proceeded still in her former exercise, both being zealous in that she had learned, and also refusing to communicate in religion with those which taught contrary doctrine to that she before had learned in King Edward's time. . . .
For the which she was called and convented before the foresaid bishop and Doctor Draycot, with diverse other called in to bear witness. . . .
Whereunto she answered, that she believed therein so much as the holy scriptures taught her, and according to that she had heard preached unto her by diverse learned men whereof some suffered imprisonment, and other some suffered death for the same doctrine. Amongst whom she named, beside other, Doctor
Taylor, whom she said took it of his conscience, that that doctrine which he taught was true, and asked of them, if they would do so in like case for their doctrine, which if they would not, she desired them for God's sake not to trouble her being a blind, poor, and unlearned woman, with any further talk, saying (by God's assistance) that she was ready to yield up her life in that faith, in such sort as they should appoint.
The answer of Joan Waste to the articles.
And yet notwithstanding being pressed by the said bishop and Doctor Draycot, with many arguments of Christ's om nipotency, as, why was not Christ able as well to make the bread his body, as to turn water into wine,* raise Lazarus from death,* and such other like arguments: and many times being threatened with grievous imprisonments, torments, and death.
The poor woman thus being, as it were, half astonied through their terrors and threats, and desirous (as it seemed) to prolong her life, offered unto the bishop then present, that if he would before that company, take it upon his conscience, that the doctrine which he would have her to believe concerning the sacrament, was true, and that he would at the dreadful day of judgement answer for her therein (as the said Doctor Taylor, in diverse of his sermons did offer) she would then further answer them.
Well argued:
Because Christ is omnipotent.
Ergo, there is no bread in the sacrament.
The offer of Joan Waste to the bishop, if he would take Whereunto the bishop answered, he would. But Doctor
Draycot his chancellor, hearing that, said: 'My Lord, you know not what you do, you may in no case answer for an heretic.' And immediately he asked the poor woman whether she would upon his conscience, to answer before God for his doctrine.
Joan Waste
recant or no, and said she should answer for herself. Unto whose sayings the bishop also reformed himself.
Note here the difference between the conscience of the Protestant, and of the Papist. The bishop and his chancellor durst not take upon their conscience, to answer before God for their doctrine.
The poor woman perceiving this, answered again that if they refused to take of their conscience that it was true they would have her to believe, she would answer no further, but desired them to do their pleasure, and so after certain circumstances, they pronounced sentence against her, and delivered her unto the bailiffs of the said town of Derby aforenamed. Who after they had kept her about a month or fi ve weeks, at length there came unto them a writ De haeretico comburendo:* by virtue whereof they were appointed by the said bishop to bring her to the parish church of All Saints at a day appointed where
Doctor Draycot should make a sermon.
Sentence pronounced against Joan Waste.
When the day and time was come that this innocent martyr should suffer, fi rst cometh to the church Doctor Draycot accompanied with diverse gentlemen, as Master Thomas
Powthread, Master Henry Vernon, Master Dethick of Newhall, and diverse others. This done, and all things now in a readiness, at last the poor blind creature and servant of God was brought and set before the pulpit, where the said Doctor being entered into his sermon, and there inveighing against diverse matters, which he called heresies, declared unto the people that that woman was condemned for denying the blessed sacrament of the altar to be the very body and blood of Christ really and substantially, and was thereby cut off from the body of the Catholic church and said, that she was not only blind of her bodily eyes but also blind in the eyes of her soul. And he said, that as her body should be presently consumed with material fi re: so her soul should be burned in hell with everlasting fi re, as soon as it should be separated from the body, and there to remain world without end, and said it was not lawful for the people to pray for her: and so with many terrible threats he made an end of his sermon, and commanded the bailiffs and those gentlemen to see her executed. And the sermon thus ended, eftsoons the blessed servant of God was carried away from the said church, to a place called the windmill pit, near unto the said town, and holding the foresaid Roger Waste her brother by the hand she prepared herself, and desired the people to pray with her, and said such prayers as she before The writ brought down for the burning of Joan Waste.
Doctor Draycot appointed to preach at the burning of Joan Waste.
Doctor Draycot's railing sermon against Joan Waste.
Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and say all evil against you, for my name's sake.
Matthew 5.
Joan Waste brought to the place of execution.
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
had learned, and cried upon Christ to have mercy upon her as long as life served. In this mean season, the said Doctor
Draycot went to his inn, for great sorrow of her death, and there laid him down, and slept during all the time of her execution and thus much of Joan Waste.
The martyrdom of Joan Waste.