Believers Martyred in England between 1401 & 1531

Believers Martyred in England between 1401 & 1531: Part 1 – Sir John Oldcastle

During the reign of King Edward III (1327-1377), the Church of England was corrupted with errors and superstition. The light of the true Gospel of Christ had been virtually extinguished by the darkness of man’s doctrines, burdensome rituals, and gross idolatry. At the same time, John Wycliffe’s followers, reformers called Lollards, had become so many that the clergy was incensed. Though the clergy persecuted these believers, they had no authority to put them to death.

However, after Henry IV usurped the British throne, the papist (pope’s) clergy in England prevailed on the English Parliament to condemn the Lollards, who remained obstinate in their reform beliefs, and to turn them over to secular authorities for burning as heretics. 
Despite strong resistance from believers in the House of Commons, the Statute on the Burning of Heretic was passed by Parliament in 1401, and was immediately put into effect. It was the first time in Britain that a law was passed to burn people for their religious beliefs. The first martyr under the new law was a priest named William Santree, who was burned at the stake in Smithfield.

 Soon after, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel, and his Bishops began to move against Sir John Oldcastle (Lord Cobham). He was a popular follower of Wycliffe and personal friend of King Henry IV. The clergy accused him of commissioning others to preach who were not licensed by the “Church,” and of encouraging false teachings against the sacraments of the church images, pilgrimages and the pope.

Before they could charge him, they knew that they had to enlist the support of the king. The king listened to them politely, and then told them to deal with Sir John with respect, and to restore him to the church through gentleness. He also offered to reason with Sir John on their behalf. Soon after, he sent for their prey and admonished him to return to his mother “Holy Church,” and like an obedient child, acknowledge that he deserved punishment because he had been wrong.

In his reply, Sir John said, “Most worthy king, you know I am always prompt and willing to obey, because I know that you are a Christian king and the appointed Minister of God, and that you bear the sword with which to punish evil doers and protect the virtuous. Next to my eternal God, I owe you my obedience, and I am ready, as I have always been, to submit all that I have of money or properties to fulfil whatever you command me in the Lord.

But concerning the pope and his clergy, I owe them neither attendance or service, since I know by the Scriptures that he is the antichrist, the son of perdiction, the open adversary of God, and the abomination of Daniel standing in the holy place.”

When the king heard this, he made no remark and left the room. The Archbishop again approached the king about the matter, and the monarch gave him the authority to charge Sir John, examine him, and punish him in accordance with the devilish “Laws of the Church.” But when Sir John did not appear before the Bishop Council as he was told to, the Archbishop accused him of being contemptuous of authority. Then, when he was told that Sir John mocked him, disdained everything he did and maintained the same opinions; viewed as contempt to the Church’s power, he raged openly and excommunicated him.

         In response, Sir John wrote out his personal confession of faith and took it to the king, whom he expected would gladly receive it. Instead, the king refused to collect it and commanded that it should be delivered to the Archbishop and his Council of Bishops who would judge him. When Sir John appeared before the Council, and in the king’s presence, he asked that a hundred knights be assembled to hear his case and judge him, for he knew they would clear him of all heresies.

To clear himself, he even offered to fight to the death any man who disagreed with his faith, according to the Law of Arms. Finally, he gently stated that he would not refuse any manner of correction that was according to the Word of God, but would obey it meekly.

When Sir John finished his speech, the king took him into his private chambers, where he (Sir John) told him that he had appealed to the pope, and then showed him what he had written. At this, the king angrily told him to wait for the decision of the pope, and if it was that he should submit to the authority of the Archbishop, then Sir John should do it, and he should not appeal again. All of this, Sir John refused, and the king commanded that he should be arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

 Because of Sir John’s great popularity and esteem, the Archbishop proceeded slowly with his trial over a period of several weeks from September until December 1401. However, it was obvious that the judgment had been predetermined, and Sir John’s condemnation for heresy and death sentence by hanging and burning surprised no one.

In his defence, Sir John wrote: “As for images, I understand that they are not a matter of faith, but were intended, since the faith in Christ was tolerated by the church, to represent and bring to mind the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and the martyrdom and good living of other saints. But whoever gives to death images the worship that belongs to God, or puts hope and trust in getting help from them as he should to God alone, or has greater affection toward them than toward God, he is committing the great sin of idol worship.

Also, I know this fully, that every person in this earth is a pilgrim toward bliss or toward pain, and he who does not know the holy commandments of God and keep them in his life here, even though he may go on pilgrimages to all the world and die doing so, he shall be damned; but he who knows the holy commandments of God and keeps them, he shall be saved, even though he never in his life went on a pilgrimage, as people do now, to Canterbury, or to Rome, or to any other place.”

On the day appointed for his execution, Sir John was brought out of the Tower of London with his hands tied behind his back. He smiled cheerfully at those around him. Then he was laid upon a frame as if he were a heinous traitor to the crown, and dragged to St. Gile’s field. When they reached his place of execution and he was taken off the frame, Sir John knelt down and asked God to forgive his enemies. Then he stood up and exhorted the people who had come there to follow the laws of God written in the Scriptures, to beware of teachers whose conversation and living are contrary to Christ.

Then chains were tied around his stomach, and he was lifted into the air, and a fire was started under him. As the fire consumed him, he praised God until he could praise Him no more. There was great weeping and grief throughout the crowd who watched him, for a godly and good man had died. The year was 1417.

Tears fell from my eyes as I typed the story of this faithful servant of God. How cruel is the devil! The fiend wants nothing better than to see all humans in the lake of fire with him. Sadly, his agents, whether in the Roman Catholic Church or other false religions do not understand that they are being used by satan to destroy themselves.

We are living in a time of religious freedom (except in certain countries where the faith of Christ is prohibited), owe old saints like Sir John Oldcastle much gratitude for their fortitude and great sacrifice. It takes the boldness and courage energised by God’s grace to stand for the truth in a fallen world.

*** Culled from The New Foxes Book of Martyrs 2001 by John Foxe, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America, 2001.