Marian Persecutions
The Marian Persecutions refers to the persecutions of Religious Reformers, Protestants, and other dissenters for their beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England. During the (earlier) reign of Edward VI of England, the English Book of Common Prayer was issued, which became a pillar of the reformed Church of England. Common people who had taken up the opportunity to read the Holy Scriptures in English translations during that period became liable to arrest during the reign of Mary, who re-admitted the Roman Catholic Church with its papal authority, and set out to enforce its principles upon her subjects. While other Tudor monarchs were also responsible for the persecution and execution of religious heretics, Mary is viewed as controversial given the high number of judicial executions for heresy carried out during a reign that lasted only five years.
The perceived excesses of this period, particularly as recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs, led to the later epithet Bloody Mary being given to the queen. Bishop Bonner, the Bishop of London, was nicknamed also '"Bloody Bonner"' for his involvement in the persecution. The following list is only a small fraction of the total number claimed (approximately 270) to have suffered for their faith during the reign of Mary. These executions were mostly carried out in public places by burning at the stake and were witnessed by large numbers of the populace, in whom they were intended to strike fear. However according to Foxe's account, published in 1563, within the decade following the Marian persecution, they instead helped to light the fire of the Reformed Faith.
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This is not a complete list
1555
- John Bradford, burnt January 31, Newgate Prison
- John Leaf, burnt January 31, Newgate Prison
- John Rogers, burnt February 4, Smithfield, London
- Laurence Saunders, burnt February 8, Coventry
- John Hooper, burnt February 9, Gloucester
- Rowland Taylor, burnt February 9, Aldham Common
- William Hunter, burnt March 27 Brentwood
- Robert Ferrar, burnt March 30, Carmarthen
- Rawlins White, burnt Cardiff
- George Marsh, burnt April 24, Chester
- William Flower, burnt April 24, Westminster
- John Cardmaker, burnt May 30, Smithfield
- John Warne, burnt May 30, Smithfield
- John Simpson, burnt May 30, Rochford
- John Ardeley, burnt May 30, Rayleigh
- Dirick Carver of Brighton, burnt June 6, Lewes
- Thomas Harland of Woodmancote, burnt June 6, Lewes
- John Oswald of Woodmancote, burnt June 6, Lewes
- Thomas Avington of Ardingly, burnt June 6, Lewes
- Thomas Reed of Ardingly, burnt June 6, Lewes
- Thomas Haukes, burnt June 10,
- Thomas Watts
- Nicholas Chamberlain, burnt June 14, Colchester
- Thomas Osmond, burnt June 15, Manningtree
- William Bamford, burnt June 15, Harwich
- Robert Samuel, burnt August 31, Ipswich
- James Abbes Shoemaker, of Stoke by Nayland burnt at Bury St Edmunds August 1555
- William Allen, Labourer of Somerton burnt at Walsingham September 1555
- Nicholas Ridley, burnt October 16 outside Balliol College, Oxford
- Hugh Latimer, burnt October 16 outside Balliol College, Oxford
- John Philpot, burnt
1556
- Agnes Potten, burnt February 19 Ipswich Cornhill
- Joan Trunchfield, burnt February 19 Ipswich Cornhill
- Thomas Cranmer, burnt 21 March outside Balliol College, Oxford
- Thomas Hood of Lewes, burnt about June 20, Lewes
- Thomas Miles of Hellingly, burnt about June 20, Lewes
- John Tudson of Ipswich, burnt at London
- Thomas Spicer of Beccles, burnt there 21 May
- John Deny of Beccles, burnt there 21 May
- Edmund Poole of Beccles, burnt there 21 May
1557
- William Morant, burnt at end of May, St. George's Field, Southwark. [1]
- Stephen Gratwick, burnt at end of May, St. George's Field, Southwark. [1]
- (unknown) King, burnt at end of May, St. George's Field, Southwark. [1]
- Richard Sharpe, burnt May 7, Cotham, Bristol
- Richard Woodman of Warbleton, burnt June 22, Lewes
- George Stevens of Warbleton, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Alexander Hosman of Mayfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- William Mainard of Mayfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Thomasina Wood of Mayfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Margery Morris of Heathfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- James Morris, her son, of Heathfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Denis Burges of Buxted, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Ann Ashton of Rotherfield, burnt June 22, Lewes
- Mary Groves of Lewes, burnt June 22, Lewes
- John Noyes of Laxfield, Suffolk, burnt 22 September
- William and Katherine Allin of Frittenden and five others, burnt 18 June at Maidstone
1558
- Roger Holland, burnt at Smithfield with seven others
- William Pikes or Pickesse of Ipswich, burnt July 14, Brentford with five others
- Alexander Gooch of Melton, Suffolk, burnt November 4, Ipswich Cornhill
- Alice Driver of Grundisburgh burnt November 4, Ipswich Cornhill
- P Humphrey, burnt November, Bury St Edmunds
- J. David, burnt November, Bury St Edmunds
- H. David, burnt November, Bury St Edmunds
- Blanchard, Amos (1844). Book of Martyrs: Or, A History of the Lives, Sufferings and Triumphant Deaths of the Primitive and Protestant Martyrs from the Introduction of Christianity to the Latest Periods of Pagan, Popish, Protestant, and Infidel Persecutions. Compiled from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and other Authentic Sources.. N. G. Ellis.
