A. D. 1425.—About this time Peter Torea was executed at Speyer, in Germany, and others in Roman countries; because they confessed the truth and opposed the Roman superstitions. Compare the last mentioned Chron., p. 788, col. 2, with Georg. Pac., cap. 11.
A. D. 1427.—At this time, Jerome Savonarolo, of Ferrara, preached throughout Italy that the Pope was the antichrist; for which he was burnt at Florence. He wrote some meditations on the 51st and 80th psalms, in which he reproves the tyranny of the Pope and his clergy, saying that they are the boars and wild beasts of the field, which, according to the words of David, have devoured and utterly destroyed the Lord’s vineyard, and wholly subverted the church of God. In the last mentioned Chron., p. 762, col. 2, compared with Georg. Pac., cap. 11.
WILLIAM WHITE, FATHER ABRAHAM OF CHOLCHESTER, AND JOHN WADDON, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT NORWICH, IN ENGLAND, A. D. 1428.
When the light of the Gospel began to break forth with power also in England, so that some persons not only believed and adhered to, but also taught and propagated the truth of Christ, the Romanists, proving themselves children of darkness, evinced their old nature towards these people, inasmuch as they informed the King of England, then only a child of six years, of this matter, aiming to provide against it.
Thus it happened A. D. 1428, that this child-king, induced by the fathers and heads of the Roman church, immediately resolved to give orders to the officers appointed thereto, to apprehend these persons and all who were of their persuasion, in order that they might be punished according to the laws of England.
COPY OF THE LETTER OF KING HENRY VI., TO JOHN EXTOR, AND JACOLET GERMAINE, GOVERNORS OF CHOLCHESTER, TO APPREHEND WILLIAM WHITE AND HIS ADHERENTS.
“Henry, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Lord of Ireland, to his beloved friends, John Extor, and Jacolet Germaine, Governors of the Castle at Cholchester, greeting:
“Be it known unto you, that, perfectly relying on your fidelity and prudence, we have charged you, both together and each separately, to arrest and apprehend William White, priest, and Thomas, chaplain, formerly at Settling, in the county of Norfolk, and William Northampton, priest, and all others that are suspected of heresy, whoever they may be, and wherever they may be found, whether in free cities or without; and to send them, as soon as you have apprehended them, to our nearest jails or prisons, until we shall have given orders for their release.
“And, therefore, we charge you strictly to keep a close surveillance on the aforesaid persons, and to faithfully observe the above in the manner stated before.
“We likewise command and charge each and all of our justiciaries, who have the care of the common peace, as mayors, margraves, bailiffs, constables, and all our other faithful officers, by the contents of these presents, that they render you, both together and each separately, good assistance, and help and advise you to execute the preceding command, as becometh them.