condemned, and executed; and so suffered martyrdom for the name of Christ. And more particularly, that he was adjudged by Sir John Popham, and the rest of the judges, on the 25th of the fifth month, and executed at St. Thomas Waterings, near London, the 29th of the same, in the year 1593. That he was not brought to execution immediately, as most persons expected; but, when they least looked for it, he was taken while he was at dinner, and carried secretly to his execution, and hastily bereaved of his life, without being suffered to make a declaration of his faith towards God, or his allegiance to the queen, though he very much desired it." And in the postscript, it is added, "That he was apprehended, adjudged, and executed for writing the truth of Christ, whatever other things were pretended against him." He was undoubtedly a man of great learning and piety; but these excellent qualifications could make no atonement to the prelates for his zeal in the cause of nonconformity, and for expressing his disapprobation of the constitution and corruptions of the established church. 66 By his death, with the condemnation of John Udal and Henry Barrow," says the Oxford historian, "the neck of the plots of the fiery nonconformists was broken, and their brags were turned into prayers and tears, as the only means for christian subjects."+ Another author of the same spirit, says, "The pressing of the law thus close, struck terror into the party, and made the dissenters of all sorts, less enterprizing against the government." These, surely, are pitiful triumphs among professed protestants! Mr. Penry was author of several learned pieces on controversy, particularly against Dr. Some. In one of them he endeavours to prove "that there is no church at all in popery, and that all popish priests are out of the church,' by a direct appeal to the conduct of all protestants in their separation from the church of Rome." If there be a church in popery, or if all popish priests be not out of the church," says he, then those magistrates and their subjects who have separated from the Romish religion, to say the least, are schismatics. It is schism to make this separation from the church. We may detest the corruptions thereof; but we ought not to make such separation from the church, unless we would be accounted schismatics. Butthose magistrates and their people who made this separation * Heylin's Hist. of Pres. p. 325, 326. are not schismatics. Therefore the foundation of popery is overthrown, and consequently there is no church in popery." To prove that ministers who do not preach, are not ministers, he reasons thus:-"They are no ministers," says he, “because their ministry is evil and profane; and their ministry is evil and profane, because there is no mention made of it in the word. A ministry not mentioned in the word, is no ministry, but a profane constitution. The Lord hath expressly set down every ministry of the New Testament, that should be in the church unto the world's end. But he hath not once mentioned the ministry of mere readers, because it is not a preaching ministry, and therefore no ministry at all."* Dr. Some, it is said, wrote with great vehemence against him. According to my author, "He called this worthy man, proud Penry. Penry had a dignity to which Some was a stranger. His dignity stood in a superior habit of thinking: Some's in gown, title, and bluster. Some wrote like a man who meant to bring Penry into hemp, and himself into lawn."+ Mr. Penry felt deeply concerned for the conversion and salvation of his countrymen; on which account he was anxiously desirous to have a learned ministry in Wales. His laudable desires and endeavours to promote this great object, are applauded even by Dr. Some, his great antagonist. He is supposed to have been the first, since the commencement of the reformation, who preached the gospel in Wales. Some suppose that he laboured in the ministry chiefly in his native country, and that he went thither upon his leaving the university. This, however, appears very improbable. Mr. Thomas intimates, that he was probably the first, since the reformation, who openly and publicly preached adult baptism. "And," says he, "I am inclined to think, that he was the first who administered that ordinance by immersion, and upon a profession of faith, in and about Olchon, in the principality." Though Wood denominates him a notorious anabaptist, it does not appear from his Confession of Faith, or from any other source of information we have met with, that he ever espoused the sentiments of the baptists. Nevertheless, if what the writer above cited observes, be correct, Mr. Penry was of the Some's Defence, p. 175, 183. Edit. 1588. + Life of Ainsworth, p. 68. Some's Godly Treatise, p. 33. Edit. 1588. denomination of particular baptists. Mr. Strype writes of Mr. Penry with very great acrimony. Mr. Foulis, with great injustice and falsehood, says, "He was a man so much guilty of his own villanies, that, with Cain, he feared death from every man's hand; and, therefore, was forced to skulk and ramble amongst his friends for protection."+ These accounts of so learned, laborious, and pious a man, remind us of the case of some of the primitive christians, who, being dressed in bears' skins, were cast among wild beasts to be torn in pieces. Mr. Penry was the author of several learned works; but it was never proved that he had any hand in the writings under the title of Martin Mar-Prelate. Though most of the high churchmen ascribe them to him and several others, it is well known the real authors were never found out; consequently, the charge is without foundation. The following is supposed to be a correct list of his writings, though we dare not warrant them all to have been his. His WORKS.-1. A Treatise containing the Equity of an Humble Supplication which is to be exhibited unto her Gracious Majesty and this High Court of Parliament, in the behalf of the Country of Wales, that some Order may be taken for the Preaching of the Gospel among those People, 1587.-2. A View of some part of such Publie Wants and Disorders as are in the Service of God, within her Majesty's Country of Wales; with an Humble Petition to the High Court of Parliament for their speedy Redress, 1588.-3. A. Defence of that which hath been written in the Questions of the Ignorant Ministry, and the Communicating with them, 1588.-4. Exhortation unto the Governors and People of her Majesty's Country of Wales, to labour earnestly to have the Preaching of the Gospel planted among them, 1588.-5. Dialogue; wherein is plainly laid open the Tyrannical Dealings of the Lords Bishops against God's Children, 1589.-6. Treatise, wherein is manifestly proved, that Reformation, and those that sincerely favour the same, are unjustly charged to be Enemies to her Majesty and the State, 1590.-7. The State of the Church of England.-8. Petition of Peace.-9. His Apology.-10. Of public Ministry.-11. History of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, applied to the Prelacy, Ministry, and Church-Assemblies of England, 1609. THOMAS GATAKER, A. B.-He was descended from a very ancient and respectable family at Gatacre-hall, in Shropshire. His parents, who were zealous papists, designed him for the law; for which purpose, he was entered a student at the Temple. While in this situation, * Strype's Whitgift, p. 346–350.—Annals, vol. iii, p. 611–616. + Foulis's Hist. of Plots, p. 61, he occasionally visited his friends and relations at court, and was often present at the examinations of the pious confessors of truth, under the barbarous severities of popery. The shocking spectacle had the happiest effect on his mind. For, while he beheld the constancy of the sufferers, who, with invincible patience, and for the testimony of a good conscience, endured the most relentless and cruel usage; the tragic scene proved the happy means of awakening his mind, and of leading him to reject popery and embrace the protestant religion. His parents, apprehensive of the change in his opinions, sent him to Louvain, in Flanders; and, to wean him effectually from his new thoughts about religion, settled upon him a considerable estate: but he counted all worldly allurements and advantages as nothing in comparison of Christ. His father at length perceiving him to be immoveable, called him home, and revoked his grant; which, however, could not take effect without his son's consent. Young Gataker counted the cost. He had already learned the hard lesson of self-denial, and of forsaking all for Christ and a good conscience; therefore, he voluntarily gave up that which had been the bait of his apostacy. This was in the beginning of the reign of Queen Mary. Mr. Gataker being cast off by his unnatural parents, was enabled to put his trust in the Lord, who, in a very remarkable manner, raised up friends, by whom he was sent to the university of Oxford, and supported by their great generosity. After having spent eleven years in that seat of learning, he entered at Magdalen college, Cambridge, where he continued about four years. In the year 1568, he entered upon the ministerial function, and was ordained both deacon and priest by the Bishop of London; and, in 1576, was admitted vicar of Christ's church, London, which he resigned in 1578, probably on account of his puritanical principles. He became rector of St. Edmunds in Lombard-street, June 21, 1572, but resigned it by death, previous to June 2, 1593, when the next incumbent entered upon the benefice. He was a minister of puritanical principles, furnished with excellent parts, a zealous preacher, a most conscientious divine, firm in his attachment to the protestant religion, and some time domestic chaplain to the Earl of Leicester. Though he left behind him only a small fortune, he left many friends, particularly among the great men of Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, p. 248, 249. + Newcourt's Eccl. Repert. vol. i. p. 344. the law, with whom he had been, in the earlier part of his life, a fellow-student; and who, on that account, were afterwards ready to testify their respect to his memory, by affording their countenance and expressing their kindness to his son.* His son was the celebrated Mr. Thomas Gataker, another puritan divine, who was first chosen lecturer at the Temple, then minister at Rotherhithe, near London. ARTHUR WAKE.-This excellent person was son of John Wake, esq. and descended from a very ancient and honourable family. He was canon of Christ's Church in Oxford, and a most popular and useful preacher. In the year 1565, he was preferred to the benefice of Great-Billing, in Northamptonshire;+ and several times he preached the sermon at Paul's cross. In one of these sermons, delivered in the year 1573, he boldly defended the sentiments of Mr. Cartwright in his reply to Whitgift, and openly declared his objections against the established church. Bishop Sandys, of London, the very next day, sent a pursuivant to apprehend him; but he had left the city, and returned to Oxford, where his lordship's authority could not reach him. The bishop, meeting with this sore disappointment, wrote to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh and the Earl of Leicester, the latter being at that time Chancellor of Oxford, urging them to take the case into consideration. It does not appear, however, that the two honourable persons were at all disposed to comply with his lordship's solicitations. Though Mr. Wake escaped the snare of the Bishop of London, he fell, the same year, into the hands of Scambler, Bishop of Peterborough, when he received the ecclesiastical censure. He was rector of the above place; and being cited before the bishop's chancellor, he was first suspended for three weeks, then deprived of his living. Mr. Eusebius Paget, and several other worthy ministers, were suspended and deprived at the same time. They were all laborious and useful preachers. Four of them were licensed by the university, as learned and religious divines; and three of them had been chosen moderators in the religious exercises. The reason of Mr. Wake's deprivation, and that of his brethren, was not any error in doctrine, nor any depravity of life; but because they could not, with a good conscience, Edit. 1747. Biog. Britan, vol. iv. p. 2155, 2156. + Bridges's Hist. of Northamptonshire, vol. i. p. 407. Strype's Whitgift, Appen. p. 19. § See Art. Eusebius Paget. |