Dr. Rowland Taylor,
October 6th, 1510.
The sixteenth century was a much simpler time. If anything, or more accurately, anyone annoyed you, it was perfectly acceptable to poke them in the side with a halberd, tie them up, drag them into a field and set fire to the motherfuckers.
Written a Bible in English? Burn it (and you!) Kids throwing turnips at your turnips? Burn them. Women trying to make medicine out of turnips whilst cavorting with Satan? Burn them. Someone stolen one of your turnips? Burn them. Your turnips have turned Protestant? Burn the bastards.
Admittedly, this did, after a while, generate something of a problem among the population, probably because most of that population was now on fire or had just been on fire and was now turnip food. As such, the rules on who you could burn, and for what, were tightened to include women who had done just about anything at all and, naturally, Protestants. Protestant women, guilty of two things at once, were thrown into a pond, and if they floated, they were fished out, dried off and set on fire. If they drowned, they were innocent.
At some point in the preceding years, Fat Henry fell out with the Pope because his wife was Spanish (or something), and then, instead of burning Protestants, it was all the rage to burn monasteries instead. Then, when some Italian geezer called Guido Fawkes tried to burn down Parliament, they burned him instead, and suddenly, it was ok to burn Catholics. And women. It was always OK to burn women.
Essentially, the whole of the sixteenth century was ablaze with people, buildings and turnips, burning merrily. That and fighting the Spanish navy.
I might have skipped over a few details, but that’s a pretty decent summary of the Reformation as I see it, although I have just spent all day editing stuff about Roman religious festivals, so my brain is now dont not gud.
Anyway, here’s someone they burned:
Rowland Taylor, born in 1510, was an English Protestant clergyman and a steadfast advocate of Reformation principles during a turbulent era in England’s religious history. A learned man, he graduated from Cambridge University and became deeply involved in theological studies, which shaped his firm commitment to Protestant doctrines. His devotion to scriptural authority and reform of church practices would define his career as a priest and ultimately seal his fate. Taylor's life and death stand as a testament to the profound religious upheaval that gripped 16th-century England, culminating in the Marian persecutions under Queen Mary I.
As a parish priest in Hadleigh, Suffolk, Taylor was deeply beloved by his congregation for both his piety and his charitable nature. Hadleigh was a stronghold of Protestant beliefs, and Taylor's teachings were well-received by the local population, who were keenly aware of the doctrinal changes sweeping across England. Under the reign of King Edward VI, the Protestant Reformation had flourished, and Taylor had enjoyed relative peace while preaching the new faith in accordance with the principles set out by reformers such as Martin Luther. However, the political and religious climate in England changed drastically with the accession of Queen Mary I in 1553.
Queen Mary, a devout Catholic, sought to restore Roman Catholicism as the state religion and swiftly embarked on a campaign to undo the reforms established under her predecessors. This campaign included the persecution of Protestant clergy, and Rowland Taylor soon became a target due to his vocal defence of the Protestant faith. His refusal to recant his beliefs, even under the threat of execution, marked him as one of the early martyrs of what would later be known as the Marian persecutions.
In 1554, Taylor was brought before Bishop Stephen Gardiner, a staunch supporter of Queen Mary's efforts to reestablish Catholicism. Gardiner, who had a personal disdain for Taylor, presided over the trial that would lead to Taylor’s condemnation. Throughout the trial, Taylor remained resolute, firmly rejecting Catholic doctrines such as transubstantiation and the authority of the Pope. He refused to participate in the Mass or submit to the Roman Church. His defiance, rooted in his unshakeable belief in the Protestant interpretation of the Bible, sealed his fate. Declared a heretic, Taylor was sentenced to be burned at the stake.
After his sentencing, Taylor was imprisoned in London, but he remained unwavering in his faith. His wife, children, and many supporters continued to visit him, finding in him a man who neither feared death nor wavered in his convictions. Before he was handed over to the sheriff of Essex at Chelmsford, Taylor took a moment to address his family for what would be the final time. His words, preserved in John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, reveal the depth of his faith and his profound love for his family:
I say to my wife, and to my children, The Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord hath taken me from you, and you from me: blessed be the name of the Lord! I believe that they are blessed which die in the Lord. God careth for sparrows, and for the hairs of our heads. I have ever found Him more faithful and favourable, than is any father or husband. Trust ye therefore in Him by the means of our dear Saviour Christ’s merits: believe, love, fear, and obey Him: pray to Him, for He hath promised to help. Count me not dead, for I shall certainly live, and never die. I go before, and you shall follow after, to our long home.
On February 9, 1555, Taylor was led to the town of Hadleigh, where he would be executed. The journey was long, and Taylor, though worn from imprisonment, showed no fear. The townspeople gathered in large numbers to witness his final moments. Despite the threat of reprisal, many of the locals showed their support for Taylor, further enraging his captors.
As Taylor was prepared for execution, he was subjected to one final indignity. A butcher was commanded to set the fire that would burn him at the stake. However, the butcher refused. The task then fell to others in the crowd, who reluctantly stepped forward to light the fire.
Before the flames consumed him, Taylor had one final moment with his son Thomas. The exchange between father and son, as recorded by Foxe, provides a poignant insight into Taylor's priorities as a father and a man of faith:
Almighty God bless thee, and give you his Holy Spirit, to be a true servant of Christ, to learn his word, and constantly to stand by his truth all the life long. And my son, see that thou fear God always. Fly from all sin and wicked living. Be virtuous, serve God daily with prayer, and apply thy boke. In anywise see thou be obedient to thy mother, love her, and serve her. Be ruled by her now in thy youth, and follow her good counsel in all things. Beware of lewd company of young men, that fear not God, but followeth their lewd lusts and vain appetites. Flee from whoredom, and hate all filthy lying, remembering that I thy father do die in the defense of holy marriage. And another day when God shall bless thee, love and cherish the poor people, and count that thy chief riches to be rich in alms. And when thy mother is waxed old, forsake her not, but provide for her to thy power, and see that she lacks nothing. For so will God bless thee, give thee long life upon earth, and prosperity, which I pray God to grant thee.
Despite his courage and resolve, Taylor’s suffering did not end with the lighting of the fire. A soldier, observing the brutality of the situation, used his halberd to club Taylor to death before the flames could fully consume him.
Rowland Taylor’s martyrdom did not go unnoticed. His death, like those of many other Protestant martyrs, became a rallying point for the Reformation cause. John Foxe's Book of Martyrs immortalized his story, ensuring that his legacy would endure long after his death. His unwavering commitment to his faith, even in the face of death, solidified his place as one of the most revered figures of the English Reformation. Today, Taylor is remembered not only for his theological contributions but also for the courage and dignity with which he faced martyrdom.
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