In the 21st Century it is easy to believe that religion is a cause of strife in the world. That mankind is prepared to justify murder and torture, in the name of their God. We have experienced fundamentalists of every shade committing atrocities in the name of their beliefs. Yet, however bad we think the situation may be today, there existed a darker and crueller time and place. Then, as now, there were people prepared to die for their faith, but the majority of these chose not to end their life in the destruction of other lives, but to suffer indignities and tortures rather than renounce their faith. This is the story of some of them, the Coventry Martyrs.

The Lollards

John Wycliff (1329 - 1384) became the head of a movement that was probably the first recognised opposition to the established church since the 5th Century. The Lollards, as they became known, were particularly strong in the textile, tanning, dyeing and associated trades, and thus Coventry became a centre of Lollardy. Lollards were opposed to the worshiping of images, did not accept the doctrine of transubstantiation¹, were against pilgrimages, and believed that church services should be performed in English. The basis of their objections was that religion should be based on the word of the Scriptures, and that the church should be reformed and all its wealth removed. Their worship consisted of reading together from the Scriptures². Initially, though the Lollards were regarded as heretical, they did not suffer persecution. However the Act of 1401 De Heretico Comburendo³ changed that. It gave a clear indication of the punishment that Lollards would face.

When detected they would be tried and made to confess, and then perform a public penance. This penance was to take the form of walking from the local church, barefoot, to a public place,⁴ carrying a faggot of wood upon their shoulder, where they would recant their heresy and list their crimes. The following Sunday, they were to repeat the journey and penance with the faggot upon their other shoulder. Some dioceses chose to make them wear a badge to indicate their status, others branded them with the image of a bundle of branches. The faggot was a physical reminder of what would become them should they relapse: they would be burnt at the stake.

John Grace

In 1415 Ralph Garton was tried for being a Lollard, two more were tried in 1417, and in 1419 Robert Clerke, a member of St Michael's Church⁵, was brought before the Bishop, and charged with heresy, but he recanted. Some indication of the strength of the movement in Coventry can be seen from the events of 1424.

John Grace had been a Dominican monk, and as such held a licence to preach. However, he became convinced of the right of Lollardy. He preached in Lichfield, Birmingham, Coleshill and Coventry. It was at this last location that the Prior of Coventry and a Grey friar opposed him, saying his preacher's license had been withdrawn. They were nearly killed by the mob. Still Grace was arrested and sent to the Tower of London. In return for his release promises were extracted from 50 Coventry artisans to obey the dictates of the authorities, to keep the peace, and not to support Lollardy. Yet one year later seven men were arrested for being Lollards, and there was more trouble in 1431. This came to head in 1432 when 'the wife of a mayor' was executed at Coventry. This unknown woman is not normally numbered amongst the Coventry Martyrs, but was probably the first. This failed to suppress the movement though, and in 1445 John Bredon confessed to having affixed bills to the doors of churches in Coventry, including Holy Trinity.

In 1485, eight more Coventry Lollards appeared before the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. They were particularly offended by the veneration of images, specifically Our Lady of the Tower at the Carmelite Friary. Between 1511 and 1512, 74 Lollards were interrogated at the Bishop's manor at Maxstoke. Several prominent citizens were also sympathetic to Lollards, including Mayors Richard Cook and William Pysford.

Martyrdom

The Hollows in Coventry were once the site of Richard II's quarry, from where he donated stone to the construction of the walls of the city. After Charles I's attack on the city at the start of the civil war, this was filled in as it offered a sheltered place from which to attack the City. Nowadays it lies just outside the ringroad, and it was here that the martyrs died.

Joan Ward (1)

Joan Ward (or Washingby) had previously admitted 20 years of Lollardy, but had abjured in 1495. She had married and left Coventry, but returned in 1511 and resumed her activities. She was condemned as a relapsed heretic and burned at the stake.

Master Archer (2)

Master Archer, a shoemaker, went to the stake along with six of his colleagues on 4 April, 1520.

Thomas Bond (3)

Thomas Bond (or Bowen) also died this day, accused like the others, of teaching his children the Lord's Prayer, in English.

Master Hawkins (4)

Master Hawkins is described as a shoemaker, or skinner.

Robert Hockett (5)

Robert Hockett, or Hatchet, or Hatchets has his trade given as a shoe-maker or leather-dresser⁶.

Thomas Landesdale (6)

Thomas Landesdale or Lansdale, or Lansdail, or Laudersdale continues the clothing motif and has his living given as hosier or tailor.

Master Wrigsham (7)

Master Wrigsham like the others had abjured and done penance, but then relapsed. His occupation was a glover.

Joan Smith (8)

Joan Smith or Joanna Smyth was perhaps the most unlucky of the seven to die this day. After investigation she was discharged, but then a document was found in the sleeve of her gown. On it was written the Lords Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles' Creed, in English. Upon this being discovered she was immediately condemned and burned with the men. It is likely Thomas Landesdale was her brother-in-law.

Robert Silkeby (9)

Robert Silkeby or Silkby or Silkeb, or Silkesby, or Sylkeby, also known as Dumbleby was probably considered the prime capture when he was caught with the other seven, but he escaped. He had been a librarian to the sect for some 18 years, keeping tracts and English translations of the bible. However at the end of 1521 he was recaptured, and on 13 January, 1522, he too went to the stake.

Edward VI's reign was short-lived, a mere five years, but during it great progress was made in Protestant teaching. His stepmother Catherine Parr was a keen Protestant. His reign saw the publication of The Book of Common Prayer, and the first Book of Homilies⁷. However, in 1553 Queen Mary ascended to the throne, and Roman Catholicism was reimposed vigorously. Between February, 1555 and November, 1558, 287 men, women and children were burned at the stake. Three in Coventry.

Reverend Lawrence Saunders (10)

Lawrence Saunders was educated at Eton and Cambridge. He was ordained and granted a bishop's license to preach, and became associated with the leading reformers. He burned February 8, 1555.

Robert Glover (11)

Robert Glover was born in Mancetter and was also Eton educated. He was married to Mary, niece of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, and their eldest son was called Hugh after him.

Cornelius Bongey (12)

Cornelius Bongey, or Bungey, was a capper from Coventry and burned alongside Robert Glover on 20 September, 1555. He was not famous, just an ordinary man, and in him we see the echo of Tertullian's words. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church

Today

How are these sons and daughters of Coventry remembered today? There are two memorials, though strangely each only contains 11 names - for an unknown reason, Master Archer is missing. The first stands on the site of The Hollows, where they burned, and takes the form of a 20-feet-high runic cross of Cornish granite. It stands at the junction of Quinton Road, Mile Lane, Little Park Street and Park Road. It was unveiled on 15 September, 1910. The second was created during the rebuilding of Coventry after World War II. It is a mosaic which is embedded in the wall inside Broadgate House, created by Rene Antonietti after the design by Hugh R Hosking. It sits below the clock of Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom in Broadgate and access is gained through a doorway in the left wall.

At the same time several streets in a new estate in Cheylesmore were named after them. There is Martyrs Close, John Grace Street, Lollard Croft, Joan Ward Street, Hockett Street, Thomas Landsail Street, Wrigsham Street, Silksby Street, Glover Street and Cornelius Street. There is also Laurence Saunders Road in Radford.

Finally

Most of us can only wonder at the courage and faith of these people, but the words of Robert Glover's uncle-in-law when he went to the stake in Oxford with his fellow Bishop Nicholas Ridley, is perhaps the most fitting banner.

Be of good comfort Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.