Francis Marbury - 1578 Trial

1578 Trial

As a young man Marbury was considered to be a "hothead" and felt strongly that the clergy should be well educated, and clashed with his superiors on this issue. He spent time preaching at Northampton, but soon came into conflict with the bishop's chancellor, Dr. James Ellis, who was on a mission to suppress any nonconforming clergy. After two short imprisonments, Marbury was directed to leave Northampton and not return. He disregarded this order, and was then brought to trial in the consistory of St. Paul's in London before the high commission on 5 November 1578. Here he was examined by the Bishop of London, John Aylmer, and by Sir Owen Hopton, Dr. Lewis, and Archdeacon John Mullins. Marbury made a transcript of this trial from memory and used it to educate and amuse his children, he being the hero, and the Bishop being portrayed as somewhat of a buffoon, and the transcript can be found in Benjamin Brook's study of notable Puritans. Historian Lennam finds nothing in this transcript that is either "improbable or inconsistent with the Bishop's testy reputation."

In the trial, Aylmer began the accusations of Marbury, saying "you had rattled the Bishop of Peterborough," to which Marbury accused the bishop of placing poorly trained ministers in the parish churches, adding that the bishops were poorly supervised. Aylmer then retorted, "The Bishop of Peterborough was never more overseen in his life than when he admitted thee to be a preacher in Northampton." Marbury warned that for every soul damned by the lack of adequate preaching, the guilt "is on the bishops' hands." To this Aylmer replied, "Thou takest upon thee to be a preacher, but there is nothing in thee. Thou art a very ass, an idiot, and a fool."

As the examination continued, Aylmer considered the ability of the Anglican Church to put trained ministers in every parish. He barked, "This fellow would have a preacher in every parish church!" to which Marbury replied, "so would St. Paul." Then Aylmer asked, "But where is the living for them?" To this Marbury answered, "A man might cut a large thong out of your hide, and that of the other prelates, and it would never be missed." Having lost his patience, the bishop retorted, "Thou are an overthwart, proud, puritan knave." Marbury answered, "I am no puritan. I beseech you to be good to me. I have been twice in prison already, but I know not why. To this, Aylmer was unsympathetic, and he rendered the sentence, "Have him to the Marshalsea. There he shall cope with the papists." Marbury then actually threatened divine retribution upon the bishop by warning him to beware the judgements of God. His daughter Anne would make a similar threat towards the magistrates and ministers at her civil trial before the Massachusetts Court, nearly 60 years later.