Genealogical Memoir of the Family of Rev. Nathaniel Rogers of Ipswich, Essex Co., MA “by a descendant” 1851 GENEALOGICAL MEMOIR OF THE FAMILY OF REV. NATHANIEL ROGERS, Of Ipswich, Essex Oo., Mass., who came from Old to New England, .A.D., 163 6, Son of Rev. John Rogers, of Dedham, Essex, Old E~gland, who was a Grandson of Rev. John Rogers,* Prebendary of St. Pauli, Vicar of• St. Sepulchre, the Proto-J.1:fartyr in Queen llfary's Reign. [BY A DESCENDANT.] ON the 4th of February, 1555, suffered at Smithfield, the constant martyr of God, (1.) JOHN ROGERS: born, according to early writers, in Lancashire, Engl.and, and educated at the University of. Cam­ bridge. vVhile yet a young man, for conscience sake, he went to Antvverp, in Brabant, serving n1any years as chaplain to the Eng­ lish merchant adventurers. Here was formed an ardent friend­ ship with that ,vorthy servant and n1artyr of God, William Tyn­ dale and Miles Coverdale ( after,vard Bishop of Exeter) who, for the hatred they bare to Popish superstition and idolatry,· and love to true religion, had forsaken their native country; conferring with them the Scriptures, he ca1ne to great kno\vledge of the Gospel, insomuch as to cast off the heavy yoke of Popery, ~nd assist in the translation of the Bible into the English language, \vhich led to the prin~ing, finishing, and notable introduction into England in 1537, of the folio Bible, being the first con1plete edi­ tion of both the Old and Ne\v Testaments; revised and pub­ lished by him alone under the assu1ned name of " Thomas Mat­ thevv." He printed on the la8t leaf, these \Vords: TO THE HONOuRE AND PRAYSE 0}' GOD ,vAs TIIIS BYBLE PRINTED AND FYNESSHED IN THE YERE OF OURE LORDE GOD, A. l\IDXXXVII. , Here, also, he ,vas married to a ,voman of this country, and re- * An original portrait of the Proto-1\fartyr may be seen in the Hall of the American Antiquarian Society at Worce·ster, Mass., said to have been presented by the late Rev. Dr. Bentley. of Salem. A copy by Copley, of the original, formerly belonging to the family of Goz. Hutchinson, of .Mass., was in posse;c;siov <;>f Jp.e lat~ Rev. Dr. Andrew Eliot, of Boston. The identical Bible which belo~1ge.~ , ty, the Proto­ :Martyr, printed in 1549, is owned by a descendant at Lunenburg, l\-1as3. - 1 4 Memoir of Rev. Nathaniel Roge'rs' Family. moved to Wittenberg, in Saxony, soon acquiring such a knowl­ edge of the German tongue as to take charge of a congregation, ,:vhich faithfully conducting, some years, until the accession of King Edward the VI., upon the establishment of the Protes­ tant religion, he returned to England to preach the Gospel. In April, 1550, he was admitted Rector of St. lVIargaret Nioy:;es, on the 10th of July of the sarne year Vicar of St. Sepulchre, and on the 24th of August following, having resigned this office, Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, besto,ved on him a Prebend in the cathedral church of St. Paul, where the Dean and Chapter chose him Divinity Reader, therein he diligently labored until Queen Mary, coming to the throne, brought in the Antichrist of Rome. On the occasion of Queen Mary's entrance into London, he preached a bold and zealous sermon at St. Paul's Cross, confirming such doctrine as had been taught in King Ed­ ,vard's days, and exhorting the people firmly to adhere to the same, and be\vare of all pestilent Popery. The Council composed of Popish Bishops called him to account, before ,vhom making so stout and witty an answer, and pleading his cause in such a manner, he was this time clearly dismissed. On August 13th, 1553, Bishop Bonner being restored, appointed Master Bourn (after\vard Bishop of Bath) a Ca~1on of St. Paul's to preach at the Cross; in his discourse, speaking honorably of Bonner, then present, '' which Bonner," said he "upon the same text, in that place, that day four years before had preached, and was upon the same most cruelly and unjustly cast into the vile dungeon of th~ lV[arshalsea and there kept during the time of King Edward."-His audience, thereupon, could not keep silence, but began to murmur and make such a stir, that the Mayor and Aldermen ,vith other officers present greatly feared an uproar, when son1e one hurling a dagger at the preacher, the people became excited and ,vould have taken his life but for the interposition of l\ir. Bradford (aftervvard a martyr) and Mr. Rogers, who, stand­ ing up, appeased their fury and conducted him betsvixt them from the pulpit to the Grammar School door, ,vhere they left him safe. The next day after this sennon at St. Paul's Cross, the Queen's guards ,vere there \vith their v.reapons to protect the preacher, and ,vhen quiet men ,vithclrevv, order ,vas given by the Mayor that the ancients. of all con1panies should be present, lest he should be discouraged by his small auditory. On the 16th of August, Mr. Bradford ,vas committed to the To,ver, and l\'.Ir. Rogers con1manded by the council to keep in his ovvn house at St. Paul's, and have communication ,vith no other than of his 0\vn household. Fron1 their influence ,vith the people, it was pretended they had instigated the affair, and all public preaching, the great weapon of the Reformers, ,vas now forbidden by the (lueen. Aftenva:rd., .Mr. Rogers was again called before the council ; by flying,:tp;which he was urged, he could have escaped their Memoir of,Rev. Nathaniel Rogers' Faniily. 5 cruel hands, and many reasons might have prevailed, he saw the reestablishment of the Protestant religion in England, for the present desperate; he kne,v he should not v.rant a living in Ger­ many, nor could he forget his ,vife and children, and to seek means for their subsistence. After having been called to ans,ver in Christ's cause, he would not depart, but finnly stood in defenc:e thereof, and for the trial of that truth ,vas content to hazard his life. Remaining a prisoner in his O\Vn house, at length Bishop Bon­ ner uncharitably caused his removal to Ne,vgate, where he ,vas lodged among theives and murderers. He is frequently invited ,vith Bishop Ridley and others of the ablest Reformers to the Convocation, Cambridge and else,vhere~ to contend in favor of the ne,v religion against the Romish clergy. Among other things concerning hi1n, this is not to be forgotte1~, how in the days of l{ing Edward, there was a controversy an1ong the bishops and clergy about wearing of priests' caps and other attire belonging to that order; he, being one of that number ,vho never went other,vise than in a round cap during all the tin1e of King Ed,vard, refused to agree to the decree of uniformity of wearing the cap, tippet, &c., unless it should be decreed by ,vay of distinction, that the Papists should wear upon their sleeves a chalice ,vith a host upon it ; to ,vhich, if they ,vould not consent, he vvould never vvear the cap, as, indeed, he never did. In prison he vvas merry and earnest in all he went about, he ,vrote much, his exa1ninations being penned ,vith his o,vn hand, which else had never come to light. Where 1nan's power lacketh, see how God's providence \Vorketh ! Not,vithstanding a strict search ,vas made to take a-\vay his letters and papers, yet after his death, his wife with one of her sons called Daniel coming into the place, ,vhere he had lain,to seek1 for them, and no,v ready to go away, "he chanced to spy a black thing lying in a blind corner under a pair of stairs," and ,vishing his mother see ,vhat it ,vas, found it to be the book ,vritten in his o,vn hand,vriting, containing his ex­ aminations and answers, ,-vith other matters. On the 22d of January, 1555, he ,vas brought before the Coun­ cil for examination: - First, the Lord Chancellor (Stephen Gardiner) said unto me, thus: "Sir~ ye have heard the state of the realm, in which it standeth now." Rogers: - "No, my Lord, I have been kept in close pd son, and except there have been some general thing said at the table, when I was at dinner or supper, I hav~ heard nothing; and there have I heard nothing where­ upon any speci~l thing might be grounded." Then said the Lord Chancellor, " General things, general thing~," mock­ ingly. '' Ye li_ave heard of n1y Lord Cardinal's coming, and that the Parliament has received his blessing; not one resisting unto it; but one man which did speak against it ; such a unity and such a miracle hath not been seen /and all they(of which there are eight score in one house said one that was by whose name I know not) have with one assent and consent.. received pardon of their offences, for the schism that we have had in 6 Memoir of Rev. Nathaniel Rogers' Fam.ily. • England, in refusing the I-Ioly Father of Rome, to be the head of the Catholic Church. I-low say ye ? are ye content to unite and knit yourself to the faith of the Catholic Church with us in the state in which it is now in England ? will ye do that ? " Rogers : - " The Catholic Church I never did nor will dissent from." Ld.