Rowland Taylor Rowland Taylor ( October 6 , 1510 - February 9 , 1555 ) was an English Protestant martyr of the Tudor period . He was born in Northumberland , England , and died at Hadleigh . At the time of his death he was Rector , or Anglican parish priest of a small parish in a ( now ) small market town called Hadleigh ( also spelled Hadley ) . Taylor provided pastoral leadership for several parishes in Suffolk county England . He was Queen `` Bloody Mary's '' ( Mary I ) third martyr-victim among hundreds during her brief reign in England ( 1553-1558 ) , as she attempted to bring about Roman Catholic major reforms against the Protestants . His sentence was execution by burning at the stake , a common method of punishment for religious dissenters and perceived heretics in the 16th century . He was viewed as a heretic by Roman Catholics but is viewed by Protestants as one of the great Christian martyrs . Taylor 's early life and education John Taylor ( 1480-1534 ) , Rowland 's father Rowland Taylor was the first-born and son of John Taylor ( 1480-1534 ) who married Susan Rowland , in Rothbury , England in 1509 . John was himself distinguished as a leading religious figure in early 16th century England . In 1503 he was ordained Rector at Bishop 's Hatfield . In 1504 he became Rector of Sutton Coldfield . One of the Royal Chaplains at Henry VII ’s funeral , April 21 , 1509 . Appointed by King Henry VIII as the King’s Clerk and Chaplain in 1509 . In 1511 was made Clerk to the Parliament . Appointed Archdeacon of Derby in 1515 . Appointed Royal Ambassador to Burgundy and France and Prolocutor of Convocation . In 1516 was appointed Archdeacon of Buckingham . Conferred the degrees of Doctor of Civil Law and Doctor of Canon Law at Cambridge in 1520 . From 1527 - 1534 he was Master of the Rolls of the Court of Chancery . This position was the third most senior judicial position in England ; Lord Chancellor being first and Lord Chief Justice being second . The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal . Was appointed as one of the commissioners to decide if King Henry VIII 's marriage to Catherine of Aragon was valid . In 1528 appointed Archdeacon of Halifax , West Yorkshire . John Taylor died in 1534 , when his son Rowland was 24 years old , the year his son Rowland received the L.L.D. from Cambridge . Rowland Taylor ( b. 1510 ) , education The son had no less an illustrious career than his father . One year before Rowland Taylor 's birth ( 1509 ) , Henry VIII succeeded Henry Tudor . In 1530 , Taylor received his L.L.B. degree from Cambridge University . From 1531-1538 Rowland Taylor was Principal of Borden Hostel . In 1534 he received the L.L.D. from Cambridge , the same year Luther completed his German Bible . One year later , 1535 , William Tyndale was tried and denounced as a heretic for his new English Bible translation . Tyndale was burnt at the stake in 1536 . Many believe that Rowland 's wife - Margaret Tyndale - was William Tyndale 's sister . Taylor 's religious career In the late 1530s Taylor served as Hugh Latimer 's chaplain and commissary general of the Diocese of Winchester . In March of 1538 Taylor was collated by Latimer to the parish church of Hanbury . When Hugh Latimer resigned , Taylor was taken under the wing of Thomas Cranmer , living with him and ( 1539 ) serving as his chaplain . He was ordained by Cranmer and admitted to the parish church of St . Swithins in Worcester , England . He was thus given his license to preach and did so in the diocese of London . On April 16 , 1544 he was presented to the living of Hadleigh , Suffolk , thus becoming their spiritual leader and Rector . In 1543 the English Parliament banned Tyndale 's English version and all public reading of the Bible by laymen . Religious persecution of Protestant clergy , especially by Roman Catholics , intensified in Britain at this time . In 1546 the Council of Trent , an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church , decreed that the Latin Vulgate was the authoritative version of the Bible . In the Summer of 1547 Rowland Taylor was employed as a preacher for the royal visitation within the dioceses of Lincoln , Oxford , Lichfield and Coventry . On August 15 1547 he became canon of Rochester , the same King Henry the VIII died , January . 1548 , Taylor was appointed Archdeacon of Bury St . Edmunds and preached at the request of the Lord Mayor at Whitsuntide or Pentecost . Edward VI , who reigned from 1547-1553 , followed Henry VIII and in 1549 the Book of Common Prayer became the uniform Protestant liturgical guide in England . In 1550 , Taylor was called to serve on a commission against Anabaptists . The same year he also helped to administer the vacant diocese of Norwich . In 1551 , at age 41 , Taylor was made Archdeacon of Cornwall in the Diocese of Exeter , was also appointed one of six preachers of Canterbury , Kent and was appointed chancellor to Bishop Nicholas Ridley . His leadership was expanded by serving on a commission to revise the ecclesiastical laws . In 1552 , he helped administer the vacant Diocese of Worcester , England . Taylor 's troubles ( circa 1553 ) Rowland 's troubles with ecclesiastical authorities first blossomed in 1553 when he was arrested on July 25th , just six days after the new Queen Mary I ascended the throne . Aside from the fact that Taylor probably supported Lady Jane Grey , Mary 's rival , he was also charged with probable heresy from having preached a sermon in Bury St . Edmunds . Taylor did not support the Roman Catholic position of clerical celibacy , which stated that a Priest must be unmarried . Remaining unmarried was part of a Priest 's holy orders according to Roman Catholic teaching and tradition . Taylor , an Anglican , not a Roman Catholic , believed it was acceptable for a vicar/rector to be married . Taylor also did not hold to the Roman Catholic view known as transubstantiation which is the belief that the two elements ( bread and wine ) taken during Holy Communion , or the Eucharist , actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ . Since the Roman Catholic position is that the Eucharist ( and the miracle of transubstantiation ) is a sacrament commanded by God , anyone not agreeing with it , particularly a cleric or pastor , was a heretic and thus guilty of heresy . Not only did Taylor take issue with clerical celibacy and the doctrine of transubstantiation , he took issue with the Roman Catholic manner of Mass . Taylor received apparent strong local support from the villagers of Hadleigh . His troubles were compounded by the fact that Edward VI died ( July 6 , 1553 ) and was eventually replaced by Queen `` Bloody '' Mary I in 1553 as well . In 1554 Mary I began reversing the reforms of the prior Edward VI and began strictly enforcing Roman Catholicism in England . It did not help matters that Taylor apparently supported Lady Jane Grey 's cause , a rival of Mary I to the throne . On March 26 1554 the Privy Council ordered the arrest of Rowland Taylor and he thus appeared before Stephen Gardiner . The proceedings against Taylor were several and took place over a long period of time , perhaps nearly two years . During this time he was kept in the King 's Bench prison . While in prison he befriended many inmates and was instrumental in their religious conversion to Christianity as well . Taylor 's trial and martyrdom January 1555 was an ominous month for numerous Protestant clergy in England . Bloody Mary I would soon unleash her fury upon those who were deemed as opposing Roman Catholicism and her reforms . On January 22 , 1555 , Rowland Taylor ( Vicar or Rector of Hadleigh ) , and several other clergy , including John Hooper , were examined by a commission of leading bishops and lawyers . Lord Chancellor presided at the hearings . Just two days prior , January 20th , Parliament revived the old statute of burning convicted heretics . One of the men , Crome , recanted and was thus pardoned . Barlow equivocated and was sent to the Tower of London , but not executed . Rowland Taylor , who was steadfastly deviant , was probably taken to Compter Prison in London after his examination by Stephen Gardiner . Taylor gave a strong defence for clerical marriage which put him at odds with the Roman Catholic Church . On January 29 , 1555 , Taylor was brought before Gardiner again at St . Mary Overy's . The next day he was excommunicated , unwilling to recant , and sentenced to death . He was degraded , that is , literally stripped of his garments in a humiliating manner , and was offered his last supper with his family . His reaction to his accusers revealed Taylor 's belief that truth was on his side : The following quotes are taken from Foxe 's Book of Martyrs - John Foxe . Acts and Monuments [ … ] ( 1576 edition ) , [ online ] . ( hriOnline , Sheffield ) . Available from : http : //www.hrionline.shef.ac.uk/foxe/ . [ Accessed : 09.21.2004 ] `` And although I know , that there is neither iustice nor truth to be looked for at my adversaries hands , but rather imprisonment and cruel death : yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous , and the truth so strong upon my side , that I will by God 's grace go and appear before them and to their beards resist their false doings . `` Taylor 's final words As Taylor neared the day of his execution he spoke these words on February 7 , 1555 ( probably ) Taylor was taken back to his own place of Rectory - Hadleigh - where his wife awaited him in the early morning hours at St . Botolph 's churchyard . They exchanged a few last brief words and Margaret promised to be present for his burning in a couple days . That same day Taylor was handed over to the Sheriff of Essex at Chelmsford . Before he was handed over he spoke these words to 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 favorable , than is any father or husband . Trust ye therefore in Him by the means of our dear Savior 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 . `` By February 9 , Bloody Mary I had already burned Rogers on the 4th and Saunders on the 8th in the park at Coventry . Rowland Taylor would become Queen Bloody Mary 's third Protestant martyr to be burned at the stake . His execution took place on February 9th , 1555 , in Aldham Common in Hadleigh . His wife , two daughters , and his son Thomas , were present that day . His final words to his son Thomas are moving : `` 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 they 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 . `` A local butcher was ordered to set a torch to the wood but resisted . A couple of bystanders finally threw a lighted faggot on to the wood . A guard named Warwick grew increasingly frustrated of Taylor 's refusal to recant and thus struck the martyr over the head with a halbard which apparently killed Taylor instantly . The fire consumed his body shortly thereafter . That same day John Hooper was burnt at the stake in Gloucester . An unhewn stone marks the place of Taylor 's martyrdom at Aldham Common . It reads : 1555 D.TAYLOR.IN.DE FENDING.THAT WAS.GOOD.AT THIS.PLAS.LEFT HIS.BLODE Reference John Foxe . Foxe 's Book of Martyr 's . The account of Rowland Taylor 's martyrdom is the entire subject of Chapter 14 . James Ridley . Bloody Mary 's Martyrs : The Story of England 's Terror. 2002 . See also Protestant Reformation William Tyndale Roman Catholicism Anglicanism Martyrdom Christian martyrs Historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theology John Rogers Mary I of England John Hooper External links John Foxe : Acts and Monuments . The Variorum Edition , hriOnline , Sheffield 2004 Rowland Taylor Memoirs of the Reformers ( Rowland Taylor ) Hadleigh in Suffolk Categories : 1510 births | 1555 deaths | Christian martyrs | People executed for heresy 