Thomas Hitton (died February 1530) is generally considered to be the first

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

of the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

, although the followers of Wycliffe—the

Lollards Lollardy was a proto-Protestantism, proto-Protestant Christianity, Christian religious movement that was active in England from the mid-14th century until the 16th-century English Reformation. It was initially led by John Wycliffe, a Catholic C ...

—had been burned at the stake as late as 1519. Hitton was a priest who had joined

William Tyndale William Tyndale (; sometimes spelled ''Tynsdale'', ''Tindall'', ''Tindill'', ''Tyndall''; – October 1536) was an English Biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestantism, Protestant Reformation in the year ...

and the English exiles in the

Low Countries The Low Countries (; ), historically also known as the Netherlands (), is a coastal lowland region in Northwestern Europe forming the lower Drainage basin, basin of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and consisting today of the three modern "Bene ...

, returning to England briefly in 1529—to contact the supporters of Tyndale, and to arrange for the distribution of smuggled books such as the upcoming first English Psalter translated by

George Joye George Joye (also Joy and ) (c. 1495 – 1553) was a 16th-century Bible List of Bible translators, translator who produced the first printed Bible translations, translation of several books of the Old Testament into English (1530–1534), as well ...

. Hitton believed in the supremacy of the Scriptures and denied the authority of bishops; only Scripture in good conscience was the basis for spiritual law (i.e. what is sinful), and all breaches of this law were mortal sins. He also argued that baptism "would be much better if it were spoken in English". He was seized near

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Roche ...

on his way to the coast to take a ship, and found to be in possession of letters from the English exiles. He was then arrested on the grounds of suspected heresy by a

bailiff A bailiff is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. There are different kinds, and their offices and scope of duties vary. Another official sometimes referred to as a '' ...

of the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was put through a formal series of five interviews by Archbishop

William Warham William Warham ( – 22 August 1532) was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1503 to his death in 1532. Early life and education Warham was the son of Robert Warham of Malshanger in Hampshire. He was educated at Winchester College and New Colleg ...

at various intervals of a month or a week, forthrightly confirmed his belief in various heresies, given opportunities to amend the trial record to ensure it was accurate, admitted to previously importing two banned Tyndale New Testaments and Joye's Primer, would not say whom he had given them to, called the Pope the Anti-Christ, and refused to accept promises of mercy if he abjured or to be convinced otherwise. He was passed to Rochester Bishop

John Fisher John Fisher (c. 19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) was an English Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Rochester from 1504 to 1535 and as chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He is honoured as a martyr and saint by the Catholic Chu ...

who confirmed with him again all the evidence and records, in English, and the consequences and ways to escape them, but Hitton refused to abjure. He was therefore determined to be a persistent heretic, outside the protection of the Church, and passed to the secular authority for punishment according to English law. This volume has become popularly known as "Foxe's Book of Martyrs". The original title of 1563, which an online source source states to be
a slightly abridged reprint of the 1563 edition with the language and spelling modernised"
is

itle style and emphasis of the original He was burned at the stake at

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...

on 23 February 1530. When Joye's second Primer (entitled ''Hortulus animae'') appeared a year later, he included the feast of "Sainte Thomas mar." (referring to Hitton) in the calendar; new Lord Chancellor

Thomas More Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535), venerated in the Catholic Church as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, judge, social philosopher, author, statesman, theologian, and noted Renaissance humanist. He also served Henry VII ...

had followed the case and saw this as an insult against his hero and name-saint,

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...

, and described Hitton as "the devil's stinking martyr". He criticized

for canonizing Hitton:

Tyndale William Tyndale (; sometimes spelled ''Tynsdale'', ''Tindall'', ''Tindill'', ''Tyndall''; – October 1536) was an English Biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation in the years leading up to ...

also referred briefly to Hitton's execution:

John Foxe John Foxe (1516/1517 – 18 April 1587) was an English clergyman, theologian, and historian, notable for his martyrology '' Foxe's Book of Martyrs'', telling of Christian martyrs throughout Western history, but particularly the sufferings of En ...

does not allege torture, or the involvement of More.Note: there were strict rules on Inquisitional torture, limiting it to a single, short session attended by a doctor, with no blood or threat to life or limb, if the defendant was suspected but not known to be guilty of a serious crime, but known to be lying; this would presumably not match Hitton's forthrightness.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitton, Thomas English Reformation 16th-century English clergy People executed for heresy 1530 deaths Executed English people 16th-century Protestant martyrs People executed under Henry VIII Year of birth missing People executed by the Kingdom of England by burning Protestant martyrs of England English Protestant ministers and clergy

See also

Notes