Kerby (Ipswich martyr)
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Kerby (d. Ipswich, 1546), whose Christian name is not known, was a man condemned by the Justices and executed by burning at the stake in Ipswich, Suffolk, for his Protestant beliefs, along with Roger Clarke. He is numbered among the Ipswich Martyrs. He died for denying the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation of the Host.
This was the first recorded execution by burning in Ipswich for such a cause, but was followed by several others over the ensuing twelve years, so that by the death of Queen Mary in 1558 there are said to have been seventy-seven persons in Ipswich under condemnation, who were afterwards released. Ipswich had witnessed the arrest of Thomas Bilney in May 1527 and was the birthplace and childhood home of Thomas Wolsey.
Kerby was one of two men, the other surnamed Roger, who stood accused under the terms of the Act of Six Articles of not accepting the doctrine of transubstantiation. The two were imprisoned in the town gaol which was then located in the West Gate, a mediaeval stone and brick structure which stood on the line of the town ramparts very near to the famous pilgrim chapel of Our Lady of Ipswich. Their gaoler was John Bird, a sympathetic man who had already run close to implication under similar charges, and was much later actually accused by the Commissioners. An important figure instrumental in the accusation against Kerby and Roger was one William Foster, a Justice living at Copdock (a little south of Ipswich), who was later very active in the arrests of the martyrs Rowland Taylor, Robert Samuel, Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield.
Visits in prison
During his imprisonment, Kerby was visited by Robert Wingfield, the young heir of Humphrey Wingfield, with Master Breuss of Wenham. Wingfield attempted to dissuade him from his course, saying "Remember, the fire is hot; take heed of thine enterprise, that thou take no more upon thee than thou shalt be able to perform. The terror is great, the pain will be extreme; and life is sweet. Better it were betimes to stick to mercy, while there is hope of life, than rashly to begin, and then to shrink." Kerby replied, "Oh, Master Wingfield, be at my burning, and you shall say, 'There standeth a Christian soldier in the fire.' For I know that fire and water and sword and all other things are in the hands of God, and he will suffer no more to be laid upon us, than he will give us strength to bear." Wingfield answered, "Ah, Kerby! if thou be at that point, I will bid thee farewell, for I promise thee I am not so strong that I am able to burn."
An appeal to justice
The Examination was to take place in the old Town Hall of Ipswich (on the site of the present Town Hall), in the remains of the mediaeval church of St Mildred, beside the Corn Hill. The night before, a bill was nailed to the door by an unknown person, carrying the following words:
Juste judicate filii hominum: Yet, when ye shall judge, minister your justice with mercy.
A fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God: be ye learned, therefore, in true knowledge, ye that judge the earth, lest the Lord be angry with you.
The blood of the righteous shall be required at your hands. What though the veil hanged before Moses' face, yet at Christ's death it fell down.
The stones will speak if these should hold their peace: Therefore harden not your hearts against the verity. For fearfully shall the Lord appear in the day of vengeance to the troubled in conscience. No excuse shall then be of ignorance. Therefore, have remorse in your conscience; fear Him that may kill both body and soul.
Beware of innocent blood-shedding; take heed of justice ignorantly administered; work discreetly as the Scripture doth command; look to it that ye make not the Truth to be forsaken.
We beseech God to save our King, King Henry the Eighth, that he be not led into temptation. So be it.