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THE BURNING OF THE MARTYRS. |
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CHAPTER XVII.
East Grinstead did not escape the persecutions which became almost universal in England during the reign of Queen Mary. On July 18th, 1556, Anne Tree (familiarly known as Mother Tree), Thomas Dungate and John Forman were burned at the stake in East Grinstead, and, so far as is known, were the only martyrs who met their doom in this town. No record of their examination and sufferings has been preserved, but the martyrdom is thus quaintly and briefly recorded in the second volume of Foxe's " Book of Martyrs: "—
Nere about the same tyme that the three women with the infant was burned at Guernsey suffered other three likewise at Grenested in Sussex, two men and one woman, the names of whom were Tho. Dungate, John Forman and Mother Tree, who for righteousness' sake gave themselves to death and tormentes of the fire paciently abidyng what the furious rage of man could say or worke against them at the said Towne of Grenested endying their lives the xviii. of the sayd moneth of July and in the yeare aforesayd (1556).
Anne Tree's granddaughter of the same name resided at East Grinstead and was married in the time of Elizabeth to Edmund Ellis. The late George Ellis, of East Grinstead, was a lineal descendant. There were Dungates here 100 years later, as is shown by the record of special marriage licenses granted in the Lewes Registry and recently published by the Sussex Record Society. From these it appears that:—
Stephen Dungatt, of East Grinstead, yeoman, was married 13th July, 1611.
Edward Dungat, of East Grinstead, weaver, was married 14th June, 1632, to Anne Bowre.
John Dungate, of East Grinstead, yeoman, was married 1st Nov., 1642, at St. Ann's, Lewes, to Anne Constable, also of East Grinstead.
In a deed dated April 9th, 1609, Stephen Dungate appears as owner of lands near Saint Hill, and as late as |
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