A jailor lurks in the shadows of this prison scene, behind an open door. Four martyrs sit in stocks. The prisoners are "T. Leyes" [T[homas] Leyes]; "Androws" ["Andrews"]; "Ri. Smith." ["Ri[chard] Smith"]; and "Tho. King." ["Tho[mas] King"]. The identities of these martyrs caused Foxe a considerable amount of confusion. In the Rerum (1559), a note indicates that "Richard Smith" and George "Bing" died in Lollards' Tower in September 1555 (p. 525). (A digital image of the title page of this book, one of two Latin precursors to the Book of Martyrs, is available in this collection.) "Bing" becomes "King" in the 1563 edition, but Leyes, also named in 1563, perished in Newgate prison rather than in Lollards' Tower. Foxe amends these names in the 1570 edition to George King, Thomas Leyes, and John Wade, who all died in Lollards' Tower. It is likely that Foxe derived his information from oral sources, although it remains unclear whether the prisoners were held at Lollards' Tower at Lambeth or at the prison of the same name in St. Paul's Cathedral. This woodcut appears in the first through fourth editions (1563, 1570, 1576, and 1583). Luborsky and Ingram 11222/36, 11223/77. JPEG file (1.03 MB).
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