Robert Samuel (died 31 August 1555) was an English priest of East Bergholt in Suffolk, England who was imprisoned, tortured and burnt to death as a judicial execution under the Marian persecutions, and is commemorated as one of the Ipswich Martyrs. His sufferings are recorded in John Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
The path of persecution
Robert Samuel was the minister of the parish church of East Bergholt, in the Stour valley, during the reign of King Edward VI, at which time it was permitted for priests to be married, and he dwelt there together with his wife. Following the accession of Queen Mary I, a strict edict was issued demanding that all married priests should set aside their wives and return to a life of celibacy. Robert Samuel's wife went to live in Ipswich.
As a believer in the reformed faith, however, Samuel attracted the hostility of the virulent anti-reformist, William Foster, from the village of Copdock near Ipswich, a Justice of the Peace, who is described as 'a steward and keeper of the courts.' When, not long before, Dr Rowland Taylor of Hadleigh had found the (Roman) priest John Averth of Aldham, protected by armed guards, actually celebrating the Roman Catholic Mass in Taylor's benefice at Hadleigh, and had protested, it was Foster that had there immediately denounced Taylor as a traitor impeding the Queen's proceedings. Taylor was arrested and after an imprisonment in London and inquisition before the Bishops, was burnt at the stake at Aldham Common in February 1555. After this success Foster turned his attention to Samuel.
Arrest and imprisonment
Samuel was removed from his benefice at Bergholt, but continued secretly to visit the houses of those of his flock who still adhered to the reformed doctrines, so that his influence continued to be felt. Therefore, spies were sent after him, and it was decided to trap him whilst visiting his wife in Ipswich. A large band of assailants surrounded the house at night, seized him and dragged him away from his weeping wife to bear him off to prison. He was first imprisoned in the town gaol, which was then within the West Gate of the town, a medieval gateway within the earthen rampart. While in Ipswich he was succoured by two Ipswich women, Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield. John Bird, who had been the Keeper of the gaol since at least 1546, was in around 1556 accused by the Queen's Commissioners of encouraging the Protestants who were sometimes placed in his care. Samuel was in company with other like-minded prisoners, and 'passed his time meekly among his godly brethren, so long as he was permitted to continue there.'
Letters to the congregation
Robert Samuel wrote two letters To the Christian Congregation, exhorting his fellow-sufferers to be constant in obeying God, rather than men. For, although they slay our sinful bodies for God's verity, yet they cannot do it but by God's sufferance and goodwill, to His praise and honour, and to our eternal joy and felicity. For our blood shed for the Gospel shall preach it with more fruit, and greater furtherance, than did our mouths, lives and writings, as did the blood of Abel, Stephen, with many others more.
Norwich: inquisition, torture, visions
Samuel was next transferred to Norwich, to the prison then within Norwich Castle, for inquisition by the Bishop Dr Hopton, who had 'reclaimed' several heretics. He was subjected to tortures of atrocious cruelty, being "chained bolt upright to a great post, in such sort, that standing only on tip-toe he was fain to stay up the whole poise or weight of his body thereby." At the same time he was fed only two or three mouthfuls of bread daily, and three spoonfuls of water.
Perhaps as a result of this starvation and torment, after two or three days, "he fell into a sleep as it were one-half in a slumber, at which time one clad all in white seemed to stand before him, who ministered comfort to him by these words, 'Samuel, Samuel! be of good cheer, and take a good heart unto thee, for after this day shalt thou never be either hungry or thirsty.' Which thing came to pass accordingly," for he felt neither hunger nor thirst again till he was led away to be burnt. He told his friends that he had received many other such comforts from Christ, but that he would not relate them from modesty. Angels ministered to him, and there was the form of some Other that lightened the gloom of the dungeon.