Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

proofs that the Spirit of God was returning to the
world, and that he was opening the eyes of not a
few to see in the midst of the great darkness the
errors of Rome. The doctrine about which they
were generally incriminated was that of
transubstantiation. Among other tales of
persecution furnished by the times, that of John
Brown, of Ashford, has been most touchingly told
by the English martyrologist. Brown happened to
seat himself beside a priest in the Gravesend barge.
"After certain communication, the priest asked
him," says Fox, "'Dost thou know who I am?
Thou sittest too near me: thou sittest on my
clothes.' 'No, sir,' said Brown; 'I know not what you
are.' 'I tell thee I am a priest.' 'What, sir, are you a
parson, or vicar, or a lady's chaplain?' 'No,' quoth
he again; 'I am a soul-priest, I sing for a soul,' saith
he. 'Do you so, sir?' quoth the other; 'that is well
done.' 'I pray you sir,' quoth he, 'where find you the
soul when you go to mass?' 'I cannot tell thee,' said
the priest. 'I pray you, where do you leave it, sir,
when the mass is done ?' 'I cannot tell thee,' said
the priest. ' You can neither tell me where you find
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