John Trapp on John 18:31

Verſe 31. It is not lawfull for us.] That is, upon this or any ſuch like day, upon an holy-day, or holy-day-Eeve. For otherwiſe they had power, or at leaſt took it at their pleaſure; as when they ſtoned Stephen, Act. 7. and would have killed Paul, Act. 24. But note, that they would ſeem to do all according to Law by any means; ſo would their ſucceſſours, the Catholikes. Which, if it be ſo (ſaith M. Fox) how did they then to Anne Askew, Act. and Mon. fol. 1392. whom they firſt condemned to death, and then ſet her on the tack? By what law did they call up Mr Hooper, and priſon him for the Queens debt (when the Queen in very deed did owe him fourſcore pound) and kept him a year and half in priſon, and gave him never a peny? By what Law did Biſhop Bonner condemn and burn Richard Mekins, a lad of fifteen years, when the firſt Jury had quit him, and at the ſtake he revoked all hereſie, and praiſed the ſaid Bonner to be a good man: and alſo having him in priſon, would not ſuffer his father and mother to come to him, to comfort their own childe? What Law had they to put Mr Rogers our Protomartyr in priſon, when he did neither preach nor read lecture, after the time of the Queens inhibition? And when they had kept him in his own houſe half a year, being not deprived of any living, yet would not let him have one half-peny of his owne means to relieve him, his wife and eleven children? By what Law was Thomas Tomkins hand burned, and after his body conſumed to aſhes? What good Law or honeſty was there to burn the three poor women at Garneſ[illegible: 1 letter]e, with the Infant-childe falling out of the mothers womb, when as they all before recanted their words and opinions, and were never abjured before? So, what right or order of Law did Stephen Gardener follow, in troubling and impriſoning Judge Hales, when he had done nothing neither againſt Gods Law nor mans, proceeding in order of Law againſt certain preſumptuous perſons, which, both before the Law, and againſt the Law then in force, took upon them to ſay their Maſſe?