In the middle of the sixteenth century, though England was enduring the fiery trials of Catholic Queen Mary’s reign, God’s Word continued to do its saving work in men and women’s hearts. For many of them, this work led to the path of a martyr’s death.

In a small village in Warwickshire, not far from present-day Birmingham, there lived a woman named Joyce Lewes. She had come from a socially prominent family, and was in fact closely related to several of England’s nobility. Joyce had been brought up in every comfort and luxury her father’s wealth could buy – she loved elegant clothes, and all the entertainments enjoyed by people of her class. She was married first to a man named Sir George Appleby, but sadly he was killed (at the young age of 34) in battle near Edinburgh. Joyce was left with two sons. Some time later (we don’t know how much later) she married again, to a well-to-do gentleman named Thomas Lewes, who lived at Mancetter, a little village near Atherstone, in Warwickshire.

We know very few details of Joyce’s life, or of her relationship with her second husband. As is so often the case, all we have are the details that led to her particular death. But the details we do have suggest some rather unusual – and important – truths about life as a Christian woman, and ones we can easily apply to our own lives today. Joyce had spent all of her life up to the 1550s as a part of local parish churches. During King Edward’s reign (1547-53) Protestant changes had been made to the worship and teaching of the churches; but under Mary, who came to the throne on 1553, ruthless reversals to Roman Catholicism were increasingly imposed. Depending on the convictions and calibre of local parish clergy, Joyce may have seen obvious changes in the liturgy and teaching in Sunday services – or very few. She appears to have been more preoccupied with fashion and entertainment in her youth than with the more weighty matter of where her soul stood with God. Even at the beginning of Mary’s reign, when the Catholic mass was reintroduced, she went along to church each Sunday and partook, as all the others in her parish did.

A Godly Influence⤒🔗

However, all this changed in 1555, when Joyce heard of the martyrdom of a godly minister, Laurence Saunders, who was burnt at the stake in Coventry, only twelve miles from her home. It seems that at first she was simply moved by curiosity to discover why this man had been put to death for his beliefs. But the interesting thing is that the people she turned to for information were those she knew to be earnest about their faith, and of Protestant convictions. What Joyce learned was that Laurence Saunders had refused to participate in the mass – and this began to nag at her conscience. What if he was right? What if, all her life, she had been doing wrong? She decided to learn more. In her spiritual struggles over this matter, she was greatly helped by a very godly neighbour, Mr Robert Glover, who, we are told, led a devoted Christian life, and suffered a great deal himself for the cause of the gospel. Mr Glover spent a lot of time explaining the Scriptures to Joyce, and helping her understand why the Roman Catholic mass, with its idea of transubstantiation, and the repeating of Christ’s sacrifice, was wholly wrong. He also pointed out the superstition in many other Roman Catholic teachings and practices, things that Joyce had been led to believe were necessary for salvation. This good neighbour also helped her see the worldliness of her own life, and encouraged her to put aside some of her focus on possessions and lavish entertainment. She really began to be conscious of her sin, and long to put it away. Her love for God and His Word grew.

Standing Up for her Convictions←⤒🔗

Of course, in these troubled times, it counted a great deal what you believed about things like the mass. It could cause you serious trouble, and even lead to your death. Joyce came to the conviction, in the end, that the mass was entirely wrong. Because of this, she stayed away from the services in the parish church. This led to serious friction between her and her husband, and eventually, in a towering rage, he forced her to go. But when the priest came down the aisle to sprinkle the people with holy water, she couldn’t prevent herself turning her back as he came by. This was just the kind of action that was not tolerated in this tense situation, especially when it was done in front of the whole parish, and by the most prominent lady of the neighbourhood. So Joyce was denounced to the bishop of the diocese on the charge of despising holy water.

The Bishop sent a messenger to Mancetter summoning Joyce to appear before him to answer these charges. However, the first person he met when he arrived at the house was George Lewes, and although he was a very decided Roman Catholic, and not at all tolerant of his wife’s views on religious questions, his pride was touched when he read the summons. So he told the messenger angrily that he had better take it back, or be made to eat it! Afraid to return with it, the man did not know what to do – but when George Lewes held a dagger to his chest, he did return.

However, Joyce and her husband were finally compelled to come before the bishop. George apologised and was exonerated, but Joyce told the bishop, clearly but respectfully, that she believed she had not offended God or His laws by refusing the holy water. The bishop was very annoyed, but because she was a prominent lady, he gave her another chance, provided her husband paid a hundred pounds as guarantee that he would bring her back again in a month. This he did, and they returned home.

Her Persecution←⤒🔗

Joyce prayed earnestly, and went also from time to time to visit Robert Glover, who urged her to do nothing to draw attention to herself, or to win any kind of reputation for herself. This kind Christian even went to George Lewes and begged him not to take his wife back to the bishop – to forfeit the hundred pounds rather than expose her to the danger of being put to death. However, by this time George was so angry and determined that he would not hear of it. It seems any remaining love for his wife had been eaten up by his anger. He took her back to the bishop. She was even more certain in her convictions before the bishop this time than the first, even though this time death was threatened.

To begin with, Joyce was put in a filthy, stinking prison. A maid that was taken to keep her company couldn’t stay there – she kept fainting from the smell. Joyce was also frequently questioned about her beliefs by priests – a persecution that she endured without wavering. Of course, she was condemned to death by fire, and was handed over to the Sheriff to carry out the sentence. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it, and so kept putting it off until his term of office had expired. However, the next Sheriff was willing. When the time to die came near, Joyce called for some of her friends, and asked them how she should behave at the end, so that God would be glorified, and His people encouraged and strengthened in their faith. She told them she wasn’t afraid to die herself. On the evening before she was due to die, two priests were sent to hear her confession – but she refused their offers, and told them she had already confessed to Christ, and that she did not think the cause for which she was about to die was a sin at all. Instead, she thanked God, with a joyful heart, that He was allowing her to suffer for His Word

To Die is Gain←⤒🔗

At eight o’ clock in the morning the Sheriff came, and in a very rough and abrupt way told her that she had an hour to live. A friend who was standing by said to Joyce, “Mistress Lewes, you have great cause to thank God, who will so speedily take you out of this world, and make you worthy to be a witness of His truth, and bear record unto Christ, that He is the only Saviour.” And she told the Sheriff she was glad that God would make her worthy to die. Joyce had to walk a long way from the prison to the stake that had been set up for her in Litchfield. The crowd was very large, but included many who sympathized with her Protestant beliefs. Joyce prayed aloud three times, earnestly asking God to rid England of the sacrifice of the mass, and from Catholicism. Many in the crowd risked their own lives by shouting “Amen!” and by drinking with her from a cup that had been given her. (One of the priests present was writing down names). Foxe, who is the main source on Joyce’s life, said that it was truly remarkable how calm she was as they chained her to the stake, and how she was cheerful, patient, and did not even lose the colour in her face. Many who saw her began to have their eyes opened, and to lament the cruelty of the Roman Catholics. God was merciful – she died very quickly when the fire was lit.

A Strength not of Our Own←⤒🔗

What can we learn from this faithful servant of Christ? At first, her story seems so remarkable that it is hard to imagine how there could be anything in common between her life and ours. How was she able to remain so steadfast in her convictions, even when her husband was so angry and so against her? She was even deliberately handed over to the agent of her death by her own husband! How did she find the clarity of mind to give such answers to the bishop when her own life was on the line? How did she, a polite and well-brought up woman, endure the stinking prison, and the rough unkindness of the Sheriff? How did she manage to stand the shame of walking to the fire prepared for her so publicly, for such a long distance, and through a huge crowd? The answer is that God preserved her. He has promised to keep His own ones safe until the end, no matter what fiery trials they may have to endure. This is how, through the ages, men and women have been able to share Christ’s sufferings and not waver. Joyce’s life, like many others, shows us that even ordinary women may be given this strength. And for us? We may not be called to suffer torture and death for Christ; but whatever our difficulty (and all Christians will have some difficulty) we can be sure that He will be faithful, and keep us faithful to Him.

Don’t Shrink Back←⤒🔗

A second, and most important lesson, is that we should not assume that the sufferings and troubles of the Christian life will turn men and women away from the cross. On the contrary, Joyce was first attracted to the gospel by what she learned of the martyr’s death of Laurence Saunders. Clearly, she began to ask herself: if this man was prepared to die for his convictions, then surely they must have been very serious and clear convictions? She felt compelled to know more, lest her own beliefs were wrong. So often, I think, we act as if it will “turn people off” to hear or see what troubles a Christian may have to go through for being a Christian. Do we shrink from letting people see that family members laugh at us for believing? Are we embarrassed that our incomes are lower, and our homes more modest than those who give themselves whole-heartedly to the pursuit of wealth, with little thought to family priorities and no thought at all to the service of God? And yet, these “sufferings” are nothing in comparison with the price that Laurence Saunders and Joyce Lewes paid. No, it was the patient, Christlike witness of others who were enduring suffering that proved the powerful attractant for Joyce. Remember, too, that her witness at her death led many to question whether the Catholics were right. But we do, of course, need to take heed to our demeanour in our sufferings, as Joyce did. A self-pitying, discouraged and complaining air will, quite rightly, lead people to wonder whether our Saviour is any real Saviour at all.

The Help of Friends←⤒🔗

Thirdly, we see clearly that the help of friends was critical in Joyce’s life and witness. She came to faith through the help of that kind-hearted neighbour, Robert Glover. He recognised that this woman really wanted to know what had motivated Laurence Saunders. He took a great deal of time to explain carefully why the mass was so wrong, and what else was so distorted about Roman Catholic teaching and practice. It takes a long time to satisfy someone who has grown up with a certain set of teachings, and has taken them for granted for most of her life. And remember, there was risk for Mr Glover. By talking with Joyce, it was possible he was exposing his own (dangerous) position in regard to the mass. He even intervened in a more “risky” way – by pleading with her husband not to take her back to the bishop­ the step that would doubtless lead to her death. Then there were the friends who visited Joyce in prison, easing her loneliness, talking with her about the Lord, and encouraging her in the truth of her position. There were friends with her when the Sheriff came to take her off to the fire; and friends with her as she was chained to the stake. Many brave friends even showed their support of her publicly by drinking of the same cup as she died, while their names were written down by a hostile priest. Don’t you think these practical gestures of oneness with her would have encouraged Joyce immensely? The way God has made us, we need the help of others in every step of our walk of faith. We need others to show us the Light for our path; we need others to keep us steady on our way, especially when we falter; and we need others to cheer us when our end is near. Of course, our Lord is with us all the way, most nearly and dearly; but He also uses His other children to comfort the suffering one. We can all be His servants in this.

Just Like You?←⤒🔗

So after all, who was Joyce Lewes? What she endured makes her seem remarkable­ those dangerous times certainly made remarkable demands on those who believed. But in her heart? Joyce Lewes was an ordinary Christian woman, just like you and me. Take heart from this –ordinary Christian women trust an extraordinary God.