View source for Boucher, Joan (ca. 1490-1550)

Joan (Jane) Boucher (Bocher, also called Johanna of Kent), was sentenced to die at the stake in [[London (England, Great Britain)|London]] as a follower of [[Hoffman, Melchior (ca. 1495-1544?) |Melchior Hoffman]]. The 12-year-old King Edward at first refused to sign the death warrant, but Archbishop Thomas Cranmer pressed him so long with the suggestion that she should be punished with death for her heresy according to the law of Moses that he finally yielded. He is said to have told Cranmer with tears, "Cranmer, I will sign the verdict at your risk and responsibility before God’s judgment throne." Cranmer was deeply impressed, and he tried once more to induce her to recant; but she persisted and suffered death by fire on 2 May 1550 (<em>ML</em> erroneously 1549). Seven years later Cranmer suffered the same death.
= Bibliography =
Barclay, R. ''The Inner Life of the Religious Societies of the Commonwealth''. 2nd ed. London, 1877: 38.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 239, 585.

Krohn, Barthold Nicolaus. ''Geschichte der fanatischen und enthusiastischen Wiedertäufer vornehmlich in Niederdeutschland : Melchior Hofmann und die Secte der Hofmannianer.'' Leipzig : Breitkopf, 1758: 392 f.

MacGregor, Kirk R. "The theology of English Anabaptist martyr Joan Bocher." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 91, no. 4 (2017): 453-470.

''Mennonitische Blätter'' (1856): 76.

Weber, G. ''Geschichte der altkatholischen Kirchen und Sekten von Grossbrittannien''. Leipzig, 1854: 97-106.
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