Trudge-Over was not his real name, of course. He had been christened George - George Eagles. However, the people of Colchester thought the name Trudge-Over suited him better. How right they were, for George spent his life trudging. Spring, summer, autumn and winter he trudged around the countryside; sleeping in barns, under hedges, or in the open fields. He had no choice, for he was an outlaw on the run, and his crime was preaching the Gospel.
George Eagles was not an ordained minister, but a tailor, and quite an unusual tailor for the times. When he measured a customer for a suit, he also told him how he might be clothed with the robes of righteousness. He was practically uneducated, but was so 'eloquent and of good utterance' that people listened. So much so that after a time he decided to devote himself full time to the Lord's service.
Things went very well for several years until 1554, shortly after the accession of Mary Tudor. Suddenly it became an offence to print anything without special licence; no unauthorised person could convene a meeting of more than twelve people; and worst of all, the pulpit was banned to all but government 'yes-men'. Many Gospel ministers were arrested while others went under-ground. By this time George was an itinerant preacher with a large 'parish', and in spite if the restrictions he continued to minister the Word.
One day an informer infiltrated George's meeting, and slunk back to his masters with an exaggerated report that Master Eagles had not only assembled an unauthorised gathering, but had also incited its members to treason. A warrant was issued for George's arrest, and he went into hiding. At the beginning of his troubles friends concealed him, sometimes for months on end. This was dangerous work, however, and rather than compromise his friends George took into the woods. Notices began to appear throughout Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Kent. They stated that any loyal citizen who captured the renegade George Eagles, otherwise known as Trudge-Over, would be rewarded with twenty pounds.
He avoided arrest for almost three years, living very sparsely - often drinking nothing but water. Then in Mary Magdalene's Day, 1557, he went into Colchester; possibly to encourage fellow believers. A summer fair was in progress and he was not there long before someone spotted him.
Up went the shout, 'Trudge-Over!', and the poor little tailor took off with 'a great multitude pursuing after'. He raced into the countryside and dived into a wood. The mob searched fervently, but by now George was an expert at camouflage, and one by one the would-be bounty hunters tired and gave up. One citizen, however, climbed into a high tree and sat down to wait. After a time he either saw a head poke up above the standing corn or heard a voice. Silently he slid to the ground, crept through the corn, and grabbed Trudge-Over while he was at prayer.
Trudge-Over was imprisoned in Colchester and Chelmsford, and then sent to London for examination. Whatever they did to George they extracted no admission of guilt, for he was sent back to Chelmsford to stand trail still protesting his innocence. The substance of the charge was that on a certain day in an unlawful assembly he had prayed that 'God should turn Queen Mary's heart, or else take her away'. Even the most ignorant would realise he was being put away on grounds of religion. He denied using the expression 'take her away', but confessed to praying that the Lord would turn the Queen's heart. He also preached salvation by faith in Christ alone, and so ensured the sentence of death. Subsequently found guilty of treason, he was imprisoned in the Crown Inn at Chelmsford to await execution.
Led out to die between two malefactors, like his saviour, he carried a psalter from which he read in a loud voice. He also preached salvation through Christ alone to the gathering crowd. One of the criminals made a joke of his council; he played the fool right to the scaffold where he was frozen in terror. After some prompting, he managed to stammer the Lord's prayer before he was cast into eternity. The other had a change of heart and began to call upon Christ for forgiveness. He called on the crowd to repent, and ended his life in a godly and quiet manner.
The execution of George Eagles was certainly no place for the squeamish. He was not allowed a quick death for, as a condemned 'traitor', he was to be hung, drawn and quartered. While George was still alive, a certain keen bailiff named William Sparrow proceeded to carry out the drawing and quartering and the four parts of the body were exhibited in Chelmsford, Colchester, Harwich and St Osyths.
Unseen, the Lord Jesus Christ was welcoming the latest recruit into His Noble Army of Martyrs: those who had not accepted deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.
