sented by these "prisoners for the gospel, to the King and Queen, and their most honourable High Court of Parliament;" in which they express their alarm for the miseries threatened by the recent "horrible deformation of the Church of England, and the danger occasioned by it to the salvation of those, who had brought the kingdom back from light to darkness." They conclude their paper with a repetition of their challenge, to maintain before the Parliament, either in writing or by oral discussion, all the measures of King Edward's Reformation; and this, too, "on pain of being immediately burned" if they should be vanquished in the contest, or of "suffering whatsoever other shameful and painful death it should please the King and Queen's Majesty to appoint'." In these proceedings, they nobly followed the example of the Archbishop, who (as we have stated above) was preparing, soon after the accession of Mary, to fix a similar challenge, in his own name, to the gates of every Church in London; and who, afterwards, entreated the Queen's permis

1 Their Address may be read in Strype's Cranmer, b. iii. c. 14. Append. No. 74. And yet it has been asserted by a Papal writer, that "in order to ward off impending danger, they composed and forwarded petitions, including a confession of their faith, both to the King and Queen, and to both Houses of Parliament!" (Ling. vol. vii. p. 261.) If they forwarded a single line which indicates their shrinking from danger, let it be produced. Most certainly there is not a syllable in the document above alluded to, but what breathes a spirit of undaunted readiness for the most cruel extremities.

The letter,

Cranmer's re

his mind" to the Queen respecting Religion.

sion to exhibit to her Majesty his views respecting the religious prospects of the country. which has been quoted above, and which he had addressed to Mary, soli- quest to "utter citing pardon for his defection, concluded with an expression of his earnest wish that he might have licence to "write his mind to her touching the state of religion in the realm of England." In strict conformity with the principles he had uniformly maintained, he there acknowledges that "the Reformation of things that be amiss," pertains entirely to the office of the Sovereign; and that "to private subjects it appertaineth quietly to suffer what they cannot amend. Yet, nevertheless," he adds, "to show your Majesty my mind, in things. pertaining unto God, methink it my duty, knowing what I do, and considering the place which, in time past, I have occupied 1." It must have required no ordinary constancy and fortitude, for Cranmer to intimate to a Princess so incurably bigotted as Mary, his readiness to vindicate the proceedings which she so notoriously and heartily detested; more especially in the very hour of his peril and disgrace, when a regard for his own safety might, naturally enough, have prompted him to abstain from any topic which might exasperate her displeasure against him. It is almost needless to add, that his application, if it ever

'Strype's Cranmer, b. iii. c. 5. Append. No. 74.-Letters of the Martyrs, fol. 1-3. Cranmer's Remains, vol. i. p. 362, 363. This letter is without a date. But it must have been written in 1553.

reached the Queen, was wholly disregarded. A Princess, who is known to have steadily refused even to look into an heretical volume, was not very likely to encourage, or even to endure, the reasonings of the great heresiarch of her kingdom. It will be seen that he did, afterwards, "write his mind" very fully and distinctly, to her Majesty. But at the time in question, he was compelled to content himself with uttering his thoughts as he best might, before the Commissioners at Oxford; and this, upon a very small portion of the subjects, which he was anxious to discuss in all their comprehension. The manner in which the exercise of this privilege was accorded to him, and the signal ability and learning with which he sustained the onset of his adversaries, have already been related in the present chapter.

CHAPTER XVI.

1555-1556.

Persecution of the Reformers-Fresh Commission for the trial of Latimer and Ridley-Authority obtained from Rome for the trial of Cranmer-His examination before Brokes-The process closed on the 13th Sept. 1555-Cranmer cited to appear at Rome in 80 days-His two Letters to the Queen-Pole's Answer-Cranmer sentenced to excommunication, at RomeThe Pope's Letter for execution of the sentence-Degradation of Cranmer-He appeals to a General Council-His appeal disregarded-His Recantations-Order for his Execution-Is visited in prison by Cole and Garcina-Is taken to St. Mary's, previously to his death-Proceedings there-Cranmer's demeanour-He retracts his Recantation-Is hurried to execution -His behaviour at the stake-Reflections on his fate.

1555.

THE year 1555 was a time of horror in England; for Popery regained complete possession of the land. But its dominion was exercised in a manner precisely adapted to secure its eventual and final expulsion. It would be needless, and almost puerile, to give utterance to the feelings. of indignation and abhorrence, which the recollection of that sanguinary period is sure to awaken in every English heart. The scenes which speedily followed the union of Mary with her Spanish husband, are more or less familiar to nearly every child in the

kingdom. With regard, therefore, to the general history of those atrocities, and the almost incredible manner in which the victims were supported under them, it may be sufficient to observe, that nothing can well be more hopeless than the attempt which has been, occasionally, made to destroy the credit of the celebrated narrative, in which they are principally related1. It is impossible to question the sub

1 The work of Foxe was compiled, with unwearied industry, from documents and materials of unquestionable authority; and it was subjected by him to scrupulous revisal, during the remainder of his life; which was protracted for many years beyond the period of its first appearance. The truth of it is amply attested, in solemn and impassioned language, by Bishop Jewell. In his answer to the Apology, (c. iv. div. 5.) Harding had called Foxe's Acts and Monuments, "the dunghill of your stinking Martyrs." The following is Jewell's reply to this coarse and brutal language - —“It pleaseth you, for lack of other evasion, to call the story of the Martyrs a dunghill of lies. But these lies shall remain on record for ever, to testify and to condemn your bloody doings. Ye have imprisoned your brethren; ye have stripped them naked; ye have scourged them with rods; ye have burned their hands and arms with flaming torches; ye have famished them; ye have drowned them; ye have summoned them, being dead, to appear before you out of their graves; ye have ripped up their buried carcases; ye have burned them; ye have thrown them into the dunghill; ye took a poor babe, and, in most cruel and barbarous manner, ye threw him into the fire. All these things, Mr. Harding, are true. They are no lies. The eyes and consciences of many thousands can witness your doings. The blood of the righteous Abel crieth unto God out of the earth; and, undoubtedly, he will require it at your hands."-Works of Bishop Jewell, p. 27, 28. Ed. 1609. See also pt. iii. c. 1. div. 3, p. 315. And again, pt. iii. c. 2,